As NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, I had the opportunity, at the beginning of 2025, to visit the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE).

That visit allowed me to fully appreciate, firsthand, how central the Centre’s role is in driving the innovation that underpins our collective maritime security and technological edge.

I observed the Centre’s expanding fleet of autonomous maritime surveillance systems and was briefed on MAINSAIL, the AI-enabled tool that allows the Alliance to monitor critical maritime infrastructure at scale. These are precisely the kinds of scientific solutions NATO must deliver to its operational Commands.

We are also witnessing rapid advances in uncrewed systems. These capabilities enable the deployment of large swarms of sensors and effectors across the maritime domain. CMRE’s contributions to Task Force X Baltics (TF-X) are central to this effort. By combining uncrewed systems with emerging defence technologies, TF-X Baltic strengthens NATO’s enhanced vigilance posture and contributes directly to deterrence.

Since its founding, CMRE consistently contributes and enables NATO to meet evolving operational requirements shaped by a rapidly changing international environment. As in land warfare, maritime strategy and tactics have evolved dramatically, challenging traditional concepts and approaches. CMRE is a cornerstone for the Alliance, granting effective experimentation and providing concrete, actionable feedback to NATO and the nations.

CMRE’s strength lies in its creativity and its collaborative approach within NATO’s engine of innovation. The Centre remains an essential partner for Allied Command Transformation and for all 32 nations of our Alliance and will play an exquisite part in NATO’s initiatives such as Task Force X—Arctic in 2026. Its action in the future is still of utmost important to help nations reinforce maritime denial.