# ECA Group to build mine warfare drones plant in Ostend, Belgium

ECA Group will build a new plant in the port of Ostend to manufacture naval drones for the Belgian and Dutch navies' minesweeper contract. The 5,000 m² facility represents an investment of around €10 million and will be operational in 2022.

- Type: New facility
- Announced: 2020-01-09
- Where: Ostend, Belgium
- Value: $11.1M (10.0M EUR)
- Starts operating: 2022
- Status: announced
- Capacity: 5000 m²
- Products: naval drones, submarine drone A18-M, towed sonar T18-M, surface drone INSPECTOR 125, mine inspection and neutralization drones Seascan and K-STER
- Sectors: [Automation and Robotics](https://endata.com/sectors/automation-robotics.md)

## Companies

- [ECA Group](https://endata.com/companies/38051.md)
- [Naval Group](https://endata.com/companies/11418.md) (partner)
- [Belgium Naval & Robotics](https://endata.com/companies/44421.md) (partner)

## Sources

- [navalnews.com](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/01/eca-group-to-build-mine-warfare-drones-plant-in-ostend/), 2020-01-09: "PORT OSTEND grants ECA Group a concession for the building of the factory on the former site of Beliard in the port area."

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Data from Endata (https://endata.com/). Announcements are summarized from public sources and may be incomplete; check the linked originals.