For the first time in NATO’s history, the Ukrainian Armed Forces Navy led the planning, coordination, and management of opposing forces (OPFOR) during the REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger 25 exercises held in Portugal.
The involvement of the Ukrainian Navy was supported by NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM), the Portuguese Navy, and the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC) to test the capabilities of two dozen NATO member countries.
The exercises reflected modern maritime warfare trends, including the use of unmanned systems for coordinated strikes and rapid threat response.
The operational staff of the Ukrainian Navy organized joint planning and command of OPFOR forces from Ukraine and partner countries participating in the training operations. The joint exercises with the Ukrainian Navy were conducted successfully.
This year’s exercises combined REPMUS, a leading global event in maritime robotics and unmanned technologies, with Dynamic Messenger (DYMS), part of NATO’s operational exercise series.
Brigadier General Wojciech Ozga, commander of JATEC, emphasized that “by leading the opposing force team, Ukraine became not only a participant but also a driving force of innovation, directly strengthening NATO’s maritime resilience and shaping the future of collective security. JATEC is proud to contribute to this important advancement.”
During the exercises, unmanned platforms were integrated into the DELTA combat system used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The integration followed the new NATO standard STANAG 4817, whose testing was also a key exercise objective, including interoperability checks, evaluation of unmanned systems under various conditions, electronic warfare, and operator training.
Colonel Valeriy Vyshnivskyi, director of program implementation at JATEC, highlighted: “Ukraine’s participation in these exercises provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate key trends in modern maritime warfare. We add modern combat realism to NATO exercises, encouraging the Alliance to adopt innovative changes and tactics in naval operations.”
Alongside Ukraine, REPMUS/DYMS 2025 included naval forces, enterprises, and research centers from 26 partner countries, as well as representatives from NATO Maritime Command Northwood, the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), the Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies at the University of Porto (LSTS), and the NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative (MUSI).
