Naval Group unveils new drone carrier concept

PARIS — French shipbuilder Naval Group has unveiled an 8,000-ton drone carrier concept designed to deploy fleets of surface, aerial and underwater drones.

“The return of high-intensity conflict and the emergence of hybrid naval warfare require a new vision. Naval Group answers with a new concept ship: SCX 26,” Naval Group wrote in a Tuesday post on X.

Still in its blueprint stage, the company unveiled its concept at the Euronaval defense show in Paris. Naval Group said in a press release that it developed the carrier based on new operational requirements, lessons learned from recent wars, and medium- to long-term technological advancements. 

The idea is for the carrier to be what the French group calls an “operational hub of a hybrid fleet,” able to launch a variety of drones for missions ranging from intelligence gathering to anti-submarine warfare.

According to the theoretical capabilities outlined, the ship would measure 170 meters in length and weigh 8,000 tons, with a crew of 150. The carrier is expected to reach a maximum of 30 knots and roam the seas for more than 8,000 nautical miles. Naval Group plans for the ship’s core onboard weapon to be composed of “over 100 vertical launching system silos of various classes and an electromagnetic gun capable of rapid fire.”

Separately, the French shipbuilder on Tuesday also signed a contract with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) to begin manufacturing an unmanned combat underwater vehicle (UCUV) demonstrator intended for the French Navy. 

While the project was officially launched in 2023, Naval Group since 2016 has self-funded the development of this extra-large underwater drone. During a nine-month study in 2023, the company said it tested Controlled Decision-Making Autonomy, an “onboard brain” algorithm that coordinates mission parameters and enables unmanned systems to autonomously execute challenging operations while adhering to human-defined mission boundaries. 

The UCUV demonstrator’s first sea testing is slotted for 2028 to “validate a mid-term operational response” to new areas of conflict, Naval Group said.