Royal Navy seeks industry partners for new Type 93 uncrewed submarine
The Ministry of Defence is inviting suppliers of underwater vehicles, AI systems and specialist equipment to help shape its next generation of autonomous naval technology.
By The Register
The Royal Navy has begun consulting defence companies about the development of a new large uncrewed submarine designed to support operations alongside conventional warships and submarines.
The Ministry of Defence has published a preliminary market engagement notice for the Type 93 Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) programme, inviting businesses to register their interest in supplying platforms, equipment and supporting technology.
The initiative forms part of the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Navy strategy, which envisages greater use of autonomous and remotely operated systems alongside crewed vessels.
The Type 93 is being developed in connection with the AUKUS Signature Payload Programme, a defence technology initiative involving the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.
The MoD is seeking information from manufacturers of underwater vehicles, developers of artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation systems, payload suppliers, systems integrators and companies capable of providing long-term maintenance and technical support.
The engagement will help defence officials assess existing technology, understand what industry can deliver and develop requirements for a potential future procurement.
Proposed submarine dimensions
The Royal Navy is initially considering underwater vehicles approximately 12 metres long and two metres in diameter.
However, the MoD has made clear that companies offering equipment of different dimensions are also welcome to register their interest.
The requirements are not yet fixed, and the notice does not identify a preferred manufacturer or confirm how many submarines might eventually be purchased.
The Type 93 concept is intended to support the Navy’s move towards autonomous underwater operations, potentially allowing uncrewed platforms to carry out missions independently or work alongside crewed vessels.
Such capabilities could contribute to maritime surveillance and the protection of strategically important infrastructure, including undersea communications cables.
The programme builds on experience gained from existing experimental underwater vehicles.
The Royal Navy has been conducting trials with XV Excalibur, a large uncrewed submarine demonstrator developed through Project Cetus.
The experimental vessel has also carried out a torpedo-firing trial, demonstrating a potential military application for the technology. That trial used externally supplied targeting information rather than establishing fully independent target selection.
BAE Systems has separately developed Herne, another autonomous underwater vehicle intended to demonstrate capabilities relevant to future naval operations.
Neither demonstrator has been selected as the Type 93 production platform.
Part of a wider naval transformation
The Hybrid Navy concept was outlined earlier this year by First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins.
It proposes combining traditional warships and submarines with uncrewed vessels capable of carrying sensors, weapons and other equipment.
Other proposed platforms include the Type 91 missile carrier, Type 92 underwater-threat detection vessel and Type 94 airborne-threat surveillance platform.
The wider plans also envisage Common Combat Vessels that could coordinate operations involving uncrewed systems.
However, those proposals are separate from the current Type 93 supplier-registration exercise and remain subject to their own development and procurement decisions.
Suppliers invited to register
The Type 93 notice was published in October 2026, with the MoD asking interested organisations to submit their details by 5pm GMT on 29 October.
Registration will remain open during the preliminary engagement programme.
Companies that respond may subsequently be invited to industry workshops, individual meetings or requests for further technical information.
The MoD has emphasised that taking part does not provide an advantage in any later competition and that the exercise does not commit the Government to awarding a contract.
No confirmed production budget, order quantity or operational entry date has been announced.
The immediate objective is to establish which technologies and suppliers could contribute to the Royal Navy’s future uncrewed underwater capability.