Royal Navy goes fishing for suppliers to build its Type 93 robot submarine

Royal Navy seeks Type 93 submarine suppliers

Britain's Royal Navy is sounding out the defense industry ahead of a procurement process for the Type 93, a large uncrewed submarine that will form part of the force's Hybrid Navy vision. The Ministry of Defence has issued a preliminary market engagement notice inviting organizations to register interest in the Type 93 and the AUKUS Signature Payload Program, which aims to develop weapons and other systems for the UK's uncrewed submarine and those of partner nations.

The notice seeks a comprehensive list of interested suppliers for Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) platforms and the wider ecosystem, including payload providers, suppliers of relevant technology and software for autonomous operations, AI and mission management systems, as well as integrators and firms to provide through-life support.

Existing prototypes fit the bill

The Royal Navy is initially considering submarines approximately 12 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter as potential candidates for Type 93, although organizations with existing systems of other dimensions are also encouraged to register. Two existing uncrewed submarine prototypes roughly fit these dimensions: the XV Excalibur, a large submarine drone the Royal Navy has been using in seagoing trials, and the BAE Systems Herne, a new version of which is being prepared for trials around Canada next year.

XV Excalibur recently test-fired a torpedo for the first time, demonstrating its potential to counter underwater threats, although the drone was supplied with external targeting data in that instance.

Hybrid Navy plans

The Hybrid Navy initiative was outlined by First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins earlier this year in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute. It plans for the Royal Navy to transition to a mix of crewed, uncrewed and autonomous platforms. Type 92 is set to be a sensor platform focusing on sonar to detect enemy submarines, while Type 94 is described as an uncrewed radar and sensor platform for long-range detection and tracking of airborne threats. Type 91 is envisioned as a missile carrier to help defend a Royal Navy fleet, likely relying on targeting data provided from a Type 94 drone.

The scheme also scraps the planned Type 83 Destroyer, to be replaced by six Common Combat Vessels acting as command-and-control hubs for the drone ships. The MoD claims delivery of the CCVs is expected from the early 2030s.

The preliminary market engagement notice says it should not be considered as a commitment from the Royal Navy to progress with any future procurement activities.

Sources: The Register