Portugal to build multi-purpose unmanned carrier

The Portuguese Navy announced on 27 May that it is planning to design and build an offshore multi-purpose surface ship dedicated to deploying unmanned surface vessels (USVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The local development and construction of the ‘Plataforma Naval Multifuncional’ (multifunctional naval platform) was formally approved by the Council of Ministers on 24 May for a maximum amount of EUR94.5 million (USD101 million) between 2023 and 2025, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the European Union.

The Portuguese Navy will be responsible for defining the concept of employment and requirements, the technical specifications, as well as having overall responsibility for the contract and construction of the ship.

The future ship will carry out a wide range of roles, including surveillance, search-and-rescue (SAR), underwater survey, scientific research, and disaster relief.