Type 94
A planned Royal Navy class of uncrewed air-threat sensing platform named in the 2026 Defence Investment Plan.
Last refreshed: 18 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why does the Royal Navy's Type 94 uncrewed sensor ship weigh as much as a warship?
Timeline for Type 94
Type 91 to 94 robot fleet takes shape
Autonomous Systems: Land & SeaMentioned in: Navy retires HMS Chiddingfold at 42
Autonomous Systems: Land & SeaMentioned in: A400M airdrops a working robot boat
Autonomous Systems: Land & SeaNamed as an uncrewed air-threat sensing platform
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea: Britain names four uncrewed warship classesBackground
Type 94 is a planned Royal Navy uncrewed sensor platform of up to 3,000 tonnes, built for fleet and homeland air defence, with its role and size confirmed in July 2026 alongside sibling classes Type 91 to 93.
At up to 3,000 tonnes, Type 94 would be by FAR the largest of the four uncrewed classes, closer in scale to a small warship than a conventional drone, reflecting its air-defence sensor role rather than a strike or reconnaissance mission.
Type 94 sits inside the same GBP 1.5 billion, four-year Ministry of Defence funding line as Type 91 to 93, part of a surface fleet redesign pairing crewed motherships with uncrewed shooters and sensors; no contractor has yet been named.
What is the Royal Navy's Type 94 class?
How big is the Type 94 uncrewed vessel?
Who will build the Type 94 air-defence sensor platform?
