Type 94
A planned Royal Navy class of uncrewed air-threat sensing platform named in the 2026 Defence Investment Plan.
Type 94, the Royal Navy's planned uncrewed air-defence sensor platform of up to 3,000 tonnes, had its role confirmed on 16 July 2026 as by far the largest of four new uncrewed classes named that fortnight.
Last refreshed: 24 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, one of four uncrewed classes sharing a GBP1.5bn, four-year Ministry of Defence funding line. At up to 3,000 tonnes it is 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 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?
