Portugal is building Europe’s first dedicated drone carrier, a warship designed to operate unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems at a much lower-cost alternative to traditional aircraft carriers.
The 107.6-metre vessel, NRPD João II, is scheduled for delivery in the second half of this year. Built by Dutch company Damen at its shipyard in Galati, Romania, the ship costs €132 million, largely funded by EU recovery funds.
Its modular design allows it to switch mission profiles within a week by swapping systems and equipment, offering what the Portuguese Navy describes as high functional flexibility.
Conceived by former Navy Chief of Staff Henrique Gouveia e Melo, the project was described at its 2023 contract signing as “a point of no return for modernity,” and has already drawn interest from other European navies. Capable of reaching 15.5 knots, the ship will carry a core crew of 48 plus 42 specialists, with capacity for up to 200 additional people in emergencies.
Copyright Marinha de Portugal
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