Paris, Nov 3, 2026. French defence industrial company, Naval Group is showcasing technological capabilities of ships, anticipating future naval fleets at the ongoing Euronaval 2026, biennial International Naval Defence & Maritime Exhibition and Conference in Paris.
Naval Group has stated that as high-intensity operations transform the needs of navies and challenge both the structure of fleets and the technological capabilities of ships, the Group is innovating to address the challenges of hybrid naval combat, envisioning the rapid integration of these innovations into naval solutions. From drones to the concept ship of a surface combatant, Naval Group is presenting how it anticipates the future naval fleets.
The Group is looking at multi-domain strikes, saturation attacks, hypersonic ballistic missiles, swarms of drones, simultaneity of attacks implying quick decision and reaction.
It said that it is strengthening its capabilities – by improving a system’s resilience, developing new modes of operation powered by AI, complementing conventional systems with remote sensors or effectors to extend their range.
As drones are essential to complete the conventional ships (surface ships and submarines) and address the new challenges of naval combat, Naval Group said it designs and develops drone capabilities, including drone projection ships for mine warfare and anti-submarine warfare, as well as key technological capabilities.
“Through our complete range of drones, we aim at creating a fleet of interoperable drones, capable of sharing information in real time and natively ready for combat. To do this, we focus on integrating drones into complete naval combat systems (ships, submarines) with which they operate in synergy. Naval Group is accelerating its investments in this area, developing and testing new capabilities, turning innovation into capability.”
It said that the concept ship, SCX26 will address the challenges of tomorrow’s naval warfare. “This theoretical ship concept is a research project that brings together responses to new operational requirements, lessons learnt from recent conflicts and medium to long-term technological developments. The design of the SCX26 is based on tried-and-tested solutions, but also on technological breakthroughs that are likely to become available in a few years’ time. The SCX 26 is designed to be the operational hub of a hybrid fleet thanks to its ability to deploy quickly different types of drones to carry on several missions (ISR, electronic warfare, ASW, protection, etc) with a capability to adapt its configuration to mission requirements throughout its life cycle. Together with its own sensors and effectors, this capability contributes to a more distributed approach to combat, in which the ship acts as part of a force that brings together ships, aircraft, drones and future naval combat systems.”
