This Is Naval Group's Concept For A Stealthy

PARIS — The SCX26 concept pairs a stealthy, split-superstructure design with advanced weapons and extensive facilities for uncrewed systems. This Is Naval Group’s Concept For A Stealthy, Drone-Armed Future Destroyer. Naval Group France’s Naval Group unveiled the SCX26, a future warship concept exploring how large surface combatants could evolve to meet the demands of naval warfare in the coming decades.

Heavily influenced by lessons from recent conflicts and emerging technologies, Naval Group describes it as a platform for testing ideas about future naval combat, rather than a design intended for immediate construction. It provides an interesting case study into what the next generation of destroyers could look like. A digital rendering of the SCX26 future warship concept.

Naval Group In terms of the destroyer as a floating base for multiple types of drones, the potential of even smaller and cheaper drones to vastly increase the combat flexibility and overall capabilities of an advanced warship — especially when the drones can be employed in swarms — is something that TWZ has addressed in detail in the past. Key features of the new design include a stealth-focused hull, distributed sensors, a substantial missile arsenal, and a large internal mission bay for uncrewed systems. Its most distinctive features are two widely separated superstructures that also act as sensor towers and extensive facilities for operating, maintaining, and potentially even manufacturing drones.

Vincent @VincentLamigeon sait prendre de belles photos ������ du concept ship @navalgroup du SCX26 au @SalonEuronaval #Euronaval2026 pic.twitter.com/QXyr8FxIZ3 — Philippe Top-Action (@top_force) November 3, 2026 The SCX26 measures about 558 feet long and 79 feet wide, with a reported full-load displacement of around 8,000 metric tons.