Naval Group has signed a cooperation agreement with Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII), aimed at accelerating the “joint development” of autonomous underwater vehicles.
The agreement, announced at Euronaval 2026 in Paris, covers potential systems for operations in non-contested waters and the development of combat uncrewed underwater vehicles for contested environments.
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The cooperation will combine TII’s extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV) with Naval Group’s experience in uncrewed combat underwater systems.
The agreement is also intended to support the development of autonomous underwater capabilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and strengthen industrial cooperation between the UAE and France.
TII’s 5.5m modular XLUUV can be transported in a standard 20ft container and reconfigured for missions including surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and hydrographic sensing. It has a targeted range of 450km on a full battery charge.
The proposed collaboration will examine applications for persistent maritime surveillance and underwater reconnaissance. It will also consider the integration of technologies for operations requiring combat capabilities.
TII CEO Najwa Aaraj said: “At TII, we have built a strong research base in underwater autonomy and systems that can operate reliably in complex environments. Our collaboration with Naval Group brings together complementary strengths in research and naval engineering.”
The agreement will combine the organisations’ expertise to support the UAE’s maritime technology sector and deepen cooperation with France’s naval industry.
Last year, Naval Group signed a memorandum of understanding with UAE-based EDGE Group to explore potential cooperation on naval combat systems.
Naval Group drones, autonomous and underwater weapons systems executive vice president Aurore Neuschwander said: “This partnership with TII reflects our shared ambition to foster innovation and develop cutting-edge autonomous underwater capabilities.
“These capabilities will be essential in addressing the evolving maritime security challenges for the country.”
