✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 12 Oct 2026, 13:37.
Opportunity overview
The Royal Navy is inviting organisations to register their interest in preliminary market engagement for the Type 93 and AUKUS Signature Payload Programme. The Royal Navy seeks to improve its understanding of the market and wider ecosystem for Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) platforms, associated payloads, and enabling functions. This activity supports the development of the Type 93 capability and the Royal Navy’s commitments under the AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project.
The purpose of the registration of interest is to gather a comprehensive list of interested suppliers for XLUUV market segments and the wider ecosystem. This includes, but is not limited to: XLUUV platform providers, payload providers, relevant technology and software suppliers including Autonomy, AI and Mission Management Systems, integrators, through-life support providers, and other relevant suppliers. Suppliers who register their interest through this notice may be invited to participate in subsequent preliminary market engagement activities, including but not limited to, collaborative workshops, 1:1 meetings, industry days, and written requests for information (RFIs). Responses will be used to inform requirements development, and future market engagement and wider programme planning.
The Royal Navy is initially considering platforms approximately 2 metres in diameter and 12 metres in length, however organisations offering platforms of other dimensions are also encouraged to register. This notice should not be considered as a commitment from the Royal Navy to progress with any future procurement activities.
The programme directly aligns with the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), Defence Investment Plan (DIP) and AUKUS Pillar II priorities, supporting the transition to a Hybrid Navy through the integration of autonomous and uncrewed maritime capabilities.
The value of £1 and contract duration of 12 months should be regarded as nominal and will be updated via future notice(s) as the programme progresses, figures and dates mature, and are subsequently confirmed.
Classification
CPV34930000 — Marine equipment
CPV35512400 — Unmanned underwater vehicles
CPV50640000 — Repair and maintenance services of warships
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
Published notice details
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
By registering interest, organisations confirm they are content to be contacted and engaged by the Royal Navy for preliminary market engagement activity. This registration is not a commitment by the Royal Navy or the organisation to participate in any future procurement activity. The Royal Navy will use the registered list of interested organisations and stakeholders to keep them informed about the programme and notify them of future engagement opportunities.
Organisations should access and complete the registered interest form using the following Microst Forms link:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/nj6YzhQSRi
Responses should aim to be submitted by 29 October 17:00 (GMT) 2026, however, registration will remain open during the preliminary engagement programme. If you have any questions, they can be sent to NavyDev-Type93-Commercial@mod.gov.uk.
All information provided in the form should be at classification: OFFICIAL.
Following the review of registration responses, the Royal Navy may invite a limited number of organisations to further preliminary market engagement activity. Involvement will be based on relevance to the event themes and the need to obtain useful and representative market insight. Organisations not invited to a workshop may still have their written responses considered for market-engagement purposes and will not be precluded from further engagement.
Participation in all preliminary market engagement is voluntary and at each organisation’s own cost. Participation does not constitute pre-qualification and will confer no advantage or disadvantage in any potential future procurement. This notice should not be considered as a commitment from the Royal Navy to progress with any future procurement activities.
Due
31 Mar 2027, 23:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
096028-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Buyer location · Whitehall, London · UKI32 · SW1A 2EU · United Kingdom
Notice and amendment history
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
096028-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage preliminary market engagement, not an open competition. The Royal Navy is inviting organisations to register interest in the Type 93 XLUUV and AUKUS Signature Payload Programme to help shape future requirements and programme planning.
Who this may suit
Relevant to XLUUV platform and payload suppliers, autonomy, AI and mission-management technology providers, systems integrators, through-life support providers, and related ecosystem suppliers.
Key points identified
Registration of interestOrganisations are invited to register interest in preliminary market engagement.Evidence: “The Royal Navy is inviting organisations to register their interest in preliminary market engagement.”
Relevant capability areasXLUUV platforms, payloads, autonomy, AI, mission management systems, integration, through-life support, or other relevant ecosystem capabilities.Evidence: The notice lists “XLUUV platform providers, payload providers, relevant technology and software suppliers including Autonomy, AI and Mission Management Systems, integrators, through-life support providers, and other relevant suppliers.”
Eligible supplier typesOrganisations operating in the listed XLUUV market segments or wider relevant ecosystem are encouraged to register interest.Evidence: The notice seeks “a comprehensive list of interested suppliers for XLUUV market segments and the wider ecosystem.”
96% approved-analysis confidence4 supplier criteria identified4 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage preliminary market engagement, not an open competition. The Royal Navy is inviting organisations to register interest in the Type 93 XLUUV and AUKUS Signature Payload Programme to help shape future requirements and programme planning.
Who this may suit
Relevant to XLUUV platform and payload suppliers, autonomy, AI and mission-management technology providers, systems integrators, through-life support providers, and related ecosystem suppliers.
Key deliverables
Register interest for preliminary market engagement
Potential participation in workshops, 1:1 meetings, industry days or written RFIs if invited
Market input to inform future requirements development and programme planning
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
4 criteria identified
Registration of interest
99% confidence
Organisations are invited to register interest in preliminary market engagement.
View supporting evidence
“The Royal Navy is inviting organisations to register their interest in preliminary market engagement.”
Relevant capability areas
98% confidence
XLUUV platforms, payloads, autonomy, AI, mission management systems, integration, through-life support, or other relevant ecosystem capabilities.
View supporting evidence
The notice lists “XLUUV platform providers, payload providers, relevant technology and software suppliers including Autonomy, AI and Mission Management Systems, integrators, through-life support providers, and other relevant suppliers.”
Eligible supplier types
97% confidence
Organisations operating in the listed XLUUV market segments or wider relevant ecosystem are encouraged to register interest.
View supporting evidence
The notice seeks “a comprehensive list of interested suppliers for XLUUV market segments and the wider ecosystem.”
Supplier qualification requirements
98% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No selection criteria, financial thresholds, insurance requirements, security requirements or certifications are stated in the supplied notice.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Published value
99% confidence
The notice describes £1 as nominal; the supplied process data records a maximum value of £0.
View supporting evidence
Description: “The value of £1 ... should be regarded as nominal”; process data: value_max is 0 GBP.
Contract duration
98% confidence
12 months is described as nominal and subject to future update.
View supporting evidence
“The value of £1 and contract duration of 12 months should be regarded as nominal and will be updated via future notice(s).”
Commercial terms
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No pricing, payment, contract terms or charging model is stated.
Delivery
Indicative platform dimensions
99% confidence
Initially considering platforms approximately 2 metres in diameter and 12 metres in length; other dimensions are also encouraged to register.
View supporting evidence
“The Royal Navy is initially considering platforms approximately 2 metres in diameter and 12 metres in length, however organisations offering platforms of other dimensions are also encouraged to register.”
Delivery location
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
The supplied location is identified as the buyer location, not a delivery location.
Delivery timetable
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No contract start, end or delivery dates are stated.
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Opportunity status
99% confidence
Upcoming early-stage preliminary market engagement; this is not an open competition.
View supporting evidence
Display status is “upcoming”; stage is “planning”; notice type is “Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender.”
Engagement format
98% confidence
Interested suppliers may be invited to workshops, 1:1 meetings, industry days and written RFIs.
View supporting evidence
“Suppliers who register their interest ... may be invited to participate in subsequent preliminary market engagement activities.”
Submission deadline
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
submission_deadline is null and no registration deadline is stated in the description.
Future procurement commitment
99% confidence
No commitment to launch a future procurement is made.
View supporting evidence
“This notice should not be considered as a commitment from the Royal Navy to progress with any future procurement activities.”
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Published value discrepancy
99% confidence
The narrative calls £1 nominal, while the structured process value is £0 maximum. Neither should be treated as an estimated procurement value.
View supporting evidence
Description states “The value of £1 ... should be regarded as nominal”; process data records value_max: 0 GBP.
No assured future procurement
99% confidence
Registration may lead to market-engagement invitations only; the buyer makes no commitment to procure.
View supporting evidence
The notice states that it should not be considered a commitment to progress with future procurement activities.
Early-stage scope uncertainty
98% confidence
Requirements, final scope, programme timetable, commercial terms and procurement route remain to be developed or confirmed.
View supporting evidence
Responses will inform requirements development, future market engagement and programme planning; nominal figures and dates will be updated in future notices.
No stated deadline
99% confidence
No registration or submission deadline is supplied.
View supporting evidence
submission_deadline is null and the description provides no deadline.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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