Portugal Prepares to Launch Europe's First Drone Carrier

The D. João II vessel will open new possibilities for drone operations at sea, raising concerns for the U.S. Navy and NATO.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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European drone operations at sea are soon to spread, as Portugal prepares to launch Europe's first drone carrier, the D. João II, later this year. The Portuguese government describes the vessel as a 'drone, land, and submarine carrier' that can deploy all types of autonomous systems, including unmanned aircraft, surface vessels, and underwater vehicles. Experts say seaborne drone power fielded on multipurpose vessels like João II opens new possibilities to deter, surveil, and strike adversaries, and could set a new standard for countries seeking to gain more seapower.

Why it matters

The impending launch of João II follows the 2023 launch of Turkey's TCG Anadolu, the world's first dedicated drone carrier. This development raises concerns for the U.S. Navy and its NATO allies, as it could increase pressure on them to also expand their drone capabilities at sea, especially in the face of China's rapidly expanding naval forces.

The details

The João II is part of a family of Damen's multi-purpose support ships, built for the specific purpose of fielding drones at sea. It can deploy all types of autonomous systems, including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned surface vessels (USV), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). The vessel boasts over 9,000 square feet of storage capacity for maritime unmanned vessels and features two lifting platforms to raise drones above decks. Depending on the type of mission, the Portuguese Navy can transform the carrier within a week for different operations.

  • The D. João II is expected to be launched later this year.
  • In 2023, Turkey launched the TCG Anadolu, the world's first dedicated drone carrier.

The players

Marinha Portuguesa

The Portuguese Navy, which is acquiring the D. João II drone carrier.

Damen

A Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate that is building the D. João II for the Portuguese Navy.

Bruce Behrens, PhD

A senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, a federally-funded research center in the U.S.

Steven Wills, PhD

A navalist for the Center for Maritime Security at the Navy League of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“It's certainly something that I think a lot of countries are going to experiment with in the future to see if it makes sense for them. It is a way to build a capability that they probably can't do otherwise.”

— Bruce Behrens, Senior Research Scientist (Center for Naval Analyses)

“These ships are already set up to support helicopters and vertical-launch aircraft, in this case the F-35B. The [U.S.] Navy tends to think of all its ships as being multi-mission like this. I think as you see the Turks and the Portuguese as well developing a carrier that can launch fixed-wing drones, I think the Navy will pay attention to that.”

— Steven Wills, Navalist (Navy League of the United States)

What’s next

The U.S. Navy is likely to closely monitor the development of the D. João II and other dedicated drone carriers, and may consider modifying existing vessels such as the America-class and Wasp-class amphibious assault ships to incorporate drone launch and storage capabilities.

The takeaway

The emergence of dedicated drone carriers like the D. João II represents a new frontier in maritime power projection, raising concerns for the U.S. Navy and its NATO allies as they seek to maintain their technological edge in an increasingly contested global environment.