Portugal-based EID will provide Command-Control-Communication-Computers-Intelligence systems for future PNM ships. PNM, or Multifunctional Naval Platform, carries a variety of manned and unmanned platforms to operate in different domains and will use locally developed C4I systems,
Janes reports. In November 2023, a deal was signed with Damen to construct the 107-meter-long PNM ships. The ships will be capable of carrying and operating UAVs, USVs, and UUVs in addition to helicopters and small boats. The ship will have a proportionally large hangar compared to others of similar size and a large runway for VTOL UAVs and possibly UCAVs with STOL capability, like Bayraktar TB3 and Mojave.
A naval platform capable of carrying various unmanned vehicles can be configured for missions like patrol, ASW, ASuW, ISR, and mine countermeasures. Unmanned systems being highly modular regarding payloads further reinforces this advantage. There has been no clear statement on what platforms will be acquired for the unmanned platform motherships.
