The second day of Euronaval 2026, held on November 4 at Paris Nord Villepinte, moved away from the ministerial announcements of the opening day.
The focus shifted to how European industry will organize itself to build the hybrid fleet: shipyards pooling corvette work, national teams forming around seabed protection, and primes setting out how they plan to move drones from trials into production.[1]
Corvette Consolidation
The most significant industrial news concerned the European Patrol Corvette (EPC). Fincantieri, Navantia and Naval Group signed the consortium agreement for the program’s second phase, EPC2, at a ceremony attended by representatives of OCCAR, the European armaments cooperation agency. EPC2 completes the preliminary and detailed design of a common Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette and moves the program toward a production-ready platform. The program began in 2019 under PESCO, and OCCAR has coordinated it since 2022.[2]
Separately, Navantia and Fincantieri signed heads of agreement for a 50/50 joint venture. It is meant to act as prime contractor for their national EPC programs and for exports, and to run common design, purchasing and life-cycle support as a full operating company, not just a coordination office. Naval Group is reported to be studying whether to join.[3] French participation has been uncertain since earlier in the year, when reporting suggested that Paris was stepping back from the corvette project after the Italian-Spanish alliance was formed.[4]
Protecting the Seabed
On Wednesday, seven Spanish firms led by Indra (SAES, UTEK, Aragon Photonics, Iqua Robotics, FYLA and Sateliot) signed an agreement to develop SIPRIS, a sovereign system for continuous surveillance of undersea cables and critical infrastructure. The planned system combines fiber-optic anomaly detection, sonar, uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles, aerial drones, underwater optical communications and satellite coverage, with Indra’s SEADEF architecture and IndraMind AI platform tying them together. Field testing is to begin immediately.[5]
From Experiment to Production
Naval Group used the day to set out its approach to hybrid fleets. A keynote on “Naval Warfare in the Era of Hybrid Fleets” was scheduled for 11 a.m., with Aurore Neuschwander, the company’s executive vice president for drones, autonomous systems and underwater weapons, and Admiral Xavier Petit, commander of France’s submarine forces.[6]
In a companion statement, the company said a drone has to be “navalized, hardened, integrated into the platform and combat system, and fully interoperable.”
It listed four product lines (Seaquest surface drones, Seagent underwater drones, the Steeris mission system and Sealken shipboard integration) and said a 17,000-square-meter drone and underwater-weapons center will open at La Londe-les-Maures by the end of 2027.[7]
Reporting published on day two pointed in the same direction. Vice-Admiral Éric Chaperon, now naval adviser to Thales, told Euronews that navies have become “much more focused on the near future and what can be delivered immediately.”
François Watteau of the DGA called the naval drone “the sword and the shield.”[8]
Saildrone said Norway’s Umoe Mandal will build its Surveyor craft locally for Northern European customers.[9]
Defense News also reported MBDA’s Tuesday briefing on Stratus RS, a high-supersonic strike missile whose range is meant to “far, far, far” exceed Exocet’s. MBDA is still waiting for a DGA development contract.[10]
Innovation and Politics
At the Euronaval Awards ceremony on Wednesday, six exhibitors were honored: Amphitrite (Transform), Fluiidd (Sustain), Gabler Group (Engage), Astraea Marine (SEAnnovation start-up), Cosma (GICAN special prize) and Globus Metal Powders (jury special mention).[11]
French politics also came to the show floor. Presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann toured the halls in the afternoon to make his case on sovereignty, and other candidates were expected on Thursday.[12]
Why It Matters
Day one showed what France intends to buy.
Day two showed how European industry plans to deliver it.
The pattern is consolidation and specialization: joint ventures to cut duplication in corvettes, national teams for seabed defense, and dedicated drone production capacity.
The caveat is the same as on day one.
Most of what was signed on November 4 is a framework: heads of agreement, consortium terms, field-test plans.
These are not production contracts.
Whether France stays inside the EPC structure, and how quickly drone centers and seabed-protection systems turn into fielded capability, will show whether Euronaval 2026 marked a real industrial shift or just the next round of planning.
[1] Euronaval, “Venue and opening times,” https://www.euronaval.com/practical-informations/venue-and-opening-times/
[2] Naval News, “Fincantieri, Navantia and Naval Group sign EPC2 Consortium Agreement at Euronaval 2026,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/euronaval-2026/2026/11/fincantieri-navantia-and-naval-group-sign-epc2-consortium-agreement-at-euronaval-2026/
[3] Demócrata, “Navantia and Fincantieri take a new step to launch their European corvette joint venture,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.democrata.es/en/economy/navantia-and-fincantieri-take-a-new-step-to-launch-their-european-corvette-joint-venture/
[4] Zone Militaire / Opex360, “Le retrait de la France du projet de corvette européenne se précise après l’alliance entre Fincantieri et Navantia,” Feb. 26, 2026, https://www.opex360.com/2026/02/26/le-retrait-de-la-france-du-projet-de-corvette-europeenne-se-confirme-apres-lalliance-entre-fincantieri-et-navantia/
[5] AOL / Escarlata Sánchez, “Indra leads Spanish alliance to shield Europe’s underwater infrastructure,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/indra-leads-spanish-alliance-shield-212907000.html
[6] Naval Group, “Euronaval 2026: Naval Group showcases its solutions to face high-intensity warfare” (press release with keynote schedule), Nov. 2, 2026, https://www.naval-group.com/sites/default/files/2026-11/20261102_PR_Naval Group showcases at Euronaval 2026 its solutions to face high-intensity warfare_VDEF.pdf
[7] Naval Group, “Naval Warfare in the Era of Hybrid Fleets,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.naval-group.com/en/naval-warfare-era-hybrid-fleets
[8] Euronews, “As maritime threats rise, France seeks to bolster Europe’s naval power,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.euronews.com/2026/11/04/as-maritime-threats-grow-france-pushes-to-strengthen-europes-naval-power
[9] Defense News, “Saildrone expands its European market reach with manufacturing partner in Norway,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/11/04/saildrone-expands-its-european-market-reach-with-manufacturing-partner-in-norway/
[10] Defense News, “MBDA’s high-speed strike missile to have range ‘far’ exceeding Exocet,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/11/04/mbda-high-speed-strike-missile-to-have-range-far-exceeding-exocet/
[11] Euronaval, “EURONAVAL Awards: Découvrez les lauréats 2026,” https://www.euronaval.com/fr/temps-forts/euronaval-awards/; ceremony timing from Euronaval press kit, https://www.euronaval.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DP-Euronaval-2026-EN-191026_compressed.pdf
[12] Le Parisien, “« Ça se met lentement en route » : au salon Euronaval à Villepinte, le début de campagne présidentielle poussif de Raphaël Glucksmann,” Nov. 4, 2026, https://www.leparisien.fr/elections/presidentielle/ca-se-met-lentement-en-route-au-salon-euronaval-a-villepinte-le-debut-de-campagne-presidentielle-poussif-de-raphael-glucksmann-04-11-2026-DIWMTYPTYVGSBO7AB2HGEMJRPE.php; Euronews, Nov. 4, 2026 (see note 8)