Fincantieri Secures First U.S. Navy Contract for LSM Program
Fincantieri Marine Group’s U.S. subsidiary has secured a $30 million contract to procure long‑lead materials and perform engineering work for the first four vessels of the Navy’s Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program. The award follows the Navy’s February 2026 RFP for up to 35 LSMs and paves the way for construction to start as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. The contract marks the first concrete step under the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) model, which emphasizes commercial best practices and parallel production. Fincantieri’s involvement builds on more than $800 million of U.S. shipyard investment and a 3,000‑strong skilled workforce.
Japan to Join Largest Balikatan War Games with 1,400 Troops, Type 88 Missiles
Japan will join the Philippines‑U.S. Balikatan war games as an active participant, sending about 1,400 combat troops and its Type 88 surface‑to‑ship missile system. The drills, running April 20‑May 8, involve more than 17,000 personnel from the United States, the Philippines and other...
France Scales Down Participation to Balikatan Exercises in the Philippines
France is scaling back its participation in the upcoming Balikatan exercises, sending only 15‑20 troops instead of the planned 150. The Mistral‑class landing helicopter dock Dixmude and the frigate Aconit have been rerouted from Southeast Asia to a port call...
NAVANTIA to Provide Life-Cycle Support for the Turkish Navy Amphibious Ship Anadolu
Navantia and Turkey’s Naval Shipyards General Directorate (TGM) signed a three‑year framework agreement on April 8 to provide life‑cycle support for the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. The contract, renewable for an additional three years, includes maintenance, repairs, on‑site and remote technical...
HAVELSAN Expands Its Underwater C5ISR Capabilities for the Future Operating Environment
HAVELSAN has broadened its underwater C5ISR portfolio, delivering integrated combat management systems for submarines, unmanned underwater vehicles and hybrid platforms. The company’s flagship SEDA system is now deployed on Turkish and foreign conventional submarines, while the ADVENT MÜREN suite adds...
Metal Shark Completes U.S. Navy Patrol Boat Program
Metal Shark announced the completion of the U.S. Navy’s 40-foot Patrol Boat Flight 1 program, delivering a total of 57 vessels after a contract awarded in 2017. The effort included two first‑article prototypes, full‑rate production authorized in 2020 for more than...
Third Invincible-Class Submarine Returns to Singapore
The Republic of Singapore Navy celebrated the homecoming of its third Invincible‑class submarine, Illustrious, at Changi Naval Base. Launched in Kiel on 13 December 2022, Illustrious joins five sister vessels built for Singapore’s shallow, congested waters. The submarines feature advanced automation, a...
UKEF Secures £128 Million for Indonesian Navy’s Submarine Rescue Systems
The UK Export Finance agency has secured a £128 million ($164 million) loan‑guarantee package to back two British firms supplying submarine rescue vehicle systems to the Indonesian Navy. Submarine Manufacturing and Products (SMP) received a £76 million ($97 million) guarantee, financed by JP Morgan Singapore,...
Philippine Navy Develops Prototypes of Autonomous Logistics Drones
The Philippine Navy has signed an agreement with Cebu Technological University to build two autonomous logistics platforms – a Hybrid Marine‑Air Vehicle (HMAV) and a Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS). Both prototypes aim to improve inter‑island transport, disaster response and...
Kongsberg Signs Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to deliver 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) programme, the company’s biggest waterjet order to date. The six‑ship fleet, being built by Cochin Shipyard, is part of...
Video: How Naval Group Builds FDI Frigates so Quickly
French shipbuilder Naval Group showcased its Lorient shipyard’s rapid production line for the new Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI) frigates. After a major upgrade, the yard can complete a vessel in three to four years and launch two ships...
Turkish and Italian Companies Team Up for Surface Platforms Production
Piloda Defence, Turkey’s Havelsan and Italy’s VN Maritime have signed a strategic framework to develop hybrid surface vessels that can operate manned, unmanned or in mixed mode. The partnership builds on a €159.2 million ($173 million) contract for 40 fifteen‑metre Coast Guard...
Greek SCYTALYS Partners with Indonesia’s PTDI on Tactical Mission System for N219 and CN235
Greek defense software firm SCYTALYS signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to integrate its Mission Integration and Management System Airborne (MIMS Airborne) into PTDI’s N219 and CN235 maritime patrol aircraft. The modular, open‑architecture C4ISR solution...
SEA to Provide OSHEN with Acoustic Underwater Monitoring Capability for Autonomous Sensing Network
SEA, a Cohort plc subsidiary, is equipping OSHEN’s sail‑powered C‑STARS micro‑drones with hydrophones to create a low‑power acoustic sensing network for underwater communication. The effort is part of a ZeroUSV‑led project that also involves MarineAI, MSubs and UK Defence Innovation,...
HENSOLDT UK Secures Two Contracts with SRT for 50 Coastal Surveillance Radars
German sensor specialist HENSOLDT UK announced it has secured two contracts with UK‑based SRT Marine System Solutions to deliver 50 coastal surveillance radars. The radars, built on HENSOLDT’s Coherent Shore‑Based Sensor platform and featuring SharpEye solid‑state transceivers, will be integrated...
Russia’s Massive Black Sea Problem Is Worse than It Looks
A Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian frigate Admiral Essen in Novorossiysk exposed the growing vulnerability of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The attack, part of a wider air raid, demonstrated that the fleet’s main base can no longer be considered...
Leidos Proceeds with Sea Archer USV Trials in Australia
Leidos Australia has built the only Australian‑made Sea Archer unmanned surface vessel and is conducting harbour acceptance trials in Tasmania, followed by sea trials from Darwin in May. The 11.2‑metre craft aims to reach Technology Readiness Level 6, demonstrating performance in...
U.S. Navy Requests Major Strike Weapons Package in Budget Request
The FY2027 presidential budget request allocates $5.23 billion to revamp the U.S. Navy’s strike weapons stockpile. It funds a 785‑missile Tomahawk buy worth $3.01 bn, introduces 12 Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic rounds and 353 MACE low‑cost missiles, and adds 512 GBU‑53B smart...
LIG D&A Establishes U.S. Subsidiary Ahead of Sea-Air-Space Debut
South Korean defense firm LIG Defense & Aerospace has launched a U.S. subsidiary, LIG Defense U.S. Inc., ahead of its debut at the Sea‑Air‑Space Expo in Maryland. The new entity will serve as the primary liaison with U.S. government and...
Damen Launches ‘Drone Carrier’ for the Portuguese Navy
Damen Shipyards Group launched the NRP D. João II (MPV 10720), a multi‑purpose vessel for the Portuguese Navy, at its Galati yard in Romania on April 7. The ship, funded through the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, is designed for oceanographic research, humanitarian aid, maritime...
Kraken Robotics Demonstrates KATFISH Autonomous Launch and Recovery From SEFINE USV
Kraken Robotics successfully integrated its KATFISH towed synthetic aperture sonar and autonomous launch and recovery system (LARS) onto SEFINE’s RD‑22 unmanned surface vessel during a Q1 2026 demonstration off Istanbul. The system delivered 3 cm × 3 cm resolution sonar imagery at a 200‑meter...
Swedish RBS 15 Anti-Ship Missiles Surface in Ukraine
Footage posted by the Ukrainian Navy appears to show a Swedish‑built RBS 15 anti‑ship cruise missile launched from a truck‑mounted launcher, likely a Mk III or Mk IV variant with 200‑300 km range. The missile was aimed at the Russian‑controlled Sivash oil platform and...
Indian Navy Probing Feasibility of Drones for Reloading VLS at Sea
The Indian Navy has issued a problem statement, REARM‑D, seeking a multi‑rotor drone capable of reloading surface‑to‑air missiles into vertical launch system (VLS) cells at sea. The UAV must carry over 900 kg, stay aloft for more than two hours, and...
U.S. Navy Requests 405 Patriot PAC-3 MSE Interceptors
The FY 2027 Presidential Budget Request allocates about $1.6 billion for the U.S. Navy to purchase 405 Patriot PAC‑3 MSE interceptors, a steep increase from the twelve bought in FY 2026. The missiles will be integrated into the Mk‑41 vertical launch system...
Pakistan Navy Inducts 2nd Babur-Class Corvette, PNS KHAIBAR
On April 4 the Pakistan Navy commissioned its second Babur‑class corvette, PNS Khaibar, in Karachi. The vessel was built at Turkey’s Istanbul Naval Shipyard under the MILGEM partnership and sailed to Pakistan after completing sea trials. Equipped with a CODAG propulsion system,...
France Orders Fifth FDI Frigate From Naval Group
The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) signed a contract on 31 March 2026 for the fifth Amiral Ronarc’h‑class FDI frigate, to be named Amiral Cabanier, with delivery slated for 2032. The vessel will be built at Naval Group’s upgraded Lorient shipyard, which can now...
HII Launches Flight III Destroyer George M. Neal (DDG 131)
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding launched the future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131) on April 1, 2026, marking the fourth Flight III Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer built at the Mississippi yard. The launch follows weeks of component integration, inspections and dry‑dock translation, moving the ship into outfitting...
AV to Deliver ISR Services to U.S. Navy with JUMP 20-X
AeroVironment (AV) has been chosen by the U.S. Navy to provide Contractor‑Owned, Contractor‑Operated (COCO) ISR services using its JUMP 20‑X unmanned aircraft system. The VTOL platform delivers fully autonomous, hands‑free operation with more than 13 hours of endurance, a 115‑mile...
Saab Opens Key Test Site for Australia’s Hobart Class Destroyers
Saab Australia has inaugurated the Australian Interface Reference Site at its Sovereign Combat Systems Collaboration Centre, marking a key milestone for the Hobart class destroyer combat system upgrade. The site will support integration and testing of radars, electronic warfare and...
New Super-Battleship Under Construction In China
China’s Dalian shipyard is reportedly building an 80,000‑ton super‑battleship, dwarfing the U.S. Trump‑class (35,000‑ton) and Russia’s Kirov‑class (28,000‑ton) vessels. The design features more than 200 vertical launch system cells, multiple rail‑guns, and high‑energy lasers, with a slated launch in 2027....
French Suffren-Class Submarine Launches and Recovers U.S. Navy UUV
The French Navy’s new Suffren‑class nuclear attack submarine successfully launched and recovered a U.S. Navy Razorback unmanned underwater vehicle using its dry‑deck shelter during trials off Toulon from March 16‑20, 2026. The operation marked the first time a U.S. UUV has been...
Japan Deploys New Longer-Range Missiles, Formally Designates ‘Type 25’ Systems
Japan’s ground Self‑Defense Force deployed two longer‑range missile systems on March 31, formally naming them Type 25 Surface‑to‑Ship Guided Missile (25SSM) and Type 25 Hyper‑Velocity Gliding Projectile (25HGP). The 25SSM extends the legacy Type 12’s reach to about 1,000 km, enabling strikes against naval and...
Watch Qatar’s Al Fulk LPD Launching Aster Missiles Against Iranian Threats
On March 30, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence released video showing its landing platform dock Al Fulk firing an ASTER 30 Block 1 missile at an incoming ballistic threat. The engagement appears to be the first time an amphibious warship has intercepted a ballistic...
UK Royal Navy Awards Teledyne Contract for Underwater Gliders
Teledyne Marine has secured a UK Ministry of Defence contract to provide autonomous ocean observing systems—including Sentinel and Slocum gliders and APEX floats—for the Royal Navy’s Future Maritime Data Gathering (FMDG) program. The equipment will expand the Navy’s unmanned fleet,...
China Building More Giant Zubr-Class Hovercraft
China has entered series production of the Soviet‑designed Zubr‑class hovercraft, expanding its fleet to at least nine vessels and potentially 10‑12. The massive craft can carry up to 500 troops, three main battle tanks or ten lighter AFVs at speeds...
Philippines, France Sign Visiting Forces Deal Amid China Tensions
The Philippines and France signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, allowing their militaries to train together and conduct joint activities. The pact marks Manila's first such agreement with a European nation and expands its network of defense pacts that...
Thales’ Expeditionary PathMaster Concept Integrates Existing Tools to Enhance Navies’ Hybrid MCM Capacity
Thales has unveiled Expeditionary PathMaster, a modular mission package that bundles its M‑Cube mission management system, Mi‑Map sonar analysis software, and the e‑POC portable operations centre into a single, scalable solution for hybrid crewed‑uncrewed mine countermeasures (MCM). The package is...
China’s Own Seawolf-Class Submarine: The Type 095
China’s new Type 095 nuclear attack submarine represents a clean‑sheet design that mirrors the U.S. Seawolf’s hull geometry, emphasizing speed and stealth over cost. At roughly 105‑108 metres long and a 12‑metre beam, its length‑to‑beam ratio of about 1:9 matches the Seawolf,...
Babcock Launches Second Type 31 Frigate – HMS Active
Babcock has floated off HMS Active, the second Type 31 Inspiration‑class frigate, from its Rosyth shipyard using the Malin Augustea barge. The launch follows the February rollout of the vessel and the steel‑cut for HMS Bulldog, the class’s fourth ship. The programme sustains...
Japan to Deploy Troops for ‘Biggest’ Balikatan Drills to Date
Japan’s Self‑Defense Forces will deploy combat troops to the Philippines for the first time since World War II, joining the United States in the upcoming Balikatan 2026 exercises. The deployment follows the 2023 Reciprocal Access Agreement that streamlines joint training and...
Russia’s Ivan Rogov-Class Assault Vessel Nears Completion in Crimea
Satellite imagery from March 11 shows Russia’s first Ivan Rogov‑class amphibious assault ship nearly finished in the Zaliv drydock in occupied Crimea. The vessel’s superstructure is complete, with work ongoing on the helicopter deck and central elevator. Defensive nets and...
JMSDF Launches ‘Fleet Surface Force’, Scrapping Decades-Old ‘Escort Fleet’
On March 23 the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force dissolved its six‑decade‑old Fleet Escort Force and created a new Fleet Surface Force that unifies surface combatants and mine‑countermeasure units under one command. The restructure consolidates four escort flotillas into three Surface...
US MDA, JMSDF Complete Successful ASEV Integration Testing
The Missile Defense Agency and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force completed JFTX-01, the first live‑target tracking exercise using the SPY-7 radar on Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV). The test, conducted on March 17 and 19 off the U.S. East Coast,...
Indonesia’s Second PPA Arrives in the Country
Indonesia’s second Multipurpose Combat Ship, KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321), arrived at Lampung Naval Base on 22 March after a 40‑day voyage from Italy. Built by Fincantieri, the vessel is equipped with Oto Melara 127 mm and 76 mm guns and a modern combat system for anti‑air,...
Bluebottle USV to Feature in Australian Navy’s Fleet Review for the First Time
Australia’s Royal Australian Navy will feature the Ocius Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessel in the Exercise Kakadu Fleet Review on 21 March 2026, marking the first time a USV is displayed alongside crewed ships in a formal navy review. The inclusion follows a $176 million...
France’s Next-Generation Aircraft Carrier Officially Named ‘France Libre’
French President Emmanuel Macron officially named the next‑generation nuclear‑powered carrier France Libre, linking the vessel to the World War II Free France legacy. The 80,000‑ton, 310‑metre ship will replace the 42,000‑ton Charles de Gaulle and features U.S.‑origin EMALS catapults, Advanced Arresting...
US Navy’s First MOD 2 DDG Makes Combat Debut in Epic Fury Strikes
The U.S. Navy’s first MOD 2‑upgraded Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer, USS Pinckney (DDG‑91), made its combat debut by launching Tomahawk missiles against Iranian targets in Operation Epic Fury. The ship carries the SEWIP Block III electronic‑warfare suite, new SPY‑6 radars and an Aegis weapons...
Italy Looks to Acquire a Containerized Naval Mine Laying System
Italy’s Ministry of Defense has issued a market consultation for a containerized naval mine‑laying system, valued at roughly €8 million. The system, built to ISO‑20 standards, will be mounted on the navy’s newest vessels—including CNG‑C MCMVs, coastal multipurpose ships, and the...
German F126: Rheinmetall Plans to Deliver the Prototype Ship for Final Outfitting in 2028
Rheinmetall's Naval Systems division aims to become the prime contractor for Germany's F126 frigate program, planning to deliver a pre‑equipped prototype to Hamburg for final outfitting in early 2028. Completion of the design data transfer from the Dutch DAMEN yard...
Royal Netherlands Navy Receives 12 V-BAT Drones
After extensive testing, the Royal Netherlands Navy has purchased twelve V‑BAT autonomous drones from Shield AI. The drones, fitted with radar and high‑resolution cameras, provide long‑duration, high‑altitude maritime reconnaissance and can operate without satellite connectivity. Control units are being installed...