Norway and UK Plan Joint Acquisition of up to 30 New Joint Commando Craft
Norway and the United Kingdom are evaluating a joint purchase of up to 30 new Joint Commando Craft for coastal operations in the North Atlantic and High North. The 24‑meter, 60‑ton vessels will provide greater speed, endurance, survivability and sensor capabilities, supporting Norway’s Coastal Fighter Command and the UK’s Royal Marines. An RFI has been issued to map market options and confirm Norwegian shipyard capacity, with construction slated for Norway. The program is part of the broader Lunna House Agreement that deepens bilateral defence cooperation.
StrikeMaster to Remain in Europe Following Strong International Interest
KONGSBERG announced that its StrikeMaster missile launch vehicle will remain in Europe, citing strong interest from international partners. The system pairs Thales Australia’s Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle with a twin‑pack Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launcher, delivering rapid, land‑based precision strike...
Taiwan Navy Takes Delivery of the First Tuo Chiang-Class Batch 2 Catamaran Corvette
Taiwan’s Republic of China Navy received its first batch‑2 Tuo Chiang‑class catamaran corvette, ROCS Tan Chiang (PGG‑627), on March 11, 2026 at Lungteh Shipbuilding. The new vessel expands the fleet’s hit‑and‑run capability with a top speed of 44‑45 knots and...
Red Sea Crisis Reinforced Need to Be Ready at Sea, Say Western Navy Chiefs
Western naval chiefs warned that the Red Sea missile and unmanned‑system attacks by Houthi forces have highlighted a critical need for constant readiness at sea. The United States‑led Operation Prosperity Guardian and the EU‑led Aspides mission were rapidly deployed to...
Saab Sets Sights on LUUV Sea Trials in Mid-2026
Saab has secured a SEK 60 million contract from Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration to build a large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV) demonstrator, dubbed the Autonomous Ocean Drone (AOD). The 7‑metre, 6.5‑tonne platform will integrate Saab’s Autonomous Ocean Core autonomy engine and is...
PrSM Increment 2 Takes Flight and Advances Army’s Moving-Target and Maritime Capability
Lockheed Martin announced the successful first flight test of the Precision Strike Missile Increment 2 on March 12, 2026, launching from a HIMARS and flying 350 km. The test demonstrated a new multi‑mode seeker capable of locking moving maritime targets, expanding the missile’s mission...
Lockheed Martin Delivers Second Shipment of ASEV Shipsets and AN/SPY-7(V)1 Equipment to Japan
Lockheed Martin announced on March 12, 2026 that it has delivered the second Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV) shipset, featuring the AN/SPY-7(V)1 solid‑state radar, to Japan’s Ministry of Defense. The shipment, executed through Mitsubishi Corporation under a Direct Commercial Sale,...
Myanmar Commissions Largest Domestically Built Frigate
Myanmar’s navy commissioned its largest domestically built warship, the 135‑meter UMS Thalun Min, a 3,500‑ton frigate capable of 30 knots. The ceremony also marked the opening of a 40,000‑ton floating dry dock and the keel laying of two 63‑meter ASW...
CNO: New Surface Ship Classes Reflect US Navy’s New Force Structure and Global Output Needs
At the Paris Naval Conference Admiral Daryl Caudle announced two new US Navy surface ship programs – the BBG(X) "Trump‑class" battleship and the FF(X) frigate based on the Coast Guard’s Legend‑class cutter. These vessels complete a four‑pillar force structure that...
French Navy FREMM Frigate Wins Again U.S. Navy’s Hook ‘Em Award
The French Navy’s FREMM frigate Aquitaine earned the U.S. 6th Fleet’s Hook ‘Em Award, marking the fifth time a French unit and the fourth time a FREMM has been recognized for anti‑submarine warfare excellence. The award, reinstated in 2016, honors...
Philippine Marine BrahMos Force Stands Up Northern Luzon Unit
The Philippine Marine Corps activated the 273rd Marine Company at Camp Cape Bojeador, extending its BrahMos supersonic anti‑ship missile coastal‑defense regiment into Northern Luzon. The unit joins a three‑battery structure, each battery fielding two launchers, radar and command vehicles, and...
Dutch Frigate HNLMS Evertsen to Be Deployed in the Mediterranean
The Netherlands announced that the De Zeven Provinciën‑class frigate HNLMS Evertsen will operate in the eastern Mediterranean from this week until early April. The ship joins the French carrier strike group centered on Charles de Gaulle, providing air‑defence and command...
Italy Sends Frigate to Defend Europe’s South-East From Iran Strikes
Italy announced the deployment of the FREMM‑class frigate Martinengo to the Eastern Mediterranean, joining a multi‑domain European‑UK force aimed at shielding the EU’s southeastern flank from possible Iranian strikes. The move, confirmed by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and Prime Minister...
Boeing Christens Second Extra-Large Orca Submarine Drone
Boeing has commissioned its second extra‑large Orca uncrewed undersea vehicle, designated XLE2, marking the third hull in the program after XLE0 and XLE1. The 85‑ton, 85‑foot platform boasts a 6,500‑nautical‑mile endurance, hybrid electric power and a 33‑foot mission bay capable...
Launch of the VIGILANSEA Project: Toward Autonomous Maritime Persistence Between Surface and Aerial Systems
DIODON has launched VIGILANSEA, a three‑year France 2030‑funded programme with SeaOwl and ISAE‑SUPAERO to create a long‑endurance maritime UAV and the DIODON REEF station that autonomously launches, recovers and recharges the UAV from a USV. Building on prior NATO and Dronathlon integrations,...
Leonardo Awaits Next Steps for Proteus Demonstrator
Leonardo Helicopters UK has completed two short test flights of its Proteus autonomous rotary‑wing demonstrator, the final milestone of a £60 million Phase 3a RWUAS contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. The 3‑tonne, modular‑payload aircraft leveraged off‑the‑shelf components and a digital‑twin...
Teledyne and M Subs Announce Strategic Collaboration
Teledyne Marine and UK‑based M Subs have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a strategic collaboration focused on Royal Navy and other international naval programs. The partnership will fuse Teledyne’s unmanned vehicle platforms, autonomy software, sonars, acoustic communications, cameras, lighting...
Turkish Navy Commissions Havelsan’s Sancar Armed USV
On 24 February 2026 the Turkish Navy commissioned Havelsan’s SANCAR armed unmanned surface vehicle (USV) at a ceremony in Ankara and Aksaz Naval Base attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior ministers. The platform, developed with YONCA TEKNİK, leverages the...
One Hull for Today’s Crews and Tomorrow’s Unmanned Missions: Cross Water Positions Modular Aluminium RIB as a Transition Platform
Cross Water Production introduces a modular aluminium RIB that combines a long‑life hull with interchangeable deck modules, enabling current crewed missions and a stepwise path to unmanned capability. The hull is built for 25‑plus years of service with 1.5× buoyancy,...
Lockheed Martin Rapidly Developed Lamprey Drone, New Variants on the Way
Lockheed Martin unveiled the Lamprey multi‑mission autonomous undersea vehicle, a UUV developed in just 14 months and showcased at WEST 2026. The drone can attach to submarines, ships, or the seabed using suction cups, allowing it to hitch rides and...
Royal Navy Sees Hybrid Shift as Central to Future Force Mix
Britain’s Royal Navy is accelerating a transition to a ‘hybrid fleet’ that blends crewed warships with uncrewed and autonomous systems, a core element of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review. First Sea Lord Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins said the priority is...
Indonesian Navy Wants Ex-Italian Aircraft Carrier to Be Delivered Before October 5
Indonesia’s navy is pushing to have the former Italian carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi delivered before the TNI’s 81st anniversary on October 5, although a formal purchase contract has not yet been signed. The Ministry of Defence continues negotiations with shipbuilder Fincantieri and the...
Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu Sign Initial Contract for SPY-7 Radar Power Supply Units for Japan’s ASEV
Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu signed a contract on Feb. 12 to supply the Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit for the SPY‑7 radar’s Subarray Suite on Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV). The PS LRU provides regulated power to the radar modules,...
Davie Defense Awarded USCG Contract to Build Five Arctic Security Cutters
Davie Defense, the U.S. arm of INOCEA, won a United States Coast Guard contract to build five Arctic Security Cutters, with the first vessel due in 2028. The program is part of a larger effort to acquire up to 11...
Boeing Shows Off JDAM LR Anti-Ship, Mining Bomber Payloads
Boeing demonstrated its Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) equipped with anti‑ship and Quickstrike mining payloads on legacy B‑52H and B‑1B bombers. The kit converts a standard Mk‑82 bomb into a 300‑nautical‑mile cruise missile, with a decoy version...
Cold War Battlescruiser, Modern Price: Russia’s Costly Admiral Nakhimov Upgrade
Russia has completed a costly, decade‑long modernization of the Kirov‑class battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov, with estimates of up to $5 billion invested. The refit equips the 28,000‑ton nuclear‑powered ship with a new vertical launch system capable of firing up to 80 Kalibr or...
Future-Ready Navigation for Naval Operations: SYNAPSIS Delivers a Unified and Integrated Platform for Modern Naval Missions
Anschütz unveiled SYNAPSIS, a unified, sensor‑agnostic navigation and tactical platform for modern warships. The system consolidates chart, sensor, and combat data into a single maritime picture via its Consistent Common Reference System, enhancing situational awareness and decision speed. SYNAPSIS WECDIS NX...
Naval Group and Thales Join Forces for a Sovereign AI in France
Naval Group has taken a stake in cortAIx France, partnering with Thales to develop sovereign artificial intelligence for defence applications. The joint venture builds on Thales' cortAIx initiative, which unites more than 800 AI specialists across five global hubs. By...
ADSB Launches First Al-Dorra-Class Patrol Vessel for Kuwait at Company’s 30th Anniversary
On February 3, 2026 Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB) launched the first Al‑Dorra‑class 62‑metre patrol vessel, AL NOUKHITHA, during its 30th‑anniversary ceremony. The launch marks the execution of a record‑breaking $2.45 billion contract, subcontracted by EDGE Group, to supply advanced missile boats to...