US Clears $4.2bn MH-60R, Apache Helicopter Package for South Korea
The U.S. State Department cleared two Foreign Military Sales to South Korea worth a combined $4.2 bn. The first package, valued at $3 bn, provides 24 MH‑60R Seahawk helicopters with a full suite of sensors, weapons and logistics support, led by Lockheed Martin. The second, a $1.2 bn deal, upgrades the Republic of Korea’s AH‑64E Apache fleet with Longbow radars, Link 16 terminals and other avionics, with Boeing as the prime contractor. Both sales aim to bolster the Korean navy and army against evolving regional threats.
Frigates, Destroyers to See Market Growth Despite Dawn of UMVs
GlobalData’s latest defense forecast shows that crewed surface combatants—specifically frigates and destroyers—are set to post a stronger compound annual growth rate (CAGR) than in recent years. The outlook attributes the uptick to renewed naval modernization programs, heightened geopolitical tensions, and...
Lockheed Martin Wins $991m DoW Contract for F-35 Material Kits
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has secured a firm‑fixed‑price $991.13 million contract to produce 432 material‑modification kits for F‑35 aircraft. The kits will modernize electronic‑warfare systems and are allocated across the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, foreign‑military‑sales customers, and other participants. Work will...
US Navy Unveils FY27 Shipbuilding Plan with 34 New Ships
The U.S. Navy unveiled its FY27 Shipbuilding Plan, requesting funding for 34 manned ships and five uncrewed platforms in the upcoming fiscal year. Across the 30‑year Future Years Defense Program, the Navy aims to field 122 ships and 63 unmanned...
Forecasts: Saudi Arabia’s Defence Market
Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s biggest importers of defence equipment, with annual spending topping $10 billion. The Kingdom’s procurement focus is shifting toward naval capabilities and advanced systems as regional tensions persist. Naval Technology is promoting a free profile...
Australian Mogami-Class Frigates to Receive SeaRAM Missile System
Raytheon, a unit of RTX, will equip the first three Royal Australian Navy Mogami‑class frigates with its SeaRAM point‑defence system. The contract, awarded through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, calls for deliveries beginning in late 2028 with the first ship expected by...
BWXT Lands $1.4bn US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Contracts
BWX Technologies secured contracts worth more than $1.4 bn under the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme. The first contract, valued at $1.29 bn, funds long‑lead material procurement for fiscal year 2026 and is the initial award in a series of five annual...
Rheinmetall Sales up 8% as Naval Systems Included First Time
Rheinmetall reported an 8% rise in first‑quarter sales to €1.94 bn (about $2.15 bn) as its newly added Naval Systems unit posted its first month of results. The group’s operating profit grew 17% to €224 m, and earnings per share rose to €2.18....
Kongsberg Q1 Revenues Rise 26% on Strong Demand and Activity
Norwegian defence group Kongsberg reported Q1 2026 revenue of NOK 9.2 bn ($993 million), a 26% year‑on‑year rise, driven by heightened demand for weapon stations and counter‑drone systems. EBIT surged 55% to NOK 1.54 bn, delivering a 16.6% margin. Order intake more than doubled to NOK 27 bn...
Europe to Dominate Uncrewed Maritime Vehicles Sector
GlobalData forecasts that Europe will command roughly 45% of the uncrewed maritime vehicles (UMV) market by 2034, positioning the region as the sector’s clear leader. The worldwide UMV market is projected to reach about $12 billion, with Europe accounting for $5.5 billion...
L3Harris IPMS Chosen for Poland’s Miecznik Frigate Programme
L3Harris Technologies’ Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) has been chosen to equip Poland’s new Miecznik‑class frigates, a trio of 138‑metre, 7,000‑ton vessels built by the PGZ‑Miecznik consortium. The IPMS will centralise control of propulsion, power and combat systems, enhancing operational...
Germany Relocate Ships for Readiness in Strait of Hormuz
Germany is reassigning the Elbe‑class replenishment ship Mosel and the Frankenthal‑class minehunter Fulda from Mediterranean and Aegean duties to stand by NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 for a potential operation in the Strait of Hormuz. The shift pauses German anti‑trafficking missions...
Aurizn, PMB Partner on UK Nuclear Submarine Battery Programme
Aurizn and PMB Defence have partnered to support the UK nuclear submarine battery programme, focusing on integrating PMB’s nickel‑zinc batteries into the Royal Navy’s vessels. Aurizn will provide technical and analytical expertise to enhance battery performance and design. The effort...
Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract Modification for F-35 Canopy Tooling
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics received an $18.6 million contract modification to add special tooling and test equipment for F‑35 canopy production. The funding includes $5.7 million each from the U.S. Air Force and Navy 2024 procurement budgets and $2.5 million from non‑U.S. Department of...
Taiwan Defence Budget to Near 10% Growth over Next Five Years
Taiwan announced a multi‑year defence budget plan that will lift spending to just over 5% of GDP by 2031, representing roughly a 10% annual increase over the next five years. The escalation follows heightened cross‑strait tensions and a strategic push...
Raytheon Wins $335m Contract Modification for Standard Missile-6
Raytheon secured a $335 million contract modification to produce Standard Missile‑6 (SM‑6) Tactical All‑Up Rounds, with funding drawn from the Navy’s 2025 and 2026 procurement budgets. Production will be split primarily between Tucson, Arizona and East Camden, Arkansas, each handling 35% of...
CAE Awarded TSTS Contract for Royal Australian Navy Simulators
CAE has secured a five‑year Training Systems Technical Support contract with the Royal Australian Navy, starting 1 July 2026, to sustain bridge simulators, combat centres and other surface‑fleet training assets. The agreement includes technical support, cybersecurity and engineering design services delivered from...
Singapore Navy Cuts Steel for Third and Fourth Victory-Class MRCVs
The Republic of Singapore Navy began steel cutting for the third and fourth Victory‑class Multi‑Role Combat Vessels on 29 April 2026. The six‑ship program, overseen by ST Engineering Marine, targets first deliveries in 2028. Each 150‑metre, 8,000‑tonne vessel will serve as a...
Country Analysis: Qatar Defence Market
Qatar’s defence spending is accelerating, with the 2026 fiscal budget earmarked for roughly $12 billion in acquisitions – a near‑double increase from 2022. The bulk of the spend targets air‑defence, naval modernization and a nascent domestic shipbuilding programme. High‑profile contracts include...
Sea Viper Upgrade Passes Halfway Spend Under Type 45 BMD Plan
The UK Ministry of Defence has spent $292.7 million of its $543 million Sea Viper upgrade budget, marking the halfway point of the Capability One phase for Type 45 destroyers. Capability One will modernise Aster‑30 missiles and the Sampson radar, while Capability Two will evaluate the...
Dutch Alkmaar-Class Vessel to Boost Ukraine’s Mine Countermeasures
The Netherlands is transferring the Alkmaar‑class minehunter HNLMS Makkum to Ukraine, where it will be renamed Henichesk. The vessel, equipped with hull‑mounted sonar, unmanned underwater vehicles and SeaFox mine‑neutralisation systems, joins four other NATO‑donated mine‑countermeasure ships now based in the UK. Ukrainian...
Bird-Johnson to Supply Propellers for US Navy’s 100th DDG-51 Destroyer
Bird‑Johnson Propellers has been awarded the contract to supply controllable‑pitch propellers for the U.S. Navy’s 100th Arleigh Burke‑class (DDG‑51) destroyer. The company has been the sole CPP supplier for the class since its inception 40 years ago, providing custom‑designed blades...
AUKUS Friction: Australia, UK Lack Say in Design of SSN Tech
A panel of industry leaders highlighted growing friction within the AUKUS partnership over the combat control system for the next‑generation nuclear‑powered submarines. Australia and the United Kingdom say they have little influence on the system’s design, which remains largely under...
DREXR Upgrade Flight Trials Completed on US Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have completed flight trials of the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade on the U.S. Navy’s E‑2D Advanced Hawkeye. DREXR merges the Exciter and Receiver subsystems into a single compact unit, enabling next‑generation radar performance...
Survey: US Industry Can’t Meet Global Munitions Demand
A recent survey of U.S. defense contractors reveals that the domestic munitions industry is unlikely to satisfy the soaring global demand for ammunition through 2025. Respondents cite a capacity shortfall of roughly 30 percent, driven by aging production lines, labor...
What Is ‘Premium Content’ on Naval Technology?
Naval Technology has introduced a free "Premium Content" tier that requires users to register before accessing deeper analysis, data‑driven features, and exclusive reports sourced from GlobalData. The gated model is designed to protect intellectual property, capture readership data, and enhance...
US Navy PMA-281 Selects GA-ASI for CAMP Project
The U.S. Navy’s NAVAIR PMA‑281 awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) the Collaborative Autonomy Mission Planning and Debrief (CAMP) contract. The effort will extend mission‑planning software to support autonomous combat operations, including behavioural tasking, AI decision thresholds, and comprehensive debriefs....
USMC Tests TRV-150C Resupply Aircraft System Aboard Amphibious Ship
The U.S. Marine Corps has finished shipboard trials of the TRV‑150C tactical resupply uncrewed aircraft system aboard an amphibious transport dock. Over two weeks at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Marines launched and recovered the drone multiple times, proving cargo...
UK Minister ‘Sick and Tired of Journalists’ Talking Down Military
UK Defence Readiness Minister Luke Pollard told BFBS he is "sick and tired" of journalists and arm‑chair generals criticizing the armed forces as the Ministry of Defence faces pressure to deliver billions of pounds (≈ $1.3 billion) in savings. The remarks come...
Kymeta Wins ONR Contract for KuKa Multi-Band Antenna Development
Kymeta Government & Defence has secured a three‑year contract from the U.S. Office for Naval Research to mature its KuKa multi‑band, multi‑beam antenna that delivers four concurrent full‑duplex beams across Ku and Ka frequencies using a single flat‑panel aperture. The...
Indra to Supply EW and Radar Systems for Six Type 212CD Submarines
Indra has signed a contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to provide electronic‑warfare and radar systems for six additional Type 212CD submarines destined for the German and Norwegian navies. The deal brings the total number of submarines equipped with Indra’s systems...
Fact Check: Starmer’s Claim on Labour Government’s Shipbuilding Record
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed Labour is boosting naval defence with a £300 million (~$375 million) increase and 13 ships on order, contrasting it with Conservative cuts. Fact‑check shows the 13 frigates—Type 26 and Type 31—were largely ordered under the previous Conservative government, with...
Navantia Guarantees Two ALFA 4000 Frigates for Luleå by 2030
Navantia announced it can deliver two ALFA 4000 frigates to Sweden by 2030, with an option for two more in 2031, positioning the design as the low‑risk choice for the Luleå programme. The 120‑metre, 4,300‑tonne vessels feature diesel‑diesel propulsion, a vertical...
UK Official Suggests HMS Dragon ‘Still Available’ for Air Defence
The UK’s Type‑45 destroyer HMS Dragon arrived in the eastern Mediterranean to bolster air‑defence for Cyprus but was soon docked for maintenance, raising doubts about its immediate availability. While the Ministry of Defence labels the ship at “very high readiness,” it...
How the UK Gave Away Its Mine Hunting Fleet
The United Kingdom has decommissioned its entire Sandown‑class fleet and most Hunt‑class mine‑countermeasure vessels, leaving the Gulf without a forward‑deployed MCM capability. The move, driven by a shift toward the uncrewed ARCIMS system, occurred without a ready host ship, creating...
France Orders Fifth FDI Frigate From Naval Group
France’s defence ministry confirmed on 31 March 2026 that it has placed an order for the fifth and final Defence and Intervention (FDI) frigate from Naval Group, completing the navy’s five‑ship programme. The vessel will be built alongside four additional FDI ships...
US NRL Launches Three Experimental Payloads on STPSat-7 Mission
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) launched three experimental payloads—LARADO, GOSAS, and GARI‑1C—on the Department of War Space Test Program’s STPSat‑7 mission on April 7 from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV. The payloads aim to improve orbital...
No Consensus on the Extent of Middle East Ceasefire
The United States and Iran announced a two‑week cease‑fire on April 8, with negotiations slated to begin in Islamabad on April 10 under Pakistan’s mediation. Pakistan’s prime minister claims the truce applies across the Middle East, including Lebanon, while Israel insists its...
US Central Command Denies IRGC Missile Strikes on USS Tripoli
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) denied Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim that the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was hit by missiles. CENTCOM confirmed the vessel remains active in the Arabian Sea, supporting Operation Epic Fury and carrying roughly 3,500...
White House Proposes 44% Defence Budget Increase Amid Iran Conflict
The White House has proposed a $1.5 trillion defence budget for fiscal year 2027, marking a 44% increase over the previous year. The plan adds $441 billion in discretionary spending and $350 billion in mandatory funds to support munitions, naval procurement, and the...
HDUSA, Hanwha Philly Shipyard Secure First US Navy Project
Hanwha Defense USA and its subsidiary Hanwha Philly Shipyard have secured their first U.S. Navy contract, acting as subcontractors to Vard Marine US on the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program. The agreement tasks them with market surveys, concept design,...
Does It Make Sense for the UK to Sell Its Batch 1 OPVs?
Britain’s first‑generation Batch 1 offshore patrol vessels, commissioned in 2003, are approaching the end of their operational life. The Royal Navy is evaluating whether to sell the aging ships as newer Batch 2 OPVs enter service, a move that could free up...
Northrop Grumman Receives $127m Contract for GQM-163A Coyote SSST
Northrop Grumman secured a firm‑fixed‑price contract worth $127.3 million to produce Lot 18 of the GQM‑163A Coyote Supersonic Sea‑skimming Targets (SSST). The award covers 28 target vehicles and associated support for the U.S. Navy and allied forces in Japan and South Korea,...
HII Announces ROMULUS USV Site Expansion, Introduces HYPR Initiative
HII announced an expansion of its Breaux Brothers assembly facility in New Iberia, Louisiana, to enable serial production of its ROMULUS uncrewed surface vessels ranging from 20 to 190 feet. The company introduced the High‑Yield Production Robotics (HYPR) initiative, which...
UK Defence Secretary Claims Royal Navy Has 17 Frigates and Destroyers
UK Defence Secretary John Healey incorrectly claimed the Royal Navy fields 17 frigates and destroyers, when the actual count stands at 13 vessels. Of those, only three Type 23 frigates and a single Type 45 destroyer are currently operational, reflecting chronic availability...
Työvene to Build SWATH-Based Transfer Vessel for German Navy
Finnish shipbuilder Uudenkaupungin Työvene secured a contract from Germany’s BAAINBw to design and build a Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) personnel transfer vessel for the German Navy. The 60‑person capacity craft will operate from Neustadt in Holstein, ferrying crew...
Bell Textron Completes First SPINE-Upgraded AH-1Z, UH-1Y Aircraft
Bell Textron has finished the first Structural and Power Improvements for Next‑Gen Effects (SPINE) upgrades on an AH‑1Z and a UH‑1Y helicopter. The upgraded aircraft left the Amarillo Assembly Center and are now undergoing flight testing at Naval Air Station...
Anschütz Clears CDR for Hunter-Class Frigate Integrated Navigation Systems
Anschütz has completed the Critical Design Review for its Warship Integrated Navigation and Bridge System (WINBS) destined for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter‑class frigates. The CDR confirms the design meets technical and operational requirements and clears the way for production...
Raytheon Secures Potential $212.12m ROTHR Contract for US Navy
Raytheon has been awarded a $40.25 million cost‑plus‑fixed‑fee contract to operate and maintain the U.S. Navy’s relocatable over‑the‑horizon radar (ROTHR) at the Forces Surveillance Support Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The agreement includes a one‑year base period with four optional one‑year extensions,...
Babcock Australasia CEO Andrew Cridland Steps Down After Decade
Andrew Cridland, CEO of Babcock Australasia, is stepping down after nearly 11 years with the firm, citing personal interests and family time. He had been CEO since July 2023, following a long tenure as CFO since 2015. Leah Grantham, previously...