Hanwha Ocean’s 2,000-Ton Export Submarine Design Secures LR’s Approval
Lloyd’s Register has issued its first Approval in Principle for an export submarine design, granting South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean’s 2,000‑ton platform certification under the Submarine Assurance Framework. The approval confirms the concept meets international safety, interoperability and design robustness standards. LR assembled a global team of naval specialists and held a technical workshop in Seoul. The milestone highlights Hanwha Ocean’s growing capabilities and LR’s expanding role in defence assurance.
Thales and BAE Systems to Integrate New Sensor System on Herne XLAUV
Thales and BAE Systems announced a joint effort to mount Thales’ new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mast on BAE’s Herne extra‑large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV). The modular mast, built at Thales’ Glasgow optronics centre, can host visual, electronic‑warfare, communications...
UK’s Type 31 Frigate Program Hit by £140M Cost Adjustment Amid Rework Challenges
Babcock International announced a £140 million (≈$178 million) cost adjustment for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme, driven by higher‑than‑expected rework and productivity shortfalls on the first two ships. The redesigns and out‑of‑sequence build activities have made late‑stage outfitting and commissioning more...
Norway Halts NSM Missile Exports to Malaysia, Triggering Diplomatic Backlash
Norway announced it will revoke the export licence for Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system, a deal originally valued at €124 million (about $135 million). The move, justified on unspecified national‑security grounds, has been met with a strong objection from Malaysian Prime...
Australia Signs Agreement with Norway, Invests $850M in Local Missile Production
Australia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway to boost domestic missile production, allocating up to $850 million for a new factory in Newcastle. The deal focuses on the naval strike missile, joint strike missile, and critical components, with Kongsberg...
Raytheon to Provide SeaRAM for Australia’s New Mogami-Class Frigates
Raytheon, an RTX subsidiary, secured a contract with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to supply SeaRAM self‑defense systems for the first three vessels of Australia’s Sea3000 frigate program. The Sea3000 will replace the aging Anzac‑class with 11 upgraded Mogami‑class ships built...
French Navy Welcomes First of Three PC-24 Aircraft
Jet Aviation delivered the first of three Pilatus PC‑24 Super Versatile Jets to the French Navy under a contract with the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique. The agreement combines aircraft purchase, leasing and sustainment into a single support package, with...
Canada, Finland and US Push Forward on Next-Gen Icebreaker Program
Canada, Finland and the United States have moved the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) from planning to implementation, focusing on joint shipbuilding for next‑generation polar icebreakers. Delegates met in Helsinki, aligning shipyard capacity, supply‑chain logistics and workforce training, and inspected...
US Navy’s Newest Flight III Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer Heads Toward Commissioning
The U.S. Navy’s newest Flight III Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer, USS Ted Stevens (DDG‑128), has left Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding yard and is sailing to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, ahead of commissioning in Whittier, Alaska. DDG‑128 is the second Flight III destroyer delivered...
DNV Greenlights TKMS Autonomous Unmanned Watercraft
German shipbuilder TKMS received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from classification society DNV for its 25‑meter autonomous unmanned watercraft demonstrator, named MUM. The vessel complies with DNV’s Underwater Technology class rule and the Autonomous and Remotely Operated Vessels guideline, making...
Bath Iron Works Nets Deal to Build Another Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer for US Navy
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works secured a contract to build the DDG‑149, an Arleigh Burke‑class Flight III destroyer named after Medal of Honor recipient Robert R. Ingram. The vessel will join a fleet that already has 74 ships delivered, with 25...
TKMS and General Dynamics Mission Systems to Establish Arctic Sentinel Research Center
German shipbuilder TKMS and General Dynamics Mission Systems‑Canada have signed an industrial cooperation under Canada’s CDDE to launch Arctic Sentinel, an under‑sea R&D centre focused on Arctic surveillance. The centre will leverage GDMS‑Canada’s sonar integration expertise to advance limateresilient sensing...
Crisis Talks in Australia as Arafura-Class OPV Program Faces Delays
Australia convened a high‑level crisis summit in Canberra to tackle persistent delays in the Arafura‑class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) program. The initiative, flagged as a Project of Concern in October 2023, has seen a remediation plan deliver key milestones, including...
CENTCOM: No US Warship Hit Despite Iranian Claims of Missile Strike
U.S. Central Command refuted Iranian state media claims that a U.S. warship was hit by missiles near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s navy warned foreign vessels and said a ship was struck by two missiles near Jask, but CENTCOM’s Twitter...
Austal Delivers 24th Guardian-Class Patrol Boat for Maldives
Austal Australia has handed over the 24th and final Guardian‑class patrol boat to the Republic of Maldives, completing the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project that began in 2016. The vessel was delivered at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia on April...
US Navy Launches Oceanographic Survey Ship USNS Robert Ballard
The U.S. Navy launched the oceanographic survey ship USNS Robert Ballard (T‑AGS 67) at Bollinger Shipyard in Pascagoula during a ceremony on April 21‑22. The hull, assembled on rail cars, was pushed by twin crawler cranes onto a BMR Dock before being floated free...
German Navy Christens Fifth and Final K130 Batch II Corvette
The German Navy christened the fifth and final K130 Batch II corvette, named LÜBECK, at Rheinmetall’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg on April 29. The 89‑metre vessel completes the second batch of five ships ordered in 2017, bringing the total K130 fleet to...
TKMS and Skaramangas Shipyards to Upgrade Hellenic Navy’s Type 214 Submarines
German shipbuilder TKMS and Greece’s Skaramangas Shipyards have signed an agreement to carry out a mid‑life upgrade (MLU) for the Hellenic Navy’s four Type 214 diesel‑electric submarines. The program will modernize combat systems, improve interoperability, and align the fleet with evolving...
Fincantieri and KAYO Launch JV to Build and Maintain Albanian Navy’s Fleet
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Albanian firm KAYO have signed a joint‑venture agreement in Tirana, creating a 51‑percent/49‑percent partnership to build and maintain naval vessels for the Albanian Navy. The JV will use the Pashaliman shipyard near Vlora as its primary...
LIG, Magellan Aerospace, and Hanwha Ocean Forge Alliance to Work on CPSP
LIG Defense & Aerospace, Magellan Aerospace and Hanwha Ocean have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on Canada’s Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). The alliance will combine LIG’s heavyweight torpedo and underwater‑weapon expertise with Magellan’s precision manufacturing capacity in Canada,...
Canadian Coast Guard’s First AOPS Nears Launching
Canadian shipyard Irving Shipbuilding announced that the CCGS Donjek, the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) built for the Canadian Coast Guard, has been rotated to land level and is ready for barge transfer. The vessel will be rolled onto...
French Navy Hires Kongsberg to Deliver Ship Bridge Simulation Systems
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply the French Naval Academy with four high‑fidelity K‑Sim Navigation ship bridge simulators, slated for delivery in October 2026. The systems will provide a 270‑degree visual environment, integrated radar, and immersive VR/MR capabilities,...
Global Combat Ship Partnership Welcomes Fourth Member
Norway has officially joined the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in the Global Combat Ship (GCS) partnership, signing the User Group Charter in Halifax. The GCS programme coordinates the design, construction and operation of up to 34 warships—including the Type 26...
Brazilian Navy Commissions First Tamandaré-Class Frigate
The Brazilian Navy has commissioned the first Tamandaré‑class frigate (F200), built by a consortium of TKMS, Embraer and Atech at the TKMS shipyard in Itajaí. The 107‑meter, 3,500‑ton vessel features the MEKO A‑100 modular platform, SeaCeptor air‑defense missiles, Exocet Block 3...
UK’s HMS Dragon Completes Weapon System Testing, Ready for Next Phase of Ops
The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon has completed a series of operational capability confidence checks in Crete, confirming that its combat and sensor systems are functioning as intended. Engineers validated the Sea Viper air‑defence suite, SAMPSON radar and main gun,...
US Navy’s Aircraft Carrier that Tested New Drone-Killing Laser Weapon Arrives in Middle East
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz‑class carrier USS George H.W. Bush arrived in the CENTCOM area of responsibility on April 23, positioning its flight deck with a full complement of warplanes. The carrier joins the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R....
Fire Breaks Out Aboard USS Zumwalt, Three Sailors Injured
A fire broke out aboard the US Navy destroyer USS Zumwalt on April 19 while the ship was docked at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The crew contained the blaze before local responders arrived, but three sailors were injured – one...
HII Kicks Off Production of Four More ROMULUS USVs
Lockheed Martin’s Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced the start of production for four additional ROMULUS 151 unmanned surface vessels (USVs) at its Breaux Brothers Enterprises shipyard in Louisiana, joining the first hull already under construction. The ROMULUS family is an...
US Navy to Field PAC-3 MSE Interceptor on Aegis Warships for the First Time
The U.S. Navy will field the PAC‑3 MSE interceptor on Aegis‑equipped warships for the first time after Lockheed Martin secured a multi‑million‑dollar contract to develop, integrate, and test the missile within the Aegis combat system. The agreement targets a record...
Shield AI Joins $800M US Navy ISR Initiative with VTOL Drone Fleet
Shield AI has been chosen by the US Navy to provide contractor‑owned, contractor‑operated (COCO) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services. The company will compete for up to $800 million in task orders, delivering persistent ISR with its V‑BAT vertical take‑off and...
Hanwha Ocean Partners with Major US Naval Design Firm to Strengthen Naval Shipbuilding
South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has signed a memorandum of understanding with Leidos’ design firm Gibbs & Cox to bolster its naval shipbuilding capabilities for the United States and allied customers. The partnership will adapt Hanwha’s ship designs to meet...
US Navy Fires Laser Weapon From Aircraft Carrier, Destroys Drones in ‘Historic’ Test
The U.S. Navy successfully tested the palletized high‑energy laser (P‑HEL) system, known as LOCUST, aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, destroying multiple target drones in a live‑fire demonstration. Conducted in October 2025 with AeroVironment and the Army’s Rapid...
Exail and JFD Join Forces to Support MCM Capabilities in UK
Exail and JFD Global have signed a pre‑bid agreement to explore a UK‑focused partnership that will deliver maintenance, training and support for modern mine‑countermeasure (MCM) capabilities. The deal combines Exail’s autonomous MCM systems, already deployed with several NATO navies, with...
Rolls-Royce Nets USCG Maintenance Contract for National Security Cutter
Rolls‑Royce Power Systems secured a firm‑fixed‑price, ten‑year contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide dockside scheduled maintenance and emergent repairs for its national security cutter fleet. The agreement covers ten cutters equipped with mtu Series 1163 diesel propulsion engines and...
Hanwha and Magnet Defense to Produce Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels
Hanwha Defense USA and Miami‑based Magnet Defense have signed a memorandum of understanding at the 2026 Sea‑Air‑Space Exposition to jointly develop medium‑size unmanned surface vessels for the U.S. Department of War. The partnership will focus on a 38‑meter MUSV, AI‑driven...
HII Unveils Next-Gen Framework for Integrated Manned-Unmanned Warfare
HII announced a next‑generation framework that fuses its portfolio of naval warships with modular, containerized capabilities, autonomous unmanned systems and open‑architecture mission technologies. The approach aligns with the U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations’ “Hedge Strategy” and spans maritime, air,...
UK’s Aircraft Carrier Returns to Sea After Major Refit
The Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has left Rosyth Dockyard after completing a major planned maintenance program. Babcock’s engineers performed extensive inspections, repairs and targeted upgrades to the ship’s critical systems during the dry‑dock period. The refit...
Iranian Gunboats Fire on Indian-Flagged Ships in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on two Indian‑flagged merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz between Qeshm and Larak islands, prompting India to summon Iran's ambassador for urgent diplomatic talks. The incident occurred without reported casualties, though a nearby...
L3Harris Secures US Navy Contracts for Towed Array Systems
L3Harris has been awarded new contracts by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command to continue manufacturing the TB-29C and TB-34A towed array sonar systems. The contracts extend production through the end of the decade, safeguarding a specialized industrial base...
Another US Aircraft Carrier Struck by Onboard Fire
A small onboard fire erupted on the Nimitz‑class carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower while it was undergoing a Planned Incremental Availability overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on April 14. The blaze was quickly contained by the crew and shipyard personnel,...
Pakistan Navy Conducts Live-Fire Test of Indigenous Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (VIDEO)
The Pakistan Navy successfully carried out a live‑fire test of its indigenously developed ship‑launched anti‑ship ballistic missile, striking a designated target at extended range. The missile demonstrated high‑speed, precision‑strike capability backed by advanced guidance and maneuverability. Chief of Naval Staff...
Australia Rolls Out Decade-Long $425B Defense Investment Plan
Australia unveiled its 2026 National Defence Strategy, committing roughly $425 billion AUD (about $280 billion USD) over ten years to modernise the armed forces. An extra $14 billion AUD (~$9 billion USD) will be spent in the next four years, with total defence outlays...
World’s Largest Warship Breaks Record for Longest Modern Deployment
The U.S. Navy’s flagship carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN‑78), completed a 295‑day deployment, establishing the longest post‑Vietnam War carrier tour on record. The strike group left Norfolk on June 24, 2025 and operated across the Arctic Circle, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Red Sea, before concluding...
Iranian-Flagged Vessel Tries to Evade US Navy Blockade in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. Navy intensified its maritime blockade of Iran, expanding patrols across the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters. An Iranian‑flagged vessel that left Bandar Abbas attempted to evade the cordon but was intercepted by the guided‑missile destroyer USS Spruance...
TKMS and Navantia Ink MOU to Explore Naval Cooperation
German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Spanish naval contractor Navantia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore joint naval projects, including the potential construction of TKMS‑designed submarines in Spain. The partnership seeks to address growing European demand for...
Russian Naval Vessel Spotted Hanging Around UK Offshore Wind Farms – Report
A Russian Amur‑class repair ship, PM‑82, was spotted loitering near UK offshore wind farms in the English Channel, about 50 km off Colchester, on April 14. The vessel departed the area later that afternoon. The sighting follows a UK Ministry of Defence...
Fincantieri Delivers Multi-Purpose Support Vessel to Italian Navy
Fincantieri has handed over the multi‑purpose support vessel Tritone to the Italian Navy at its Palermo shipyard. The ship’s modular architecture enables rapid integration of unmanned aerial, surface and underwater systems without structural changes. Tritone will also serve as a...
Shipbuilding Majors Discuss Expanded Naval Collaboration in Canada
Hanwha Ocean met with Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax to explore a broad partnership covering naval sustainment, workforce training, supply‑chain development and shipyard modernization. The talks focused on leveraging Hanwha’s four‑decade submarine engineering pedigree alongside Irving’s extensive Canadian supplier network. Both...
MBDA’s AKERON LP Wraps up Test Against Moving Sea Target
MBDA successfully completed a flight test of its AKERON LP missile, demonstrating semi‑active laser guidance and real‑time image transmission against a moving sea target. The test, conducted on March 24 at the DGA’s Île du Levant range, hit a barge‑mounted target...
Contract Awarded for Design of Canadian Coast Guard’s Mid-Shore Multi-Mission Vessels
Through Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, the government awarded a $9.6 million design contract to Kongsberg Vanguard LP—a joint venture of Adaptive Marine Solutions, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, and Salt Ship Design—to develop mid‑shore multi‑mission vessels for the Coast Guard. Up to...