Maritime Defense News

Germany scrapped a landmark frigate programme on Wednesday following delays and expected cost overruns, sending shares in the country's top defence firm Rheinmetall — which was tipped to win the contract — sharply lower.Plans to build six F126 frigates had been mired in trouble for a while, with Berlin weighing whether to hand the contract to Rheinmetall's NVL division after initial supplier, Dutch group Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, failed to meet timelines and budgets.Germany's defence ministry said it would terminate the programme…

The U.S. Department of the Navy has selected Saronic as one of seven companies to advance to the at-sea testing phase of the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Marketplace, a program designed to rapidly field unmanned technologies by leveraging mature, commercial-ready solutions.Marauder, Saronic’s 180-foot Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel selected for the MUSV Marketplace, is designed from the keel up for autonomous operations and high-rate production. Built for sustained, long-range missions…

Saronic and Castelion have announced plans to join forces to launch a hypersonic vehicle from an unmanned surface vessel. By integrating Castelion’s Blackbeard with Saronic’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Marauder, the two companies offer a powerful, credible option to deter would-be adversaries.A First-of-Its-Kind IntegrationThe collaboration between Castelion and Saronic marks the first integration of autonomous surface vessels with hypersonics and stands to accelerate…

The U.S. and NATO allies will launch scaled-back drills in the Baltic Sea this week, as conflicts in other regions draw ships away, though the exercise will still send a message of unity and strength to Russia, a senior German military official said.The annual exercise, held for more than five decades since 1971, brings together some 20 vessels from 15 nations with around 6,000 personnel - roughly half the size of last year's drills - during a period of heightened tensions in the Baltic region.Officials say the smaller footprint reflects operational realities rather than waning commitment…

Sullivan Street Partners, a UK-based private equity firm specializing in mid-market buy-outs, announced that its portfolio company Ancora Group, an integrated group of marine contractors delivering infrastructure and coastal defense solutions across the UK, has completed the acquisition of Red7Marine, a UK marine infrastructure and engineering work specialist.This is Ancora Group’s first acquisition since it was acquired by Sullivan Street in March 2025, when SSP integrated Teignmouth Maritime Services, Hesselberg Erosion Protection and Marine Plant Hire.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine partners with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) by supplying high-performance, MIL-Spec-approved coatings for a variety of platforms such as aircraft carriers, submarines, armored vehicles and aircraft. Through decades of collaboration with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), public and private naval shipyards and contractors, Sherwin-Williams provides corrosion-resistant technologies, technical service support and reliable global distribution that extends vessel service life and lowers total ownership costs.

The U.S. intends to significantly reduce military contributions available to assist European allies in a crisis, including fighter jets, warships and mid-air refuelling aircraft, German news outlet Spiegel reported on Tuesday.The NATO alliance is under unprecedented strain, with some European countries concerned that Washington may withdraw outright.U.S. President Donald Trump has slammed European allies for not spending enough on their militaries and pledged to withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.

Guice Offshore, a leader in the offshore maritime mini supply vessel specialty market, announced the return of GO Searcher to its fleet, bringing the total number of Guice Offshore-owned vessels to 19.The GO Searcher, which has played a role in pioneering aerospace operations since 2014, is a 170-ft. multi-purpose DP1 vessel featuring a helipad. She is dually certified Subchapter L&I, as well as approved for full international operations.Currently outfitted to support aerospace recovery programs…

Cellula Robotics US Inc. and Metron, Inc. have signed a 10-year agreement to deliver a combined solution for the United States defense market, bringing together Cellula's commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platforms with Metron's best-in-class adaptive mission autonomy and decades of proven undersea warfare and maritime domain expertise.Building on their successful collaboration to date, including work supporting the Defense Innovation Unit's CAMP project…

Malaysia's defence minister said on Thursday the country planned to claim compensation and was considering legal action over Norway's decision to revoke export approvals for a naval strike missile (NSM) system intended for Malaysian combat ships.In an escalating diplomatic row, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the government had already paid nearly 95% of the contract value when Norway pulled the approvals in March, just days before the missile systems were due to be…

Britain said on Tuesday it would contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defensive mission aimed at securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Defence minister John Healey announced the commitment during a virtual summit with more than 40 of his counterparts from other nations involved in the mission, which he said would become operational when conditions allowed."With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive…

ABS, through its affiliate ABSG Consulting Inc. (ABS Consulting), has announced the acquisition of RMC Global (RMC), a provider of industrial cybersecurity, risk management and resiliency solutions.The acquisition strengthens ABS Consulting’s capabilities and market position, bringing together two organizations with complementary expertise, shared values and a common mission. Combining RMC’s capabilities with ABS Consulting’s scale, technical depth and global resources, unlocks…

German defence group Rheinmetall has entered the race to buy shipyard German Naval Yards Kiel with a non-binding bid, a move that would deepen its push into naval defence and pits it against rival warship maker Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).Rheinmetall disclosed the bid as it released its first‑quarter results on Thursday but said it would not provide information regarding its size.CEO Armin Papperger said Rheinmetall has already begun the due diligence process and expects results in the next few weeks, at which point it would be able to submit a binding offer.TKMS, which had submitted a

The Coast Guard is standing up the Special Missions Command to oversee its deployable specialized forces. The command will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Coast Guard in responding to a wide range of national emergencies and events as the demand for deployable specialized forces capabilities increase. The Coast Guard selected the existing Coast Guard C5I Service Center facility in Kearneysville, West Virginia, as the future site of the Coast Guard’s Special Missions Command (SMC).

Rheinmetall could sign a contract to take over Germany'sdelayed F126 frigate programme in the second quarter, CEO Armin Papperger said on Thursday, further highlighting the company's growing focus on the naval sector."The biggest contract will be for sure F126, where we expect that in Q2 there could be a signing," Papperger said on a conference call after first-quarter results.His comments appear to confirm a report in the Financial Times on Wednesday that said Rheinmetall was seeking some 12 billion euros ($14.13 billion) from Germany to take over the program.

France on Wednesday deployed its carrier strike group to the Red Sea as part of planning for a potential mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, urging Washington and Tehran to consider the proposal given the global economic impact of their competing blockades.Fresh exchanges of fire on Monday underscored the stakes as the U.S. and Iran struggle for control of the narrow waterway, a vital artery for global energy and trade, shaking a fragile four-week-old truce and reinforcing…

Introduction. Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created after studying the model of the newly developed French Navy submarine “Plongeur” at the Exposition of 1867.In the novel…

Sam Houston State University (SHSU), the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS), and the Organizing Committee of the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026 (MRS2026) have announced that U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Retired) T.J. White, Chief of Texas Cyber Command, will deliver a keynote address at this year's event. MRS2026 will be held at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, U.S.A. (greater Houston-Galveston area).Chief White…

Online Oceans, a UK company building autonomous surface vessels and fleet software for defense and maritime security, has raised USD$5.4 million (£4 million) in funding led by Seraphim Space. The round also includes participation from investors, including Peter Rive, co-founder of SolarCity, Frank Thieser and Florian Seibel, founders of Quantum Systems, and Koro Capital.At the center of the company’s offering is Scout, a compact solar-powered autonomous surface vessel designed for persistent deployment at scale.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Albania's KAYO have set up a joint venture to build and maintain vessels in Albania, which is seeking to modernise its military infrastructure and deepen its NATO ties.The two sides signed a deal in the presence of the Albanian prime minister and defence minister, as well as the CEOs of Fincantieri and KAYO, according to a government and company statement.Albania has been a member of NATO since 2009 and its Mediterranean location gives it strategic importance beyond its size.

Italy's parliament on Tuesday backed a government plan to donate an ageing aircraft carrier to Indonesia, a move the administration said would strengthen relations with an ally while avoiding the costly dismantling of an obsolete asset.The 54 million euro ($63 million)-valued Garibaldi entered service in 1985, took part in various operations in the Mediterranean area and off Africa, including missions in Lebanon, Libya and Somalia, then was placed in reserve in 2024."Structural…

Iran's use of a swarm of small, fast boats to seize two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz could undermine suggestions U.S. forces have disabled its naval threat and reveals the challenges facing reopening one of the world's most important oil export routes.U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday acknowledged that while Iran’s conventional navy had been largely destroyed, its "fast-attack ships" had not been considered much of a threat.He said any such vessels coming near a U.S.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to integrate the Patriot missile, an Army missile interceptor, into the U.S. Navy's Aegis combat system, a milestone the company said on Tuesday marks the first time the weapon will be fielded at sea.Reuters was first to report in October 2024 that the Navy was moving forward with plans to arm its vessels with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors, driven by fears that China would deploy hypersonic…