Maritime Defense News

KERSHIP welcomed Mr. Aleksa Bečić, Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro, and Mr. Dragan Krapovic, Minister of Defense of Montenegro on Wednesday, December 17, at its Lanester site. This second visit marks a significant step forward since the construction launch ceremony of the first offshore patrol vessel. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense were accompanied by members of their cabinet, senior officers from the Montenegrin Army and Navy Ms. Dubravka Lalovic, Ambassador of Montenegro to France, as well as local authorities.

British defence, marine and industrial firm Inocea Group is in talks to buy warship builder German Naval Yards Kiel (GNYK), a person familiar with the matter said, highlighting growing demand for defence assets fuelled by geopolitical tensions.The interest suggests bidding competition for GNYK, given the CEO of Germany's TKMS said last week the world's largest maker of non-nuclear submarines was considering a bid for the company headquartered in the same port city of Kiel.Defence companies and investors across Europe are moving to expand industrial capacity…

HII announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has reached a significant construction milestone for Virginia-class submarine Oklahoma (SSN 802).Oklahoma is now “pressure hull complete,” which signifies all of the hull sections have joined to form a single, watertight unit.It is the 29th Virginia-class fast attack submarine, the first of Block V and the 14th to be delivered by NNS.The ship’s sponsor is Mary “Molly” Slavonic, an Oklahoma native. Slavonic has long supported both the state of Oklahoma and the Navy.

Italy's government has asked parliament to approve a 2.4-billion-euro ($2.82 billion) investment over 15 years for the maintenance and modernisation of its frigate fleet, a parliamentary document seen by Reuters showed.The plan comes as Italy moves to gradually increase its defence spending to comply with higher NATO targets, after the alliance members agreed to a U.S. demand to boost their annual defence budgets to 5% of gross domestic product.The programme, to 2039, is aimed…

HII executives toured Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Loreauville, Louisiana, and announced that construction of a prototype of ROMULUS, the company’s new unmanned surface vessel (USV) family, has reached 30% completion. The vessel remains on schedule for sea trials in the fourth quarter of 2026.During the visit, HII leaders toured the shipyard with build partners Breaux Brothers and Incat Crowther, and reviewed progress on hull construction, integration of the HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control System (ACS)…

GE Aerospace's Marine Engines & Systems has received orders to supply eight LM2500 marine gas turbine engines for the U.S. Navy's next two Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) and USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146). Each destroyer is powered by four LM2500 engines, providing the proven propulsion power that has made the Arleigh Burke class the backbone of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet for over three decades.As of January 2025, 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are active with GE Aerospace’s LM2500 engines being the prime mover for propulsion.

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the selection of its Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 design by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). According to the navy, up to 35 LST100 vessels will be constructed at shipyards in the United States for the Medium Landing Ship programme (LSM). This US Navy initiative aims to enhance capability to transport and land Marine Corps units in contested environments.Proven standard platformNAVSEA released the RFI (Request for Information) to the industry at the beginning of 2025.

HII and Babcock International Group announced they have signed a contract that expands their strategic partnership to further support Virginia-class submarine construction throughput at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division. Additionally, the contract will build resiliency within HII’s submarine supply base.This is the first Virginia-class outsourced contract to Babcock in support of NNS-specific submarine work, authorizing Babcock to build complex submarine assemblies…

In October, a German navy ship completed sensor accuracy testing at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) for the first time, marking a milestone for both Germany and NATO’s long-running Fleet Operational Readiness Accuracy Check Sites (FORACS) program.The combat oiler Federal German Ship (FGS) Berlin (A 1411) arrived in the U.S. as part of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary celebrations, but the visit also…

German warship builder TKMS expects to decide in the next few weeks on whether to buy neighbouring shipyard German Naval Yards Kiel (GNYK), its CEO Oliver Burkhard said on Monday, as the group considers expansion to meet rising demand.TKMS, which was spun off from parent Thyssenkrupp in October, already bought insolvent shipbuilder MV Werften in 2022, and a purchase of GNYK would further increase its capacity at a time when governments boost defence spending.Talks with GNYK, which is owned by France-based shipping group CMN Naval…

Skana Robotics, a defense tech startup, is unveiling its latest autonomous vessel, the Alligator, the first amphibious vessel that combines infrastructure-free deployment, manned or unmanned operation, and the ability to carry and launch other autonomous systems. The Alligator joins Skana’s fleet of maritime autonomous vessels, which have already progressed from the prototype stage to deployable and adaptable naval assets designed for mass production: the Bullshark (autonomous surface vessel, ASV) and Stingray (Autonomous underwater vessel, AUV).

Poland said on Wednesday it had chosen Sweden's Saab to supply it with three submarines, in a multi-billion-dollar deal that forms a key element of Warsaw's efforts to bolster its defences in the Baltic Sea.Warsaw has been ramping up investments in the armed forces to counter what it sees as a growing threat from Russia after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.The deal with Sweden under the "Orka" programme to boost Poland's military exemplifies Warsaw's efforts to build a Baltic alliance…

Sweden will choose a supplier for its multi-billion Swedish crown acquisition of four new frigates early next year, the defence minister said on Monday.Sweden is in an intense buildup of its forces in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is looking to increase its navy fleet with bigger ships."I think and I hope that we can make a decision by early next year in regards to our new frigates program," Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference with the French…

Griffin-Woodhouse, a West Midlands based company, has secured a long-term contract as Key Supplier/Subcontractor to Briggs Marine to supply chain and accessories to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in UK, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Ascension and Falkland Islands.The contract, which is the single largest in GWEC’s history, has been awarded by Briggs Marine Contractors, a Scottish based company which itself recently secured the MoD’s contract for the Supply and Maintenance of Authority Moorings, Markers and Targets.

The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, visited Navantia UK’s Appledore shipyard to view the contribution of the defense and maritime industry to the regional economy. The Bank’s policymakers regularly visit and speak to businesses across the UK, including the South West. These visits help them gain valuable insight as to how local businesses are performing in the current economic circumstances, and contribute to their wider perspective and understanding as to how the economy in the UK as whole is performing.

Freire Shipyard held in Vigo the keel-laying ceremony for the new Diver Support Vessel (NC 739) for the Spanish Navy. Delivery is scheduled for November 2026.The Diver Support Vessel (EAB) will be a specialized platform designed to assist the Navy’s Diving School (EMB) in the training of all diving disciplines. To this end, the new unit will be equipped with systems such as DP-2 dynamic positioning, a hyperbaric chamber and a wet bell, enabling it to carry out deep diving operations…

Four major defense companies have proposed the establishment of an AUKUS Combat Systems Collaborative Team in contemplation of a potential role for Australia’s SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed Wednesday, November 5.BAE Systems, Raytheon Australia, General Dynamics Mission Systems and Thales propose to lead the design and lay the foundations for manufacture and integration of combat systems for SSN-AUKUS under agreements to be negotiated with the Commonwealth of Australia and United Kingdom government.

The South Korean-owned Philly Shipyard in the United States does not currently have the capability to build a nuclear-powered submarine, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on Thursday during a parliamentary hearing.His remarks come after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media last week that he had given approval for South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine and that it would be built in the Philadelphia shipyard.Trump posted the comment on his Truth Social platform after South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung asked him during a summit to let his country…

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia had successfully tested a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo that military analysts say is capable of devastating coastal regions by triggering vast radioactive ocean swells.As U.S. President Donald Trump has toughened both his rhetoric and his stance on Russia, Putin has publicly flexed his nuclear muscles with the test of a new Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and nuclear launch drills on October 22.There are few confirmed details about the Poseidon…

Saildrone Founder and CEO Richard Jenkins shares news on Lockheed Martin's recent investment in Saildrone:Today, I am delighted to announce a $50 million investment from Lockheed Martin in Saildrone, Inc. This commercial relationship marries the world’s most sophisticated and trusted defense technology with the world’s most capable and operationally proven USV technology. Together, we will rapidly equip Saildrone USVs with all-domain defense technology for lethal military applications.

Maritime operations run on tight schedules and thin margins, and as ships, terminals and supply chains connect systems for visibility and efficiency, attackers gain paths to entry. Cyber risk has become an operational reliability and safety concern, not just an IT issue. “Whether we are looking at this challenge through an operational or organizational safety lens, cyber risk is a critical business risk. An incident will impact everyone,” says Michael DeVolld, Senior Director…

The Coast Guard announced the deployment of additional forces to the Rio Grande River in eastern Texas, starting on October 9, 2025, to ensure operational control of the border where the President has declared a national emergency. This surge operation – known as Operation River Wall – will bolster ongoing Coast Guard efforts to control, secure and defend approximately 260 miles of the Rio Grande River that makes up the U.S. border there. As part of this mobilization, the Coast Guard is deploying additional response boats…

Sparton DeLeon Springs, LLC, a leader in and manufacturer of maritime defense solutions, is honoring its 125th anniversary this year. Founded in 1900 as The Withington Company, Sparton has grown from a small Michigan manufacturer into a defense contractor specializing in sonobuoys, advanced undersea warfare technologies, and beyond. Sparton was acquired by Elbit Systems of America, LLC in 2021.Sparton specializes in the production of high-quality sonobuoys critical to the nation’s undersea and anti-submarine warfare.