China Maritime Studies Institute – Foreign media sources believe that, in recent years, the Chinese Navy has shown keen interest in “small-reactor” nuclear submarines—vessels utilizing compact nuclear reactors as air independent propulsion (AIP) systems—and do not rule out the possibility that engineering trials have already been conducted. So, what exactly is the Chinese Navy’s requirement for such submarines, and through what technical pathways might this requirement be realized?
A guide to the Type 31 frigate
Navy Lookout – The Type 31 frigate is a class of five general-purpose warships being built for the Royal Navy at Rosyth. This guide examines the origins of the Inspiration class, its design, weapons, sensors, construction programme, intended roles and the strengths and limitations that will shape its service.
EU naval mission will now intercept Russian shadow tankers in the Indian Ocean
Defense News – The European Union has authorized its naval mission in the Indian Ocean to stop and board Russian shadow fleet tankers suspected of operating under false flags, the bloc announced on Wednesday.
There has been no US naval ‘failure’ in the Strait of Hormuz
Breaking Defense – In this op-ed, Steven Wills of the Center for Maritime Security rebuts the idea that the US Navy shoulders the blame for instability around the critical waterway off the coast of Iran.
Y-9 anti-submarine aircraft debuts with upgrades in S.China Sea exercise following 2025 military parade display
Global Times – Official Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) media consecutively released photos showing that the Y-9 anti-submarine patrol aircraft – following its debut during the 2025 V-Day military parade – has now appeared in military exercises for the first time, with an upgraded variant also making its first official public appearance. A military affairs expert said that this indicates that the new anti-submarine aircraft has been put into operational training and achieved initial combat capability, with upgraded radar and magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) enhancing its search, attack and survivability.
Amphib USS Tripoli Wraps 6-month Indo-Pacific, Middle East Patrol
USNI News – Big deck amphibious ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), lead ship of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, wrapped up on Wednesday a six-month patrol that took the group to the Indo-Pacific and Middle East.
US Navy moving forward on West Coast dock for aircraft carriers
Defense News – Concerned by the lack of docks on the West Coast that can service large vessels such as aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy is moving forward with plans to build a new dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Houthis Now Attacking Saudi Oil Tankers In Red Sea, Major Energy Supply Implications
The War Zone – Just as the war with Iran looks about to fully erupt again, the Houthis are going to put an even tighter squeeze on the world’s energy supply.
Taiwan President Pushes $6.6B Attack Drone Plan
USNI News – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te reviewed domestic drone industrial efforts last week ahead of his administration’s push for a $6.6 billion attack drone plan to enhance the island’s defense against Chinese aggression.
Belgium Eyes ASWF Alternatives as Damen Timeline and Costs Soar
Naval News – Belgium’s long-running plan to replace its ageing M-class frigates has entered a new and potentially consequential phase. Defence Minister Theo Francken has publicly stated that the joint Dutch-Belgian frigate programme is moving “completely in the wrong direction” on both delivery dates and price, an outcome he described as unacceptable.
The US military campaign to stop drug trafficking has failed. It’s time to move on.
Breaking Defense – The mission has not succeeded in its core goals, and it’s using up military manpower and munitions at a time when the US is stretched on both, writes Daniel R. DePetris.
Heavily Armed Ukrainian Sea King At Farnborough Airshow
Naval News – An armed helicopter on display at the Farnborough Airshow is representative of several being transferred from German stocks to Ukraine. The helicopters may be the first in the world upgraded with Shahed drone killing interceptor drones.
Israeli firm wants to convert commercial ships into floating drone bases
Defense News – Elbit Systems detailed a new maritime concept centered on its Hermes 650 Spark unmanned aircraft, envisioning the conversion of commercial vessels into dedicated platforms for unmanned aviation. Each platform would carry between nine and 12 Hermes 650 Spark aircraft along with the deck infrastructure, control systems and mission support needed to operate them. Elbit described the approach as an alternative to acquiring a traditional aircraft carrier, aimed at giving naval forces extended maritime reach without the associated cost and complexity.
(Thanks to Alain)
Russian navy welcomes new Prime Minister by holding live fire exercise off Plymouth
Navy Lookout – The Russian Navy marked the first full day of Andy Burnham’s premiership by conducting a live-fire gunnery exercise in the English Channel while under close surveillance from the Royal Navy, in what appears to have been a calculated show of military presence close to the UK.
Houthi Blockade On Saudi Red Sea Oil Transits Threatens To Widen War, Strangle Energy Supply
The War Zone – If the Houthis start attacking ships near the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, it could peel-off U.S. resources from the Iran operation and exacerbate oil shortages.
Royal Navy carrier strike group spearheads NATO Arctic deterrence mission
Navy Lookout – The UK Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales, has taken command of a major NATO maritime activity in the High North. Exercise Neptune Strike 26-3 marks the first time the Alliance’s recurring enhanced Vigilance Activity has expanded into the Arctic and North Atlantic, reflecting NATO’s growing focus on deterring Russian activity in one of its most strategically important regions.
The German Navy downsizes its frigate ambitions
Navy Lookout – The Deutsche Marine has ordered four MEKO A-200 DEU frigates from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), with a firm option for four more, settling months of uncertainty over the future shape of its surface fleet. The purchase closes the door on the collapsed F126 programme and offers a study in the risks of ambitious warship procurement.
A guide to the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers
Navy Lookout – The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers are the largest and potentially most powerful warships ever built for the Royal Navy. This guide examines the origins, design, systems, aircraft, operational role and future development of HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
Drone Ship Maker Saronic Announces New $3B Shipyard In Texas Capable of Building 850-Foot Vessels
The War Zone – Saronic, the company that makes the first sea drones ever to be used as kinetic weapons by American forces, announced it will build a big new shipyard in Brownsville, Texas where they plan to construct an array of crewed and uncrewed ships as big as 850 feet. It is a big step for a company whose largest vessel is a 180-foot drone boat called Marauder.
Navy Wants 1,000 Mile Combat Radius For Carrier Based Tactical Drone Fleets
The War Zone – The U.S. Navy is envisioning a future force of carrier-based uncrewed aircraft capable of attacking enemy forces at least 1,000 nautical miles away from the ship. They would also have to be able to do this without needing to refuel in mid-air, though tankers could further extend their reach. This, along with other details, offers the first real sense of the combat drone capabilities the Navy wants to add to its future carrier air wings.
China Is Building A Monster Supply Ship For Its Carrier Groups
The War Zone – What looks to be the largest at-sea replenishment ship anywhere in the world is taking shape at a Chinese shipyard.
US Navy 2 years behind on hypersonic missile installation on Zumwalt destroyers
Defense News – The U.S. Navy’s expensive effort to install hypersonic missiles on three Zumwalt-class destroyers is two years behind schedule, according to government auditors.
A naval failure in the Strait of Hormuz
Breaking Defense – Why can’t the world’s most powerful military secure the Strait against a country that has no navy?
Why navies still matter in the age of drones
The Strategist – At sea, drones are disruptive, but they are not decisive. They complicate the maritime fight, but they do not replace the enduring strategic logic of sea power.
Sea Breeze 2026: the Royal Navy hosts Ukraine and allies to build mine warfare expertise
Navy Lookout – Exercise Sea Breeze, the annual US-Ukraine-led maritime exercise, has returned to Portland for its 2026 mine countermeasures phase. This is the largest UK-hosted iteration to date and is building Ukrainian capability while sharpening the mine warfare skills of allied navies at a time when the discipline has regained wider strategic urgency.
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