Covert Shores – This article aims to highlight the sheer scale and momentum of cargo UAV development in China.
The ‘US blockade’ of Iran: How It Might Function (Or Not!)
RUSI – A blockade striking Iran’s Economy will provide direct leverage in negotiations, but that it provokes questions that are going unanswered should impel caution.
North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class Destroyer
USNI News – North Korea launched anti-ship and cruise missiles over the weekend from first-in-class destroyer Choe Hyon (51) with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the trials.
The UK’s Chagos Islands ‘Deal’: Where are We Now?
RUSI – The next three weeks could change western security and the geo-political world forever if the Chagos ‘deal’ passes through UK Parliament.
China’s aircraft carrier Fujian to achieve full combat capability in 2026, set for far-sea drills
Global Times – China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, will undergo a full transition from initial to full operational capability in 2026, with far-sea training expected, official media reported on Sunday. Chinese military affairs experts said that the Fujian has moved from construction to launch to commissioning at a fast pace, achieving operational capability in a very short time.
Mystery U.S. Navy Launcher Identified as Upgraded Coyote Missile Launcher
Naval News – An upgraded Coyote Counter-UAS (C-UAS) launcher has been installed on the Pearl Harbor-based USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), marking the first known dedicated shipboard launcher for Raytheon’s combat-proven C-UAS on a U.S. Navy ship.
China-provided Type 056 corvette part of co-op program with Cambodia, not directed at third party
Global Times – The Type 056 corvette China provided to Cambodia, which has reportedly arrived at the Ream Naval Base, is part of an existing cooperation program between militaries of the two countries, a spokesperson for Chinese Defense Ministry said on Thursday in response to a related question. A Chinese expert told the Global Times that the Type 056 corvette, a light multi-purpose vessel, is expected to enhance Cambodia’s maritime security and rescue capabilities, marking further advancement in China-Cambodia defense cooperation.
USS Gerald R. Ford Breaks Post-Cold War Deployment Record
USNI News – The crew of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) are now the record holders for the longest carrier deployment since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
US Navy destroyer intercepts Iranian-flagged vessel trying to skirt blockade
Defense News – The U.S. Navy prevented an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel from leaving Iran on Tuesday after it attempted to evade the maritime blockade that began Monday, U.S. Central Command announced.
Navy MQ-4C Triton Surveillance Drone Crash In The Middle East Finally Confirmed
The War Zone – The MQ-4C had been flying over the Persian Gulf on April 9 when it suddenly disappeared from online flight tracking sites.
Royal Navy tests CAPSTONE drone in anti-submarine warfare demonstration
Defence Blog – Certo Aerospace demonstrated CAPSTONE VTOL anti-submarine tracking capabilities for the Royal Navy at Keevil Airfield on February 23, 2026. The 600kg-class aircraft carried sonobuoys for more than two hours and transmitted acoustic tracking data through Starlink SATCOM.
(Thanks to Alain)
Tactical Success, Strategic Failure? Washington Walks the Path to Defeat in Iran
War on the Rocks – Six weeks after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran, what was the political object? Not the military means and objectives — those are the hammer, not the nail. The nail is: What condition in the world, what durable change in Iran’s relationship to the United States and its neighbors, were these strikes meant to produce? That question was never answered, because it was never seriously asked. The Trump administration confused the instrument for the purpose and then changed the purpose whenever the instrument produced inconvenient results.
Regent Squire Wing-In-Ground Effect Drone Demonstrator Makes First Flight
The War Zone – As it prepares for a potential future fight in the Pacific, the Marines tell us they are watching the progress of a wing-in-ground effect (WIG) drone concept that recently had its first test flight as a scale model. Being pitched as “the first ever Unmanned Surface and Aerial Vehicle (USA-V),” the Regent Squire is designed to conduct ISR, logistics, and combat search and rescue (CSAR) tasks in contested areas, the company states. It is also being eyed for counter-narcotics operations and anti-submarine warfare operations.
Flurry Of Navy Minesweepers Appear To Be Heading Toward The Middle East
The War Zone – The migration of U.S. Navy minesweeping assets west from the Pacific indicates preparations are underway for a major de-mining operation.
Practical, scalable and proven – Oceanus medium-sized uncrewed surface vessels
Navy Lookout – Zero USV’s Oceanus12 has moved from concept to credible operational platform, with a larger 17-metre variant now in development. For the Royal Navy, the question is no longer whether such vessels work, but how they might be integrated into operations alongside existing and future warships.
Naval Blockade Of Iran Now In Full Effect
The War Zone – Maritime restrictions have been put in place by the U.S. along the entire Iranian coastline, not just the Strait of Hormuz.
Russian Submarines With Anti-Drone Defences
Covert Shores – Two Russian Navy KILO Class submarines have been photographed in Kronstadt, the naval base in St Petersburg. The photo reveals details of their anti-drone (aerial drones – UAVs and surface drones – USVs) defences.
The Sicilian Expedition – Lessons From an Ancient Disaster
CIMSEC – Athens and Sparta serve as parables for the U.S. and China. While Athens offers lessons to the U.S. as a historic precursor, ultimately it was a foolhardy rising power that collapsed following a disastrous invasion of an island hundreds of miles offshore. Perhaps while the Taiwan Strait is no Ionian Sea and technological advances have long rendered triremes obsolete, this strategic warning is more relevant to China. Sparta, a status quo power like the U.S., simply had to await its adversary’s fatal misjudgment to invade Sicily–the rest is history.
Desert Storm Made the PLA – What is the Iran War Making?
CIMSEC – In January 1991, Chinese military officers watched CNN footage of the United States dismantling the Iraqi Army and experienced what one People’s Liberation Army (PLA) analyst later called a “psychological nuclear attack.” Desert Storm displayed every capability the PLA lacked, and China had no choice but to begin remaking its military from the ground up.
Two U.S. Warships Sail Through Strait of Hormuz to Establish New Route for Merchant Ships
USNI News – Two Navy guided-missile destroyers entered the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first American warships to transit the strait since the U.S.-Israel offensive in Iran began on Feb. 28.
Mystery Launcher Appears On U.S. Navy Destroyer
The War Zone – The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Carl M. Levin has received an interesting new addition to its aft upper deck.
With the Shield Or On It? – Aspides and the EU Aspirations for Sea Control
CIMSEC – Beyond the specific case of the Houthis and the Red Sea, the analysis points to broader lessons. It underscores the need to improve the efficiency of EU naval operations, particularly in high-intensity contexts, while also highlighting implications for NATO as it prepares to confront the practical challenges of sustaining protracted operations in littoral waters against a well-armed, land-based opponent.
UK forced to shelve legislation to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius
The Guardian – Officials accept that time has run out to pass law after US dropped its support for plan.
Navy to Inactivate Attack Boat USS Boise After $1.6B Repair Effort
USNI News – One of the youngest Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines will be inactivated after waiting more than a decade for an overhaul, the Navy announced on Friday.
A Temporary Corridor Strategy For Hormuz
CIMSEC – The Strait of Hormuz does not need to be made safe to reopen global shipping. It only needs to be made governable. Even as the United States has begun striking selected Iranian military targets—including recent operations against military facilities on Kharg Island—the fundamental challenge in the Gulf remains unchanged: restoring predictable commercial transit through a contested maritime chokepoint without triggering a broader regional war. Attempts to eliminate every Iranian capability that could threaten shipping would require a prolonged campaign across the Persian Gulf. A more practical approach is to establish a temporary defended transit corridor, concentrating naval escort, airborne surveillance, shipborne helicopter protection, and a limited southern-shore defensive node into a narrow and defensible passage through the strait.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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