Maritime Defense News

Germany is in principle ready to help secure transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz after hostilities end, provided there is a mandate, preferably from the United Nations, and German parliamentary approval, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said."We are still a long way from all of that," Merz told reporters a day before talks in Paris that, he said, would also cover whether U.S. armed forces could participate in a mission.The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has caused unprecedented disruption of global oil and gas.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said on Wednesday its Fincantieri Marine Group unit has won a $30 million contract with the U.S.

Babcock International Group (Babcock) has agreed a two‑year extension to the Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), ensuring the continued delivery of vital fleet and infrastructure support for the Royal Navy’s surface ships.The agreement maintains the full scope of the existing FMSP contract, covering ship engineering delivery and management for Type 23 frigates, amphibious warfare ships, Sandown minehunters and landing craft vessels.This work continues to be delivered primarily through Babcock’s facilities at Devonport and Rosyth…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) announced that George Whittier is returning to lead FMD as its Chief Executive Officer. Across the defense and industrial sectors, Whittier is recognized as a trusted and highly respected leader. Having spent more than a decade at FMD, including six years as its CEO, Whittier is situated to lead the company through this pivotal period as he brings a deep understanding of the business and its critical role within the defense industrial base. “Fairbanks Morse has been integral to America’s industrial and defense strength for more than a century…

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract to supply 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) program. Each of the vessels will feature waterjets, delivering speed and maneuverability for high-performance naval operations.The NGMV fleet is being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and will play a critical role in India’s maritime defense strategy.This contract marks Kongsberg Maritime’s largest single waterjet order to date and signals a…

Navantia UK welcomed the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, to the Harland & Wolff shipyard, just over a year since the company’s acquisition and the launch of plans to revitalize the historic site for the future.The visit focused on Belfast’s growing role at the heart of the UK’s shipbuilding capability, with the Secretary of State touring newly extended fabrication facilities, meeting the almost 500-strong workforce including 93 current apprentices…

Cellula Robotics USA Inc. has announced its role in delivering a long-endurance Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) under a contract awarded by the Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) as part of the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) initiative. Under the contract led by Metron Inc., Cellula Robotics USA Inc. will be responsible for delivery of a commercial off-the-shelf, fuel cell-powered Guardian AUV. The vehicle is designed for long endurance missions, with the ability to…

The U.S. military is deploying a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, as Iran's new supreme leader hailed Iran's "unity" and "resistance".Reuters had reported that Washington, desperate to reopen the Gulf oil bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz, shut by Iran since the U.S. and Israel attacked almost three weeks ago, was considering deployments up to and including landings.Oil…

On March 12, following a tender procedure, the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract for the delivery of three Damen Stan Patrol (SPa) 5009 vessels for the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. The new vessels will replace three Damen SPa 4100 vessels that have been in operation for over 25 years. The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is a joint effort comprising the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the region. The coast guard will operate the SPa 5009 vessels…

On Friday, 20 February, Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract supporting the local construction of Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the Australian Defence Force. Under the agreement, Damen will provide the design and associated licences, enabling Austal to build the vessels at its Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.The signing ceremony took place at the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility (AMC CUF) in Henderson and was…

RS Aqua announced a new strategic partnership with Seasats, a San Diego-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developer, to introduce their range of security platforms to the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland defense market.Seasats is known for its high endurance, modular, and user-friendly USVs designed to deliver maritime domain awareness through autonomous operations. Through this partnership, RS Aqua will represent and support the Seasats product portfolio across the UK and Ireland.Seasats’ inaugural model, the Lightfish, is a modular USV engineered for long duration autonomous missions.

Babcock International Group has achieved two milestones in the delivery of the Royal Navy’s Type 31, Inspiration Class program, as the Steel Cut for HMS Bulldog and the Rollout of HMS Active took place at their Rosyth facility in Scotland.The ceremonial Steel Cut for HMS Bulldog marked the official start of build on the fourth of five Inspiration-class frigates, while the rollout of HMS Active saw the emergence of the second frigate from the purpose-built ship assembly hall, ahead…

Ireland plans to boost radar and subsea surveillance capabilities and increase cooperation with NATO members amid growing hybrid threats in the North Atlantic, the country said in its first maritime security strategy on Wednesday.Ireland, which is neutral and has the EU's lowest level of defence spending, has been criticised for its lack of capability to monitor and defend territorial waters that the strategy says cover a "nexus of major transatlantic data cables and critical…

Two American defense firms are striking a strategic agreement to build a high-tech "wall of steel" to support the US Navy, commercial shipping and offshore operations in the Caribbean and Gulf of America.The partnership sees South Carolina-headquartered marine autonomy specialist Janus Marine & Defense join forces with New Mexico-based US Department of War RF Systems contractor Raven Defense Corporation. The "wall of steel" will protect offshore energy infrastructure, ports, and critical maritime corridors, reducing reliance on, and risk to, manned vessels.

BAE Systems Launchpad is a new incubator program designed to take dual-use technologies beyond the defense sector and help innovations reach their full commercial potential.Launchpad directly addresses the challenge of moving defense technologies beyond prototype development by spinning them out into independent start-up businesses. This aligns with a key priority outlined in the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy, which calls for “constant innovation at wartime pace” and highlights…

Last month, the Saronic team completed a continuous, week-long, day and night test operation designed to push the limits of Corsair, their 24-foot Autonomous Surface Vessel currently under contract with the U.S. Navy.Conducted and funded by the company as part of ongoing independent research and development efforts, this exercise ran 24/7 with the goal of accomplishing two things:Deeply understand how our vessels perform at — and beyond — their operating limits in real-world environments…

HII announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has successfully completed builder’s sea trials of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.Kennedy returned to NNS after testing important ship systems and components at sea for the first time.The sea trials brought together NNS shipbuilders, John F. Kennedy sailors and Navy personnel to execute the testing and demonstrate ship operations.CVN 79 continues the legacy of highly capable nuclear-powered aircraft carrier platforms.

Ultra Maritime has secured a USD$54.6 million (£40 million) contract from the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) to deliver sonobuoys for the Royal Navy’s Merlin Maritime Patrol Helicopter—significantly strengthening the UK’s undersea surveillance and deterrence posture at a time when British waters are under increasing threat from foreign actors. Sonobuoys are the frontline sensors of the UK’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) network, and give the Royal Navy the ability to detect, track and deter hostile submarines and other underwater vessels.Based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall…

TKMS and Seaspan, Canada’s largest shipbuilding, design and repair company, have signed a Teaming Agreement to collaborate in support of the Government of Canada’s objective to achieve a sovereign capability for the sustainment and through-life support of naval ships. The collaboration focuses on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) with potential further opportunities arising from TKMS’s international customers and programs. This agreement is the latest in a string of…

SunStone Maritime Group has chartered its expedition vessel, the Ocean Endeavour, to the Danish Defence. From early February, the vessel will be berthed in Nuuk, Greenland, where it will accommodate Danish and international soldiers participating in Exercise "Arctic Endurance."Until late 2025, the Ocean Endeavour was chartered out as a polar expedition vessel with itineraries in Arctic Canada, Greenland, and Antarctica.For any further information, please contact the press office of Defence Command Denmark at FKO-presse@mil.dk

Germany's budget committee approved a preliminary contract to purchase MEKO A-200 class frigates from warship builder TKMS on Wednesday and will release 50 million euros ($59.70 million) for them, according to two committee members.After a years-long delay in the purchase of the originally planned F-126 frigates, the budget committee last year approved 7.8 billion euros for an alternative procurement strategy.The funds released on Wednesday will be used to finance so-called delivery hedging instruments, which are intended to ensure the delivery of the first ship by December 2029.Sources famili

Pole Star Defense closed Q4 2025 with two federal wins: a $36 million, three-year renewal with the U.S. Coast Guard and a new five-year contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together, the awards extend the company’s role as a provider of maritime domain awareness to U.S. government customers. The Coast Guard renewal builds on a partnership first established in 2020 with a $50 million award. Under the extended agreement, Pole Star Defense continues to deliver vessel tracking, system modernization, and cloud-based analytics that support Coast Guard operations nationwide.

Teledyne Gavia, a leader in modular autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), announced the successful delivery of the first four GAVIA AUV systems to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).The newly delivered GAVIA Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) system forms part of a multi-year framework agreement between Teledyne Marine and FMV, under which GAVIA AUVs will support fleet modernization initiatives for the Swedish Armed Forces by enhancing underwater surveillance…