RUSI – Kyiv’s unprecedented attack campaign on Russian shadow fleet tankers ups the pressure on sanctions-busting shippers and insurers at a time when Russian oil exports are already under strain.
Norway orders two additional Type 212CD submarines
Baird Maritime – The Norwegian Government has approved the procurement of two additional Type 212CD diesel-electric submarines by the Royal Norwegian Navy. This increases the number of Type 212CD boats planned for the Royal Norwegian Navy from four to a total of six.
(Thanks to Alain)
Narco Sub Seized Near Azores with £520m of Cocaine
Small Wars Journal – Portuguese authorities intercepted a semi-submersible vessel near the Azores carrying nearly nine tons of cocaine valued at about £520 million.
(Thanks to Alain)
Dragonship: China builds a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier while satellites watch
The Space Review – In the fall of 2025, China commissioned its first indigenously-designed and built aircraft carrier, Fujian, named after a Chinese province. The commissioning ceremony was photographed from overhead by Western commercial reconnaissance satellites, but of course China proudly released their own photographs of the ceremony. The conventionally powered aircraft carrier is large and impressive. Although not quite as big as the US Navy’s Nimitz-class or Ford-class carriers, Fujian sports modern equipment, such as electromagnetic catapults and arresting gear.
But even as Fujian was formally entering service after an extended period of sea trials, another large carrier was taking shape in China. It too has been photographed by commercial reconnaissance satellites, and Western amateur analysts have been keeping tabs on the progress, trying to assess its size and capabilities. They soon saw indications that this ship, unlike its predecessors, will be nuclear-powered. Satellites are a primary source of information on China’s latest naval developments.
French warships receive Aliaca VTOL uncrewed aircraft
Defence Blog – France’s defense procurement agency ordered a VTOL version of Airbus’ Aliaca uncrewed aerial system, with deliveries to the French Navy set to begin in May 2026 after qualification. The Aliaca VTOL will expand ship-based surveillance and maritime security missions by removing the need for launch-and-recovery equipment while retaining existing sensors and ground stations.
(Thanks to Alain)
CMSI Note 19: China’s Blue-Water Research Fleet: Science in Service of Strategy
China Maritime Studies Institute – Today, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) owns the world’s largest fleet of blue-water marine scientific research vessels. While their operations are largely concentrated in the Western Pacific, an increasing number are reaching across the globe—from the Indian Ocean to the Arctic, and even the Western Hemisphere.
German Navy ships targeted by sabotage attempt, two port workers arrested
Navy Today – Two port workers have been arrested over the attempted sabotage of German naval vessels docked at the Port of Hamburg, the EU’s Eurojust crime agency revealed.
(Thanks to Alain)
Marine F-35C Downs Iranian Drone Near Carrier Lincoln After Forces Attempt to Seize U.S. Flagged Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
USNI News – A Marine F-35C Lighting II fighter shot down an Iranian military drone that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea,
Dual Use Initiative By China Could Exponentially Increase Its Missile Launch Platforms
Center for Maritime Strategy – While containerized weapons systems have been around for years, it is startling to see pictures of them combined in a way that a small cargo ship can easily be transitioned into a lethal naval vessel. Such a transition can be temporary, allowing a return to commercial service in what is the ultimate example of a dual use vessel that results in superior overall cost economics. That China completely outfitted such a vessel in a public area where pictures would emerge indicates a desire for this capability to be seen.
USS Preble Used HELIOS Laser To Zap Four Drones In Expanding Testing
The War Zone – The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Preble used its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to down four drones in a demonstration last year, Lockheed Martin has shared.
U.S. Army Quietly Stands Up Rotational Force in the Philippines
USNI News – The U.S. Army has stood up a rotational force in the Philippines, according to recently released defense media. Army Rotational Force-Philippines, a previously unknown formation, was revealed for the first time Thursday following a meeting last month between the ground service and Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia in Manila.
Electronic warfare and the battle to expose illicit maritime activity
Navy Lookout – In this article, Lee Pilgrim considers the seizure of the sanctioned tanker MV Marinera (formerly MV Bella 1) in the context of signals intelligence and electronic warfare in maritime security. The case illustrates how modern naval operations increasingly rely on control of the electromagnetic spectrum to counter vessels operating in legal and operational grey zones.
HMCS Charlottetown departs on Operation HORIZON and NEON
Ready Aye Ready – Today, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Charlottetown set sail from its home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region in support of Operations HORIZON and NEON. Operation HORIZON is Canada’s comprehensive military approach to promote peace and stability in support of an international system based on international law in the Indo-Pacific region. Operation NEON is Canada’s contribution to a coordinated multinational effort to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea. Both operations demonstrate an enduring defence commitment to the Indo-Pacific region and enhance Canada’s role as a trusted international partner.
Chinese fishing boats have been making some unusual moves lately in the East China Sea, satellite images and shipping data show
Business Insider – Thousands of Chinese fishing boats sailed into coordinated lines in the East China Sea twice in recent weeks. The vessels could be seen in both shipping data and satellite imagery. The anomalous behavior, experts said, is more likely aligned with activities related to China’s Maritime Militia.
Old Ships, Modern Menace: How to Tackle the World’s Shadow Fleets
RUSI – Shadow fleets sit at the centre of maritime hybrid warfare, economic security and environmental risk. Despite this growing recognition, the West lacks the coherence to confront it.
High-Stakes Competition: South Korea and Germany Vie for Canada’s Multi-Billion Dollar Submarine Contract
Ready Aye Ready – In the frigid depths of international defence procurement, a fierce rivalry has emerged between South Korea and Germany as they compete to supply Canada with a new fleet of submarines. The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s aging Victoria-class submarines, acquired in the 1990s, with up to 12 advanced diesel-electric vessels capable of long-range patrols in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans. This multi-decade initiative, valued at up to 60 trillion South Korean won (approximately $44 billion USD), includes not just the initial procurement—estimated at $20-24 billion—but also 30 years of maintenance, repair, and operations. As of January 2026, with proposals due in March and a decision expected by May or June, both nations are pulling out all the stops, blending cutting-edge technology with promises of economic windfalls for Canada.
New variant of Type 054A frigate in service with PLA Navy, features larger gun, extended flight deck
Global Times – A new variant of the Type 054A guided missile frigate has entered service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, characterized by a main gun of a larger caliber and an extended flight deck to host a new-type anti-submarine helicopter, official Chinese media reported on Monday.
Latest situation regarding F126 and MEKO Frigate Projects in Germany
Naval News – The current threat situation necessitates a rapid increase in anti-submarine warfare capabilities for the German Navy. However, the procurement of the intended F126 frigates is delayed, so work is simultaneously underway on a Plan B in the form of the potential acquisition of MEKO frigates. According to information obtained by Hartpunkt, only “partial successes” were achieved in both projects in the Bundestag.
Project Selborne – modernising Royal Navy training
Navy Lookout – Almost 5 years since Project Selborne began, it has delivered a significant shift in how the RN prepares its people for service at sea and ashore. Beginning in April 2021, this 12-year contract with an industry and academic consortium aims to transform traditional naval training into a modern, flexible and technology-enabled system that better equips sailors and marines for the operational challenges of the 2020s and beyond.
His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife commences Operation CARIBBE
Ready Aye Ready – His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Yellowknife has commenced a seven-week deployment on Operation CARIBBE in the Caribbean Sea. Operation CARIBBE, which began in 2006, is Canada’s contribution to United States (U.S.)-led multinational efforts to counter narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, and to enhance the security of the broader region. HMCS Yellowknife will work to lawfully disrupt the movement of illicit trafficking vessels through boarding and maritime interdiction operations working with partner nation surface assets and maritime patrol aircraft.
The ‘Houthi Model’ of Asymmetric Naval Warfare: Implications for UK Littoral Response and Carrier Strike Group Doctrine
Wavell Room – The Red Sea crisis has settled into an uncomfortable new normal. While the initial shock caused by the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) has faded, the strategic implications of the Houthi campaign remain dangerously under-analysed in the context of future British Naval Doctrine. For the Royal Navy, the conflict would appear to cast a shadow over amphibious operations in littoral waters, where both the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and the Littoral Response Groups (LRGs) are expected to conduct their operations. The Houthi campaign has inadvertently provided an example of a scalable, repeatable model of sea denial that fundamentally challenges the operating and financial rationale of Western naval power projection.
The Houthi Model involves the integration of sensors and shooters at the state level with the expendability and mass of non-state actor operations. This model poses a significant challenge for the Royal Navy, which relies on low-density, high-value assets.
Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Submarine Hai Kun (SS-711) Conducts First Submerged Trial
Naval News – Taiwan’s first Indigenous Defence Submarine (IDS), Hai Kun (SS-711), also known as Narwhal, successfully completed its first submerged sea trials on January 29, 2026.
Navy’s new hedge strategy calls for ‘tailored’ unmanned forces to augment carriers
Breaking Defense – While the carrier strike group will remain the backbone of naval power projection, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle says its time to look for alternative options, especially unmanned systems, for more specialized regional scenarios — part of a Tuesday preview of what he called his forthcoming “hedge strategy” for the Navy.
General Dynamics Unveils AD(X) VLS-Reloading Destroyer Tender
Naval News – General Dynamics NASSCO is looking to U.S. Navy for interest in new VLS reloading destroyer tenders, known as AD(X), as part of a combined buy of common hulls with the future AS(X) submarine tender.
Last New F/A-18 Aft Fuselages Built As Super Hornet Production End Approaches
The War Zone – Boeing expects to close out production of new Super Hornets in 2027 and has already stopped building EA-18G Growlers.
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