Covert Shores – There is a burning ship abandoned off the west coast of the Americas. On August 6th there was a serious fire aboard the Chinese car carrier (a specialised ship which delivers cars for export) Min Jiang Kou (IMO 9991771) in the Pacific. This is a useful news hook for an article I have been planning for a while: cause of the fire, or at least its significant factor, was that the ship uses high-flammable (/explosive) LNG as a fuel. Here’s a quick overview of the trend in highly dangerous fuels aboard merchant ships, with an eye on Defence relevance.
Full steam in reverse: Trump orders US Navy back to old-style aircraft catapults
Navy Lookout – President Donald Trump has ordered the US Navy to develop a plan to abandon electromagnetic aircraft launch systems on future Ford-class aircraft carriers and return to steam catapults. The wider memorandum contains some sensible measures to address America’s serious naval shipbuilding problems, but imposing a fundamental engineering redesign on an aircraft carrier already under construction is extraordinarily difficult to justify.
Trump opens door for foreign-built Navy ships. It could get complicated
Breaking Defense – In a new memo certain to make significant waves for the future of US Navy shipbuilding, President Donald Trump on Thursday called for the US to outsource the building of at least a few Navy ships to foreign shipyards.
America is sailing through the Taiwan Strait less. Does it matter?
Breaking Defense – A Heritage Foundation study shows a significant drop in Taiwan Strait transits by the US military under the second Trump administration.
U.S. Navy Orca XLUUV Completes 1,000-Mile Pacific Transit
Naval News – The U.S. Navy completed a 1,000 nautical mile transit with the service’s Orca XLUUV uncrewed submarine in July, a first for the service.
Royal Canadian Navy Asserts Arctic Presence in Operation NANOOK-TUUGAALIK
ReadyAyeReady – The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is at the forefront of Canada’s latest Arctic sovereignty efforts as Operation NANOOK-TUUGAALIK gets underway. Launched on August 14, 2026, this maritime-focused serial of the Canadian Armed Forces’ signature northern operation runs from August through October and centres on maintaining a visible naval presence, enhancing domain awareness, and building operational proficiency in one of the world’s most demanding environments.
New White House Memo Calls for Foreign-Built Warships, Return to Steam Catapults on Ford Carriers
USNI News – President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to consider foreign-built warships and auxiliary vessels for the U.S. Navy, in addition to other proposed changes to shipbuilding, in a sweeping presidential memo released on Thursday.
Ukrainian Drone Strike Damages Russian Frigates in Novorossiysk
Naval News – Early in the morning on Wednesday, August 12th, Ukrainian drones savaged Russian warships and supporting infrastructure at the Black Sea Fleet’s reactivated main port, Novorossiysk, striking at least 4 vessels in the process.
Reimagining General Quarters For Surface Ships
CIMSEC – During World War II, General Quarters (GQ) was essential to U.S. Navy ship survivability. Setting GQ established the highest material condition—Zebra—throughout the ship and manned every combat and repair station with the crew’s most qualified personnel. That model reflected an era in which major naval engagements were expected to be intense but comparatively short. Today, however, surface ships face a different problem: they may need to sustain elevated readiness for hours, days, or longer under persistent missile and drone threat. Traditional GQ remains vital for brief periods of peak danger, but it is no longer a practical default for prolonged combat operations. The surface force should update how it employs GQ by preserving continuity at key watchstations and pre‑setting survivability measures in high‑threat environments before a ship is forced to react under severe time constraints.
USS Abraham Lincoln sailors tried to jump overboard amid extended deployment
The Guardian – Military families and Congress members are sounding the alarm about an intensifying mental health crisis onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, as its 5,000 sailors and marines endure a record-breaking deployment at sea tied to the war with Iran.
Chinese research vessel sparks alarm in Palau after repeated incursions
ABC – In the final days of May, a Chinese research vessel ventured 74 kilometres into Palau’s waters and reportedly spent 14 hours moving slowly through the island nation’s maritime zone. With a bow built to push through a metre of Arctic sea ice, the 89-metre icebreaker Ji Di might have looked out of place in the warm waters of the North Pacific.
The Existential Estuary – Taiwan’s Defense on the Tamsui River
USNI News – Taiwanese forces mobilized mechanized units, engineering troops and mines across a river estuary crucial for the defense of the island’s capital city during the opening days of Han Kuang 42. Among the paths for a potential Chinese invasion of the island’s capital, the approach from the Tamsui River will be critical for both attacker and defender.
Royal Navy ships take respite in Kenya after months in Middle East
Navy Lookout – HMS Dragon and RFA Lyme Bay have arrived in Mombasa for maintenance, resupply and crew rest after several months deployed in the Middle East. The visit takes the two ships temporarily away from preparations for a potential multinational operation in the Strait of Hormuz.
2026 and All That: Another Benchmark Year in Royal Navy Decline
War On The Rocks – For other navies, including the U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy’s experience offers a blunt warning: When naval leaders rely on political leadership to preserve fleet size, industrial capacity, and force design, decline can arrive by increments and then suddenly become irreversible.
Chinese, Indonesian naval frigates complete maritime exercise in waters east of China’s Taiwan island
Global Times – The Chinese Navy’s guided-missile frigate Honghe (Hull 523) and the Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai completed all scheduled exercises in waters east of China’s Taiwan island on Wednesday morning, marking the conclusion of a China-Indonesia maritime passage exercise,
Royal Navy Reports 25 Percent Increase in Russian Activity in U.K., North Atlantic Waters
USNI News – Russian activity around the U.K. and in the North Atlantic has risen 25 percent in the first half of the year compared to the same time frame in 2025, according to the Royal Navy.
China’s stealth test ship swaps weapon for a mystery system
Defence Blog – Social media images published Sunday show China’s unnamed experimental stealth corvette fitted with a new system in place of its previous missile turret. Analysts differ on whether the system is a sonic weapon or a naval version of a high-power microwave weapon designed to counter drone swarms.
(Thanks to Alain)
Inside the Royal Navy’s new mine warfare mothership programme
Navy Lookout – The RN’s autonomus mine hunting systems will be deployed on board up to three new Offshore Support Vessels (OSV) or ‘motherships’ procured in partnership with Norway. Recent work by Dstl and NDP provides the clearest indication yet of what the ships may need to look like, suggesting something much closer to a large commercial offshore vessel than a conventional naval auxiliary. Here we look at what is known about this programme.
Florida company 3D prints a drone boat using robotic arms
Defence Blog – Haddy, a St. Petersburg, Florida manufacturing company, announced on Saturday it produced the TF-179 Drone Boat using large-format robotic additive manufacturing.
(Thanks to Alain)
US Navy wants submarine launchers for weapons and underwater drones
Navy Lookout – The US Navy has begun seeking a new generation of submarine payload launchers designed to deploy uncrewed systems as well as weapons. The move raises questions about how far the Royal Navy’s future SSN-AUKUS boats will share in the evolving American approach to undersea payloads.
What is hidden inside Israel’s new submarine?
CTECH – The INS Drakon’s unusual design has prompted speculation about advanced launch systems and strategic capabilities.
(Thanks to Alain)
Navy Is Getting A Unique Virginia Class Seabed Espionage Submarine
The War Zone – One Block V Virginia class submarine will be unlike any other, capable of highly specialized intelligence and sabotage missions on the seafloor.
Chinese Army Drones Target Unmanned Surface Vessels in Exercises
USNI News – The People’s Liberation Army Ground Force trained last week to use armed drones against unmanned surface vessels.
Drone Sightings Are Happening At Diego Garcia, America’s Remote Strategic Island Outpost
The War Zone – The sightings highlight concerns about drone attacks from the sea, especially at a time of extreme hostility between Iran and the U.S.
Marines Learn to 3D Print Raiding Craft, Attack Drones in the Western Pacific
USNI News – Marines are learning how to 3D print raiding craft and attack drones while in theater as part of recent exercises in Hawaii, Japan and South Korea.
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