U.S. Navy – The U.S. Navy has retired its tugboat fleet, and contracted the work out to civilian tugs.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy retires tugboat fleet, private boats to take over

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy is also strapped for funds for training, with Sailors “pretending” to fire during live-fire exercises.

• BBC News: Shell ban under fire

Indonesian Navy – Pirate attacks in the Straits of Malacca continue to increase. The Indonesia Navy, under an arms band following the situation in East Timor, is ill-equipped to combat the pirates.

• Associated Press: Indonesian pirates plunder ships

NATO – NATO naval forces just completed Operation Linked Seas off Portugal, designed to simulate naval operations in a humanitarian crisis such as Kosovo. The exercise turned into reality midway through its course when HMS Illustrious and HMS Ocean were detached from the exercise to intervene in Sierra Leone.

• Associate Press: NATO navies adapt to new realities