Naval News – At around 28,000 tons Russia’s Kirov-class is the largest and most heavily armed surface combatant in the World. One of these Soviet-era steel titans, Admiral Nakhimov, has recently emerged from a decade-long and hugely expensive modernization, ready to take her place as the pride of the modern Russian Navy. Yet in the meantime drone warfare, like we are seeing the Black Sea, is challenging this investment. But the money has already been spent.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
Dutch Navy Warship Shoots Down Attack Drones off the UK Coast
Daily Galaxy – In December 2025, a Dutch Navy frigate faced off against a drone swarm off the coast of the United Kingdom. This was no combat mission, but it wasn’t a routine drill either. The three-day operation brought together live firepower, virtual threats, and multinational coordination in one of NATO’s most complex maritime training simulations to date.
(Thanks to Alain)
‘Hangar Queens’: Congressional Hearing Reveals Osprey Readiness Rates Declining as Mishaps Increase
USNI News – While Navy and Marine Corps officials touted progress in overcoming a fatal V-22 Osprey gearbox issue that has limited operations since 2023, lawmakers lamented falling readiness rates and increasing mishaps Tuesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill.
U.S. Navy concludes final test of upgraded Harpoon missile
Defence Blog – The U.S. Navy said it completed the final planned flight test of the Harpoon Block II Update on Jan. 16, concluding system-level flight testing for the obsolescence update. The test validated the missile’s land-attack profile following earlier trials against guidance performance and moving maritime targets, with initial deliveries planned later this year.
(Thanks to Alain)
US, European navies push Lego-like modularity to boost ships’ combat punch
Defense News – Western navies are betting on modularity to keep their fleets relevant in the face of fast-changing technology, according to naval commanders gathered in Paris last week, with an ability to switch out equipment that the Dutch navy chief likened to clipping Lego bricks onto vessels. New naval designs increasingly incorporate containerized payloads, and the commanders of the United States, Italian, Dutch and British navies cited advantages including mission flexibility, quickly getting firepower on the water, and at-sea replenishment.
What the Royal Thai Navy’s Offshore Fire Support Reveals About Its Approach to Littoral Warfare
CIMSEC – This article investigates what it means when a recognized small navy from Southeast Asia uses naval gunfire support from the “littorals” to assist land forces fight a border conflict.
A-10 Warthog Protects Mine-Hunting Littoral Combat Ship In Persian Gulf Drill
The War Zone – The A-10, now in the twilight of its career, is uniquely suited to protect naval assets from lower-end threats, such as swarms of Iranian small boats.
‘One Size Fits All’ Won’t Work for the Navy of the Future, Says CNO Caudle
USNI News – New Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle says he is crafting a plan for formations beyond the carrier strike group that don’t have peak military capability, but are good enough to meet the needs of U.S. commanders downrange.
Undersea Drone That Attaches Itself To Other Vessels Unveiled By Lockheed
The War Zone – Lamprey can launch aerial drones, launch decoys, and fire torpedoes after arriving discreetly in an operating area by hitching a ride.
Washington’s Misplaced Shipbuilding Obsession
CIMSEC – Expectations of a genuine American shipbuilding renaissance should be kept in check. The United States is ill-suited to quickly transform from a virtual non-participant in commercial shipbuilding to a competitive producer of large cargo vessels. More likely is another round of costly subsidies, continued shipbuilding dysfunction, and little progress toward addressing the country’s key maritime challenges. Rather than devote substantial resources to this questionable enterprise, U.S. policymakers should pursue pragmatic solutions that more directly remedy commercial and naval shortcomings.
Deterrence Won’t Fail in the Taiwan Strait — It Will Be Bypassed
War on the Rocks – China’s recent actions point toward a theory of success that does not rely on decisive battle or territorial conquest, but on sustained pressure, ambiguity, and delay. Rather than seeking victory through destruction, Beijing appears increasingly focused on achieving political outcomes through paralysis: exhausting decision-making processes, fracturing alliances, and reshaping perceptions of risk and inevitability. This approach does not reject deterrence theory. It exploits its blind spots.
Russia’s Strategic Brown Water Capabilities: A NATO Blind Spot
CIMSEC – NATO should not underestimate Russia’s strategic brown water capabilities. The same applies to Japan and South Korea in the event that Moscow, contrary to current indications, intends to use the Amur as a launch area to defend the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. Therefore, it is essential to prepare doctrinally, enhance surveillance techniques, and develop effective countermeasures. This will require more unconventional thinking—for example, the dropping of sea mines, USVs and UUVs from the air or the arming of partisans with portable anti-ship missiles such as the Swedish RBS-17. New doctrine and capabilities can effectively account for this important yet underappreciated dimension of Russian naval influence.
Trilateral Shipbuilding: Build a Missile Corvette Fleet With Asian Allies
CIMSEC – The strategic imperatives facing the United States, Japan, and South Korea demand immediate, decisive action to secure enduring maritime security across the Indo-Pacific. Trilateral collaboration in naval shipbuilding is no longer optional, it is necessary. Together, the alliance has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to counter China’s expanding naval power, restore American shipbuilding strength, and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific for decades to come. By pooling resources, expertise, and industrial capacity, the alliance can design and produce a fast-attack missile corvette tailored to the region’s urgent needs: maritime domain awareness, deterrence, and enhanced interoperability among allies and partners. A corvette fleet, built with Asian shipyards and American innovation, will empower ASEAN partners on the frontlines of maritime coercion, illegal activities, grey-zone conflict, and Great Power Competition.
The Arctic is a Strategic Distraction
CIMSEC – Over the past five years, numerous articles have called for increased U.S. defense resources focused on the Arctic. This is a strategic mistake, a distraction.
Charting a Course: Addressing Chinese Maritime Coercion Around Taiwan
CIMSEC – The ongoing coercion by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) aims to erode the ROC’s sovereignty by sending a message to the international community that the CCP has both the capability and the will to exert control over the waters near Taiwan, but this activity also threatens the United States’ national security interests.
Denmark decides on construction strategy for Arctic vessels
Naval News – The parties to the Danish Defence Agreement have decided on a distributed construction strategy for five new Arctic patrol vessels for the Danish Navy.
Four Takeaways from Donald Trump’s National Defense Strategy
National Interest – James Holmes writes that the 2026 National Defense Strategy sets striking new priorities for the Pentagon—but can hardly be described as “isolationist” in character.
How will the Type 26 frigates be shared between the Norwegian Navy and Royal Navy?
Navy Lookout – This week, it was officially confirmed what had been obvious from the outset, that at least one or more Type 26 frigates already under construction for the RN will be allocated to Norway. At a time when the RN frigate force is rapidly diminishing, here we consider the need to balance the strategic benefits of the deal with Norway against the UK’s dire need for new warships.
Why Xi Jinping has been purging China’s military leadership, and what may come next
Breaking Defense – Dean Cheng writes that the Chinese PLA has gone through wide-scale restructuring in recent years, leading to questions as to why and what the effects may be.
French Navy dials up stress level in crew drills after Red Sea experience
Defense News – The French Navy is toughening crew drills to better prepare sailors for the stress of coming under fire, following deployments to the Red Sea where Houthi rebels targeted Western warships and commercial traffic with drones and ballistic missiles.
‘Preparing for war:’ At French naval conference, a grim realism
Breaking Defense – France and its allies need to consider the reality that high-intensity conflict is likely in the near future, top officials said this week.
First US warship visit to Chinese-built port in Cambodia cements new drift for Phnom Penh
Defense News – After a U.S. warship visited the Chinese-built Ream Naval Base on the south coast of Cambodia last week, analysts warn the government here should brace for a response from Beijing.
Taiwan to Construct 10 Light Frigates for Air Defense, Anti-submarine Missions
USNI News – Taipei will construct 10 light frigates for air defense and anti-submarine missions between 2028 and 2040, according to recently released procurement documents.
UK threatens to seize Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in escalatory move
The Guardian – The UK is threatening to seize a Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in an escalatory move that could lead to the opening up of a new front against Moscow at a time when the country’s oil revenues are tumbling.
America’s Naval Strategy Is Getting a 21st-Century Update
National Interest – James Holmes writes that Chief of Naval Operations Daryl Caudle’s advice on reforming US Navy doctrine is at once prescient and rooted in age-old wisdom.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.