Defense News – U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called NATO allies “cowards” for their unwillingness to help secure maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said would be a “simple military maneuver” with little risk. Analysts studying military matters and geopolitics disagree.

USNI News – Ford, the flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, is in port for maintenance and repairs following a March 12 fire in the aft laundry room.

The War Zone – Joseph Votel offers insights on securing Iran’s uranium, seizing Kharg Island, dwindling stocks of missile interceptors, and how long Epic Fury will last.

The Guardian – Both weapons, fired after Starmer authorised US to carry out further attacks from British bases, failed to hit Chagos Island target.

The War Zone – Retired Army General Joseph Votel offers unique insights into what it will take to wrestle the Strait of Hormuz from Iran’s clutches.

The War Zone – One carrier was already tired before it had a fire, another saw its service life extended for the second time, while the delivery of a third is delayed.

The War Zone – The E-2D is America’s most capable platform for spotting drones and other low-flying Iranian threats that are wreaking havoc on Gulf Arab States.

Defence Blog – The U.S. Navy plans to increase production of the Hammerhead anti-submarine mine system through a contract modification with General Dynamics Mission Systems. The Hammerhead system is designed to detect, classify, and engage submarines and could be deployed by unmanned underwater vehicles to counter increasingly capable Russian and Chinese submarine fleets.

(Thanks to Alain)

The War Zone – A Pentagon report says the new pods are still having significant teething issues even though they are being used in active conflicts.

Defense News – The U.S. military possesses several capabilities that it could wield to combat naval mine warfare in the Strait of Hormuz.

The War Zone – Two of the three Littoral Combat Ships that had taken over the minesweeping role in the Middle East have just appeared in Malaysia.

War on the Rocks – Churchill once demanded, “Take this pudding away — it has no theme!” U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle’s new Fighting Instructions presents a similar sort of dish.

USNI News – The Navy’s oldest aircraft carrier will remain in the fleet 10 months longer than expected, according to a Friday contract announcement from the service.

Center for Maritime Security – As the threat from naval mines persists, and in some regions grows, the United States is gradually moving away from one of its most effective countermeasures: airborne mine warfare.

Naval News – The US Navy’s planned procurement of two new surface ship types will deliver capabilities that will enable the navy to meet the output requirements of its new surface force structure and continued global presence, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) told the Paris Naval Conference in early February.

The War Zone – The Trump class “battleship” has breathed new life into the Navy’s railgun ambitions, which it previously shelved after hitting technical hurdles.

The War Zone – Escorting oil tankers in the strait is an incredibly high-risk mission, and might not even be enough to ensure their safe passage.

Defence Blog – The U.S. Navy launched Operation ICE CAMP Boarfish in the Arctic on March 7, 2026 with the submarines USS Delaware and USS Santa Fe to test under-ice operational capabilities. The three-week multinational operation brings together U.S. and allied forces to train and evaluate submarine operations in the Arctic environment.

(Thanks to Alain)

Defence Blog – The United States Department of War allocated $65 million in fiscal year 2026 funding to integrate the Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor with the Navy’s Aegis combat system on guided-missile destroyers. The integration would allow the Army’s Patriot interceptor to launch from Mk 41 vertical launch systems, expanding layered missile defense capabilities for U.S. naval forces.

(Thanks to Alain)

USNI News – The U.S. Military is Weighing How to Move Ships Through the Strait of Hormuz as Oil Prices Surge.

CNAS – In the Department of Defense’s priority scenarios—a “defense by denial” of China and homeland defense—dedicated airborne sensing and battle management aircraft and their crew generate indispensable connective tissue and flexibility for the Joint Force.

War on the Rocks – The U.S. Navy got some serious nautical miles under its belt during the first year of this administration, with combat operations from the Caribbean to Iran to Nigeria alongside its more regular duties. With no sign of President Donald Trump slowing down on global interventions and a tense geopolitical atmosphere, the United States remains in need of a navy that can fight and win wherever it is called to do so.

The new chief of naval operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle, has now published his response to this challenge: the U.S. Navy Fighting Instructions. 

Naval News – Revealed in a LinkedIn post by Christine Clark, Boeing’s Supplier Program Manager, the second Orca Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) dubbed the XLE2 has been commissioned.