In Details: The Italian Navy’s new ASW-enhanced Bergamini-class FREMM

Naval News – The ninth Bergamini-class Spartaco Schergat (F 598) FRegata Europea Multi-Missione (FREMM) frigate, supplied by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%) and delivered to Italian Navy on 15 April as part of the Franco-Italian international cooperation program managed by OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement), is the first of two FREMMs in a new configuration for anti-surface (AsuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) called FREMM ASW-enhanced. Naval News brings you the latest programme details in this feature by Luca Peruzzi.

With no alternatives, the Argentine Navy considers decommissioning the Super Étendard Modernisé fighters acquired from France in 2019

Zona Militar – Throughout 2025, news regarding the Argentine Navy’s Super Étendard fighters has been scarce, with no mention of them by naval authorities or in the Management Reports submitted by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers to the National Congress. This situation appears to foreshadow a decision that has been in the works within the Navy’s leadership, concerning the Super Étendard Modernisé aircraft acquired in 2019 which, to date, despite various efforts and testing, have not even completed a single test flight. According to sources consulted by Zona Militar, the decision would involve the decommissioning of these aircraft, a move that has been shared in camaraderie meetings attended by high-ranking Navy officials to provide an overview of the force’s present and future.

(Thanks to Alain)

Sea Dragons: Special Operations and Chinese Military Strategy

China Maritime Studies Institute – As China continues to rise as a global sea power, its maritime strategy continues to evolve. Among these critical evolutions is one of the People’s Liberation Army’s naval special operations forces’ most elite units: the Sea Dragons. A small yet highly specialized unit, the Sea Dragons entered the global spotlight and international consciousness with the 2018 film Operation Red Sea, raising several questions for Chinese naval experts. What does Chinese military strategy and doctrine require of special forces, and specifically naval SOF, to be able to accomplish the mission, particularly along the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea? What are their capabilities and limitations? What real-world experience do they have and how might they be employed in the future? This volume attempts to answer those questions and many more regarding one of China’s more enigmatic units and its role in future peacetime and low-intensity conflicts.