Italy can play a role in the Indo-Pacific—but must do it its own way

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Atlantic Council – Italy is one of the major European powers that does recognize the importance of the Indo-Pacific, and its recent naval deployments to the region show that Rome is serious about playing a role in its security. But Italy needs to do so in a way that is sustainable, consistent, and makes use of its specific military expertise and capabilities. It will also need to carry out its Indo-Pacific strategy while keeping Euro-Mediterranean security as its top priority. Perhaps most important, Italy must avoid several possible pitfalls ahead that could hamper its efforts. A successful approach means not simply doing more in the Indo-Pacific. It means doing more of the right things that play to Italy’s strengths.

(Thanks to Alain)

Norway’s coastal rangers eye fresh drones to find threats at sea

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Defense News – A team of officers bearing the Norwegian flag on their uniform climb from one moving vessel onto another, a larger Norwegian Coast Guard offshore patrol ship, using a single pole with a hook and flimsy ladder to haul themselves up. They are part of the Norwegian Coastal Rangers, a marine commando unit trained to operate in littoral combat environments. In the context of the NATO exercise Joint Viking 2025, organized earlier this month, they trained for the task of boarding a suspicious vessel.

CMSI Note 14: Bridges Over Troubled Waters: Shuiqiao-Class Landing Barges in PLA Navy Amphibious Operations

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China Maritime Studies Institute – Considering these landing barges in the context of other developments related to amphibious operations suggests the PLA may have significantly advanced its timetable to have sufficient capabilities to conduct a large-scale cross-strait operation against Taiwan in accordance with Xi Jinping’s 2027 centennial military building goal.

Iceland Coast Guard to Deploy New Submarine for Surveillance

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Iceland Review – One way that Iceland will improve its defence capabilities involves the introduction of a domestically manufactured submarine, which are set to soon be delivered to the Icelandic Coast Guard. Produced entirely in Iceland by Teledyne Gavia, the submersible is designed to handle a range of operations and can be adapted to meet different requirements.

(Thanks to Alain)

Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarine comes home after breaking the record for the longest patrol

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Navy Lookout – A submarine returned home to the Clyde today following the longest ever patrol by a British nuclear deterrent-carrying boat. This submarine left Faslane in late August and has been away for 204 days. This breaks the record achieved in 2023, an extraordinarily long time for the crew to spend underwater. This submarine was relieved in the last few days by another boat that sailed last week, following significant delays in getting it ready for sea. The length of patrols has been rising sharply over the last few years. The last eight deterrent patrols have all exceeded five months in duration. Today’s homecoming is another epic achievement, even if spending almost half a year underwater is becoming ‘normal’.

Navy Force Planning With a Pertinacious Marine Corps

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CIMSEC – The United States Marine Corps has an outsized effect on Navy force planning. While the Navy and the Marines exhibit a sincere and genuine single team spirit conducting global naval operations, they are a fierce team of rivals when determining the requirements for amphibious ships (also known as “amphibs”), which the Navy funds for their construction and operation.