The War Zone – The U.S. Navy says it is aiming to have the first of a new class of frigates based on an existing American design “in the water” by 2028. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend class National Security Cutter is reportedly the basis for the design in question. This all follows a decision to cancel the Constellation class frigate, a program marred by major delays and cost growth, which has now further exposed a highly concerning gap in the service’s future force structure plans.

Breaking Defense – Navy Secretary John Phelan recently told attendees at a private dinner that the new frigate would be a modified National Security Cutter.

The Guardian – US forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in a major escalation of Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign against the South American country’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, whose government called the seizure “an act of international piracy”.

Interesting Engineering – US nuclear-powered submarines that may carry nuclear weapons could dock at Australian ports without the knowledge of the Australian public or even its government, defense officials told a Senate hearing, reigniting debate over the country’s obligations under nuclear nonproliferation treaties and the long-term risks of the AUKUS security pact.

(Thanks to Alain)

War on the Rocks – I focus on three types of corrective action Pentagon leadership should take immediately. This cancellation risks atrophying critical shipbuilding capacity in Wisconsin. It risks sending a negative signal to shipbuilders and capital. And like any risky march deep into the enemy’s territory, with supply lines severed and necessity driving the advance, this maneuver must strike a strategic blow — it must be worth the risk. The Navy now should move with speed and precision to use the Constellation-class cancellation as such a blow in the greater 2025 campaign of acquisition reform.

Center for Maritime Strategy – Naval and amphibious forces now face a new threat in the form of suicide drones and cruise missiles from traditional adversaries and insurgent groups. Autonomous drones are increasingly becoming an integral part of naval forces, flying reconnaissance, anti-submarine and anti-surface missions. But as current conflicts drive the rapid evolution of warfare, ships and troops are being targeted by unmanned weapons. New mission roles will undoubtably be assigned to naval drones to counter these threats in the air and on the sea. As low-cost drones and cruise missiles saturate defenses, the Navy needs equally low-cost sea-based counters. A new class of ships dedicated to operating drones at sea could provide a cost-effective approach to protecting friendly forces. The answer may look less like an aircraft carrier or destroyer, and more like a converted oilfield support ship.

Breaking Defense – The Navy and Marine Corps have chosen a ship design by the Dutch company Damen as the basis for a number of new vessels to be part of the Medium Landing Ship program, senior leaders announced today.

Breaking Defense – “This is going to be devastating for [Fincantieri’s] workforce. They invested heavily buying the yard in 2009 and invested a lot to win the frigate class competition,” one analyst told Breaking Defense.

Breaking Defense – If the US is to stand a chance against China, the time is now to move out on the Navy’s future next-gen fighter, explains Rebecca Grant of the Lexington Institute.