Sea

Babcock has extended its submarine support bridge by two months. The interim deal maintains naval base and nuclear fleet services while the Ministry of Defence and Babcock finalise the long-term Gateway Agreement.

BAE Systems has opened Govan’s dedicated Type 26 paint facility. The £3.3 million hall moves blasting and coating of consolidated frigate blocks into a purpose-built production area.

Australia is seeking close-range counter-drone protection for future Hunter frigates. The requirement covers uncrewed aircraft and surface vessels, with detection expected at around five kilometres, but no supplier or effector has been selected.

Lockheed Martin has secured a $724 million Japanese ASEV modification. The award raises the underlying Missile Defense Agency contract to about $2.36 billion and extends work on two shipsets through March 2030.

South Korea has launched the final Batch II Aegis destroyer. ROKS Daeho Kim Jong Seo completes a six-ship indigenous Aegis fleet and is scheduled for delivery in December 2027.

Thales has flown VORTEX tactical intelligence aboard a naval drone. REPMUS26 testing examined how cellular signal detection can move closer to inaccessible maritime operating areas.

Royal Navy crews have fired operational NSM and Sea Venom. The Atlantic Thunder activity moves both weapons beyond earlier integration work into representative maritime strike employment.

Australia will homeport Arafura class patrol vessels at HMAS Cairns. The decision links future naval operations with expanded sustainment infrastructure and North Queensland’s established maritime maintenance base.

STARK has launched Vanta 12, an armed unmanned surface vessel. The Plymouth-built platform combines maritime surveillance with modular strike and electronic warfare payloads.

Britain will reserve Faslane floating dock construction for domestic shipyards. The three-dock programme will add submarine maintenance capacity at HM Naval Base Clyde.