Equipment & technology
Bath Iron Works starts fabrication of new Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has marked the start of fabrication for the future USS J. William Middendorf (DDG 138), the latest US Navy Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the company’s Maine shipyard.
Leonardo to deliver combat systems for Kuwait’s Al-Dorra missile boat program
Leonardo has signed a major contract with EDGE Group’s Naval Arm, Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), to provide next-generation naval combat systems for the Falaj 3 configuration for the Kuwait Navy Al Dorra missile boat program.
US Navy awards Raytheon contract to develop next-gen naval radar software
Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded a contract from the Office of Naval Research to further develop advanced radar software for next-generation naval radars.
Sweden picks French design for new Luleå-class frigates
The Swedish government has completed a down-select process, choosing France’s Naval Group as the preferred supplier for Sweden’s next-generation frigates under the Luleå-class program.
TKMS and Elbit Systems link up on naval defense solutions
German shipbuilder TKMS and Israeli defense company Elbit Systems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic framework agreement to explore opportunities for cooperation in the development, integration and commercialization of advanced naval defense solutions.
US moves to fast-track hypersonic missile production under massive $2.7B deal
Defense solutions provider Leidos has been awarded a $2.7 billion contract to advance hypersonic weapons from prototyping to production for the US Army and the US Navy.
World’s largest warship comes home after completing epic 57K+ nautical mile odyssey
Nearly 4,500 sailors aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), returned to Naval Station Norfolk on May 16 after an 11-month deployment across the US 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets.
Navantia, KNS to provide life-cycle support for Norway’s F-310 frigates
Navantia and Kongsberg Naval Services (KNS) have signed a framework agreement in Bergen establishing a long-term contractual basis for industrial and technical cooperation in the support, maintenance, modification, and modernization of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s F-310 Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates.
Spanish Navy selects ABB propulsion system for new hydrographic vessels
ABB has secured a contract with Spanish state-owned shipbuilding and design company Navantia to supply two forthcoming Spanish Navy coastal hydrographic vessels (BHC) with a complete DC-based power distribution and propulsion system.
Exail, L&T partner on Indian Navy’s MCMVs program
L&T has entered a strategic collaboration with France-based Exail to deliver an unmanned mine countermeasure (MCM) suite for the Indian Navy’s Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) program.
US Navy commissions last Freedom-variant LCS USS Cleveland
The US Navy has commissioned its newest and last Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Cleveland (LCS 31) in Cleveland.
HII, MetalCraft Marine deliver USV prototypes to US Marine Corps
HII, in partnership with MetalCraft Marine, has delivered and sea-tested two unmanned surface vessels (USVs) awarded under a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract for smaller-form-factor autonomous boat prototypes for the US Marine Corps.
World’s oldest active supercarrier conducts one of its final major overseas missions
The US Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), has completed one of its final major overseas deployments after taking part in multinational naval exercises under the Southern Seas 2026 mission.
UK sent 24 F-35s to Middle East without enough spare parts, PAC says
A British parliamentary watchdog has sharply criticised the Ministry of Defense (MoD) after revealing that the UK deployed 24 F-35B fighter jets aboard an aircraft carrier with spare parts packages designed to support only half that number of aircraft.