


US commander says China has failed to coerce rivals in South China Sea
Adm. Stephen Koehler gave assurances of U.S. commitment to help defend freedom of passage and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region.

Naval
New aircraft carriers face years of delivery delays
Delivery of the Navy's next Ford-class aircraft carrier, the John F. Kennedy, was delayed two more years to 2027, budget documents show.

Navy seeks to fast track nuclear weapons systems
Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe told Congress the Navy is working to improve and develop three critical weapons systems.

Fincantieri jockeying for position in US naval shipbuilding revamp
CEO Pierroberto Folgiero said the Italian company could "support a kind of renaissance of shipbuilding" in the U.S. that could even involve icebreakers.

France kicks of high-intensity naval exercise targeting Atlantic ports
Adm. Nicolas Vaujour, the French Navy commander since September 2023, has been seeking to harden the force and strengthen its immediate combat capability.

US Coast Guard to add heavy icebreaker amid shipbuilding overhaul
The new vessel will be the first heavy polar icebreaker to be built in the U.S. in about five decades.

Denmark to field unmanned vessels for monitoring busy shipping routes
U.S.-based Saildrone will deploy four large unmanned surface vessels in Danish waters next month.

Special operators want electronic attack and firepower for watercraft
Officials want kinetic and nonkinetic weapons for a variety of vessels.

Target vessel sank before it could be hammered at drill in Philippines
While the vessel took itself out before it could be hit by missiles, Balikatan organizers conducted other elements of the planned live-fire event.

French Navy rams explosive drone boat into cargo vessel in live test
The test explosion on April 26 will allow to France to perfect remotely-operated naval munition systems, including their guidance and pyrotechnics.

Decision due soon about novel boats for seagoing Marine recon units
Service leaders are pondering the utility of new maritime reconnaissance companies, which would use the new watercraft.
