Defense

The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announces full enrollment for its Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Tanker Security Program (TSP). Both programs provide the Department of Defense (DoD) with access to a fleet of US-flagged sustainment sealift vessels and product tankers for use during times of armed conflict or national emergency.

Britain has a new ship dedicated to underwater surveillance in areas of UK sovereign interest.

Damen Naval has chosen ABB to supply its Onboard DC Grid™ integrated power and distribution system to the new Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates.

Hanwha Ocean announced that it has recently been selected as the preferred bidder for the prototype project of the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD)’s “Energy System for Unmanned Submersibles.”

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced the successful launch of the Navy’s third America-class amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8) from its floating dock into the Pascagoula River.

The new Combat Support Ship (CSS) Den Helder has not yet been delivered, but the crew can already get to know the ship thanks to an extensive Virtual Reality package. Shipbuilder Damen Naval has delivered a virtual copy of the ship to the Materieel & IT Command (COMMIT). It is the first time the company has created a VR version of an entire ship for and with the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Kraken Robotics Inc. recently participated in Exercise REPMUS 23 in Portugal. The Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned System (REPMUS) is focused on capability development and interoperability, and the 2023 Exercise involved 15 NATO partners, as well as Sweden and Ireland.

The Ministry of Defence has awarded £3.95 billion of funding to BAE Systems for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine program, known as SSN-AUKUS.

thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, a world leader in the construction of conventional submarines, started production in Kiel on September 11, of the world’s most advanced conventional submarines. These boats belong to the Type 212CD for a joint program with the Norwegian and German navies. The order, placed in July 2021, was the largest in the history of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to date.

The US Coast Guard Research and Development Center has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Zelim, a start-up based in Edinburgh, Scotland, to jointly explore the potential application and effectiveness of AI-enabled detection and tracking technology in search and rescue.

With Heinen & Hopman, Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval has again found a Dutch supplier for the prestigious Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigates. The company, based in Spakenburg will supply the climate and filtration systems for the four new frigates being built for the Netherlands and Belgium. Following Thales and RH Marine, Heinen & Hopman is the third ‘home-grown’ supplier to be linked to the project.

In a stride towards shaping the future of naval technological prowess, BMT, a leading international multi-disciplinary engineering and ship design consultancy, has unveiled its Large Uncrewed Surface Vessel (LUSV) vision.