Innovations
Tactical and technological innovations in drone warfare — what showed up first, where, and what it changes. Each entry is sourced, dated, and linked to the drones involved.
Naval Group selects Saft Li-ion batteries for Barracuda and Scorpene submarines
Naval Group contracted Saft to supply next-generation lithium-ion battery systems for Barracuda and Scorpene submarine families, replacing/advancing beyond lead-acid energy storage. Higher energy density and safety claims imply longer subme…
JAGM-armed Saildrone Surveyor USV deployed for RIMPAC 2026
A 20m Saildrone Surveyor unmanned surface vessel has been fitted with a Lockheed Martin launcher for four AGM-179 JAGM missiles and is participating in RIMPAC 2026. This represents a notable step toward arming long-endurance USVs for surfac…
Canada Victoria-class subs to receive new optronic mast modernization
The article notes Canada’s Victoria-class submarines will be modernized with new optronic masts (non-penetrating periscope systems). This is a capability upgrade that can improve surveillance/targeting, reduce signature and crew exposure ti…
US MDA selects builders for new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel 'Golden Defender'
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is procuring a new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV) to replace legacy 1960s/1970s tracking ships, using a commercially managed vessel construction model and an NSMV-derived hull. While not a frontl…
Japan-Vietnam talks on joint fast landing craft development
Japan and Vietnam agreed to begin discussions on jointly developing and producing a fast landing craft for rapid ship-to-shore transport of personnel and supplies. While technical details are undefined, the initiative may leverage Japan’s C…
China building very large carrier-group replenishment ship (Type 901-like scaled up)
Satellite imagery indicates China is constructing an unusually large fleet replenishment ship, apparently larger than existing Type 901 auxiliaries and comparable or larger than any current global resupply ship. The design includes multiple…
Saronic to build Port Alpha shipyard to scale uncrewed surface vessel production
USV maker Saronic announced a $3B greenfield shipyard (Port Alpha) in Brownsville, Texas, designed to build both crewed and uncrewed ships up to 850 feet, aiming to massively scale production capacity. While not a front-line tactic, it sign…
US to build 'Golden Defender' missile-monitor ship for Golden Dome
The post describes a planned new US missile-monitoring ship ('Golden Defender') intended to support the Golden Dome effort, based on the Security Multi-Mission Vessel design. The novelty is the adaptation of an existing hull into a dedicate…
US combat use of Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessels reported
The post reports what U.S. Central Command called the first combat use of American unmanned surface vessels (Saronic Corsair) in a strike on Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval base, plus a first-of-its-kind rescue mission by a Navy-operated Corsair.…
Saronic to build 'Port Alpha' shipyard for autonomous vessels in Texas
Saronic plans a purpose-built, software-defined shipyard ('Port Alpha') in Brownsville, Texas aimed at producing autonomous maritime vessels at high speed and scale. While not a frontline battlefield tactic, it represents an industrial inno…