From Bollinger Shipyards, Oct. 10, 2025 

TAMPA, Fla. – Bollinger Shipyards, a leading designer and builder of military and commercial vessels, in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat hosted a christening ceremony today for the state-of-the-art floating dry dock ATLAS. ATLAS will play a critical role in the construction and sustainment of the Columbia-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program, providing essential dry dock capacity for construction, maintenance, and long-term sustainment. 

“Bollinger Shipyards is proud to deepen our partnership with Electric Boat and take a leading role in strengthening America’s dry dock capacity with the delivery of the ATLAS,” said Ben Bordelon, President & CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “This project isn’t just a build, it’s a strategic investment in our Navy’s future. Modernizing the fleet demands cutting-edge infrastructure, built right here at home. Bollinger is all-in on driving innovation, reinforcing the U.S. industrial base, and delivering the tools our Navy needs to stay ahead.” 

ATLAS measures at 618ft by 140ft. Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the design and build of the Columbia Class submarine, which will replace the aging Ohio-Class of Ballistic-Missile Submarines due to begin to retire from service in 2027. Submarines of the Columbia class will be the largest ever built by the United States at two-and-a-half-times the size of the existing Virginia-class attack submarines. 

“Dry docks are the backbone of America’s fleet modernization efforts, especially for programs like Columbia-class, where precision, scale, and readiness are paramount,” said Chris Remont, EVP of New Construction at Bollinger Shipyards. “The delivery of ATLAS is a testament to American engineering and the skilled workforce driving our shipbuilding capabilities. At Bollinger Shipyards, we’re steadfast on building capacity to support the Navy’s evolving mission and ensure our fleet remains ready, resilient, and equipped for the challenges of tomorrow.” 

This delivery marks the completion of Bollinger Shipyards’ second contract with Electric Boat. In late 2019, Bollinger Shipyards was selected to construct the 400 ft by 100 ft Ocean Transport Barge for Electric Boat, which was delivered on-schedule in 2021. Bollinger is also in the construction phase of a pontoon launcher for Electric Boat, which will also support the construction and launching of the nation’s new class of ballistic-missile submarines. 

From U.S. Coast Guard Southwest District, Oct. 8, 2025 

PACIFIC OCEAN — A U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) embarked aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102), interdicted 14 aliens aboard a 33-foot sport fishing vessel approximately 18 miles southeast of Catalina Island, California, Sunday morning. 

Watchstanders at the Sector San Diego Joint Harbor Operation Center (JHOC) received notification of a vessel crossing north of the maritime boundary line operating with no navigation lights. Sampson approached the vessel as it loitered in the contiguous zone off San Clemente Island and San Diego and observed two persons aboard the vessel giving the appearance of fishing. When Sampson distanced itself from the vessel, it stopped loitering and continued transiting on a northerly course. Watchstanders at the JHOC then directed Sampson to board the vessel using its attached LEDET.  

13 adults aboard the vessel claimed Mexican nationality and one adult claimed Ecuadorian nationality.  The 14 aliens and the vessel were brought to Oceanside, CA, and custody of the people was transferred to another Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agency. 

Upon mission completion, tactical control of Sampson returned to U.S. 3rd Fleet. 

This operation reflects ongoing cooperation between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and interagency partners to disrupt transnational criminal networks operating in the maritime domain. 

Sampson is employed under U.S. Northern Command’s maritime homeland defense authorities with a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked to enable maritime interdiction missions to prevent the flow of illegal drugs and other illegal activity. U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to provide additional military forces and capabilities at the southern border. 

New electronic warfare system expands rapid-response capability to detect and neutralize drone threats in dynamic environments 

Release From Leonardo DRS

ARLINGTON, VA, Oct. 9, 2025  ̶   Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced today that it won first place in a Department of Defense counter drone competition by demonstrating an advanced electronic warfare system that can be integrated into the company’s range of proven and fielded counter-UAS (C-UAS) capabilities. This latest capability highlights the company’s leadership role as a developer and provider of proven counter-UAS and air defense systems that enhance force protection across today’s complex and dynamic battlespace. 

During a demonstration event hosted by the DoD’s Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), Leonardo DRS demonstrated the cutting-edge Ring C-UxS system that employs proprietary, advanced radio frequency-based electronic warfare capabilities to detect, identify, and defeat enemy drones and autonomous systems, from air, land, or sea. 

Leonardo DRS and its technology partner, Regulus, excelled in the portion of the demonstration that focused on Dismounted Detect-Identify-Track-Defeat of group 1 and 2 UAS.  During the demonstration, Leonardo DRS successfully employed the system to detect, identify and defeat mock enemy drones with its radio frequency-based electronic warfare capabilities. The demonstration gave industry the chance to inform the JCO of new capabilities that are able to operate in a contested electromagnetic environment. 

“We are proud to have been recognized with a first-place award in this critical JCO demonstration used to inform requirements for keeping ahead of the ever-growing small UAS threat,” said Aaron Hankins, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Land Systems business unit. “As an agile and experienced company in the space, we are honored to support the JCO as they identify capabilities that can be quickly integrated and deployed to defend our warfighters across the battlespace.”  

The Ring system leverages radio frequency (RF) detection, unique Global Navigation Satellite Systems techniques, and RF datalink manipulation to counter both commercial and military uncrewed threats.  The technology has been actively deployed across multiple platforms and operational theaters and has demonstrated exceptional effectiveness against uncrewed threats—from commercial Group 1 systems to military Group 3 platforms. 

The Ring demonstration highlights Leonardo DRS’ proven capability to identify and rapidly integrate best-of-breed technologies to enhance its counter-UAS and air defense portfolio to support the critical needs of its customer.  The company’s leadership in this space includes serving as prime contractor and lead systems integrator for the Mobile-Low, Slow Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (MLIDS) program as well as developer and provider of the integrated Mission Equipment Package for the SGT Stout Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) program. The company’s integration capability also extends across all domains to support force protection, computer networking and C5I, as well as naval power and propulsion systems. 

AUSTIN, Texas — Terradepth, a seabed information company, successfully completed an IHO S-44 Special Order survey with an autonomous underwater vehicle. This achievement meets one of the most stringent international standards for hydrographic accuracy. Using advanced AUV technology, Terradepth demonstrated that high-specification surveys no longer require costly, high-footprint operations.

“This milestone marks a tide-shifting moment for the hydrographic community, proving that Terradepth AUV-based surveys meet the most rigorous seabed mapping specifications,” said Joe Wolfel, CEO and co-founder of Terradepth. “It is a benchmark traditionally reserved for large, crewed survey vessels and towed sonar systems. With the team’s achievement, we hope the offshore community sees the opportunities inherent in high specification autonomous hydrography.”

The survey took place in approximately 80 meters of water, 60 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, a region affected by hurricanes and subsea infrastructure development. Despite the absence of local tide stations or buoys, European Remote Sensing satellite radar was used to correct for tidal variations, demonstrating a fully autonomous and low-logistics survey approach.

The IHO S-44 Special Order standard relates to areas where underkeel clearance is critical. Therefore, 100% feature search and 100% bathymetric coverage are required, and the size of the features to be detected by this search is more demanding than lower IHO orders. 

As part of Terradepth’s delivery model, survey results were processed and delivered through Absolute Ocean, the company’s secure, cloud-native ocean data platform. This streamlined delivery enabled efficient execution and rapid access to results. It also empowers stakeholders to perform quality assurance, quality control, visualization, and decision-making from anywhere.

Terradepth’s autonomous approach dramatically reduces surface support requirements, cutting carbon emissions, operational costs, and personnel risk while maintaining industry-leading data quality.

The achievement of the IHO Special Order standard has broad implications across various industries, according to the company. AUV-enabled surveys yield crucial insight into seabed characteristics, infrastructure integrity, and cable/foundation conditions across all depths. Further, Terradepth’s data and information quality satisfies National Marine Fisheries Service permitting exemptions and most BOEM requirements. 

Radar will bring advanced capability to the German Navy 

Release From RTX

ANDOVER, Mass. (October 8, 2025) — Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has been selected by the German government to provide the Raytheon-built SPY-6(V)1 radar for installation on eight of its F127 frigates under a requested foreign military sales contract with the U.S. Navy. The contract, which would also include comprehensive support and services to adapt the radar to the ship’s design, will make Germany the first international customer for SPY-6. 

SPY-6(V)1 features four array faces – each equipped with 37 radar modular assemblies – providing continuous, 360-degree situational awareness. It is part of the U.S. Navy’s SPY-6 family of radars that performs air and missile defense on seven classes of ships and is a giant leap in capability for the fleet. 

“Germany’s selection of SPY-6 reaffirms the global confidence in the radar’s advanced capabilities and its critical role in enhancing naval defense,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “Integrating the radar on F127 frigates will provide the German Navy with a multi-mission solution that enables faster and more informed decision-making at sea.” 

SPY-6 is the most advanced, most tested maritime radar in the world. It is one of several radar programs designed and manufactured at Raytheon’s Radar Development Facility in Andover, Mass., a 30,000-square foot site supporting the production of diverse types of radars for U.S. and allied forces. This vertically integrated and highly automated site is one of the most advanced in the world, with sophisticated radar testing and integration happening around the clock. 

Release From U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) crew returned to their Honolulu home port Friday after a 79-day deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the counterdrug mission “Operation Pacific Viper.” 

While patrolling international waters off the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America, Midgett’s crew apprehended 19 suspected drug smugglers and interdicted four suspected drug smuggling vessels, preventing 21,126 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of more than $156.4 million, from reaching U.S. shores. 

The drugs were offloaded in San Diego on September 25 by the Midgett crew and multiagency partners. The Midgett deployed to the region under the tasking of Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATF-S) in support of the Coast Guard’s Operation Pacific Viper. 

During the deployment, Midgett’s crew conducted counterdrug missions in the Coast Guard’s Southwest District area of responsibility countering transnational criminal organizations and preventing illegal narcotics from reaching the United States. The trafficking of illegal drugs poses an urgent threat to the American people, and the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard do everything in their power to interdict drugs before they reach our shores and our citizens. 

Detecting and interdicting narco-terrorism on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California. 

Midgett’s crew worked alongside other Coast Guard units including law enforcement personnel from Tactical Law Enforcement Team South (TACLET SOUTH), Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) crews, contractors operating V-BAT Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and Department of War assets. Notably, the ship achieved a significant milestone with HITRON—accomplishing their 1,000th interdiction of suspected drug smuggling vessels. 

“This deployment showcased the power of partnerships in combating transnational crime,” said Capt. Brian Whisler, Midgett’s commanding officer. “From HITRON and TACLET SOUTH to the entire JIATF-S team, the Midgett crew worked seamlessly with our partners to achieve significant results. I am deeply impressed by the dedication and skill of every member of this crew, who consistently exceeded expectations during challenging circumstances. We are incredibly proud of our contribution to Operation Pacific Viper and remain steadfast in our commitment to control, secure, and defend our borders and maritime approaches.” 

Midgett, commissioned in 2019, is the eighth Legend-class national security cutter and is one of two homeported in Honolulu. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug operations and defense readiness. 

LEESBURG, Va., October 7, 2025 — The Flying Ship Company (FSC), a pioneer in autonomous wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) cargo logistics, has been selected as a winner in the U.S. Army xTechSearch 9 Competition in the Contested Logistics and Sustainment technical domain. Flying Ship was granted an initial award of $25,000 with up to $250,000 available in follow-up Phase I SBIR funding to further mature prototype demonstrations. 

“We are honored to be selected a winner in the U.S. Army’s xTechSearch 9 Competition, in which the Army recognizes FSC’s solutions as a potential game-changer for resupply, sustainment, and movement of materiel in adversarial environments,” said Flying Ship Company Founder and CEO Bill Peterson. “This award, along with our Phase I SBIR award from AFWERX last year and continued interest from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, demonstrates significant customer interest in our innovations across the military service branches.” 

The xTechSearch program seeks breakthrough commercial technologies that can provide critical advantages to the U.S. Army. In the 2025 contest, finalists were selected from a highly competitive field and underwent rigorous evaluations by Army and DoD subject-matter experts. Less than 5% of applicants were selected as winners and admitted to the next phase of the accelerator program, which includes workshops and tailored support, and is designed to help position emerging companies for long-term success and integration into the Army and DoD ecosystem. 

In today’s era where anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) efforts have become more relevant, traditional supply lines such as ocean shipping, ports and airlift are increasingly vulnerable to interdiction. This is especially acute in maritime domains, where adversaries may leverage submarines, missiles, or mines to disrupt seaborne logistics. FSC’s autonomous WIG platforms travel low over the water, under radar and above sonar, and deliver large payloads on water or to flat shorelines, bypassing chokepoints and constrained harbor infrastructure. 

“Winning the xTechSearch 9 competition provides third-party validation of our technological direction and increases credibility with potential defense customers,” Peterson said. “But it also affirms the commercial promise of FSC’s platforms and positions the company for accelerated growth and investment as we move towards production of initial versions.”  

“The commercial maritime and offshore logistics sectors are actively adopting autonomous technologies,” Peterson continued. “Our patented autonomous WIG platforms are on track to capture share from conventional shipping, helicopter lift, and sea barges, positioning us for outsized returns as the first-mover provider of autonomous WIG logistics solutions.” 

The Flying Ship Company is honored by this recognition from the U.S. Army and excited to move rapidly toward demonstration, adoption, and value generation for both national security and commercial markets. This selection represents a pivotal inflection point—not just for our company, but for the future of maritime logistics. 

From HII 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed initial sea trials for Virginia-class attack submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798). 

Over the course of several days at sea, the NNS and Navy team conducted testing of systems and components, including submerging the submarine for the first time and high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged. The testing program will continue at NNS ahead of delivering the boat to the U.S. Navy. 

“Our entire team at Newport News Shipbuilding understands the importance of delivering capability to our fleet,” NNS President Kari Wilkinson said. “Proving capabilities through this first sea trial for Massachusetts is an important step in demonstrating this and we are honored to support the mission.” 

The boat, the 25^th Virginia-class submarine, was christened in May 2023; Massachusetts will be the 12^th delivered by NNS. 

WASHINGTON (October 7, 2025) — Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, in partnership with Shield AI, L3Harris, and Parry Labs released footage of its second autonomous test flight today utilizing new technology from Team Lakota Connector.  

The test flight, which took place last month in Grand Prairie, Texas, focused on the integration of waypoint navigation onto the aircraft and represents a significant step in the development of the MQ-72C Lakota Connector program for the U.S. Marine Corps. 

“Successfully testing this technology just two weeks after aircraft integration reinforces the proven performance and agility of our Team Lakota Connector partners,” said Rob Geckle, Chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space and Defense. “The collective team is excited to deliver the warfighter an edge in austere environments.” 

Airbus U.S. is currently in the second year of the Aerial Logistics Connector Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping Program, which aims to provide the service with aircraft prototypes to demonstrate capabilities to the warfighter through a series of operational demonstrations and experiments. 

In May 2024, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded Airbus U.S. Space & Defense a Phase I Other Transaction Authority (OTA) through the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium, based on its unmanned UH-72 Logistics Connector concept, a variant of the proven UH-72 Lakota platform. 

The Aerial Logistics Connector effort is one of several initiatives across the Department of Defense aimed at delivering logistical support in distributed environments during peer or near- peer conflicts. 

From Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Oct. 6, 2025 

Projected Initial Ceiling Across Program Phases $175 Million 

155,000-Square-Foot Indiana Radar Integration Complex Will Deliver Next-Generation Readiness for Naval Surface Fleet 

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in defense, national security, and global markets, announced today that it has been awarded Phase 1 to begin developing an organic sustainment capability for the U.S. Navy’s AN/SPY-1 radar systems. Known internally to Kratos as Project Anaconda, the single-award agreement has an initial total projected ceiling of $175 million across multiple phases. 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a81fd3f-604f-44dd-b027-4da8722fe005

The AN/SPY-1 radar remains one of the most critical assets in the Navy’s fleet, enabling ballistic missile defense, integrated air and missile warfare, and persistent maritime domain awareness across Aegis-equipped cruisers and destroyers. With many systems projected to remain in service through 2065, the Navy has prioritized building long-term, organic sustainment and depot-level support capacity to ensure uninterrupted fleet readiness. 

Central to Kratos’ solution is the new, Kratos owned and operated, state-of-the-art Indiana Radar Integration Complex (IRIC), strategically located within 1.5 miles of Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane. The 155,000-square-foot facility is expected to be operational in 2027 providing the U.S. Navy with a dedicated infrastructure for AN/SPY-1 sustainment and modernization. 

Under Phase 1, Kratos will lead a cross-industry team to: 

• Establish the foundation for the IRIC at NSWC Crane, a purpose-built facility to support AN/SPY-1 battle sparing, testing, and prototyping 

• Develop initial organic repair, overhaul, and modernization processes for AN/SPY-1 transmitter, signal processor, and antenna subsystems 

• Advance digital engineering, artificial intelligence–enabled data management, and prototype sustainment technologies 

• Coordinate closely with NSWC Crane, Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems, and Navy fleet stakeholders to ensure alignment with fleet sustainment priorities and readiness 

“This strategic award validates Kratos’ proven approach of making significant internal investments in national security-focused infrastructure and capabilities to generate significant value for all Kratos stakeholders, including the United States,” said Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos. “The AN/SPY-1 program and our new IRIC represent the intersection of Kratos’ core philosophies: rapidly developing affordable, real-world solutions for critical defense needs, while providing true long-term value to our government customers, the U.S. taxpayer, and our entire stakeholder community. We anticipate that the Anaconda program will generate multi-decade value for both the United States Navy and Kratos.” 

“Kratos’ MACH-TB contract award, the establishment of Prometheus Energetics LLC, and now the AN/SPY-1 sustainment contract award demonstrate Kratos’ commitment to pursuing business in the Crane region,” said Dave Carter, President of Kratos Defense and Rocket Support Services Division. “Like our investments in Oriole, Zeus, Erinyes, and Prometheus, this initiative will rapidly provide the competency needed to sustain warfighter capabilities. Kratos is proud to be a member of the Indiana Uplands community.” 

“Phase 1 at Crane sets the stage for the Navy’s first organic sustainment capability for the AN/SPY-1 radar,” said Roger A. Becker, Indiana site director for Kratos. “By combining advanced prototyping, workforce development, and strong industry-government collaboration, we are building a foundation that will ensure readiness is delivered through 2065.” 

The contract will be executed in multiple phases, with additional work authorized as milestones are achieved. This phased approach allows the Navy and Kratos to mitigate risk, accelerate key capabilities, and scale sustainment infrastructure to meet long-term fleet requirements.