From Morgan Galvin of the Chief of Naval Air Training   

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, July 30, 2025 

Helicopter Squadron 28 (HT-28) conducted a landing of a TH-57C Sea Ranger helicopter aboard decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV 16) Museum on the Bay, July 30, 2025. The landing honored the legacy of the TH-57C and celebrated the Navy’s transition to the TH-73A Thrasher, the next-generation training helicopter poised to advance the future of rotary-wing aviation. 
 
Based out of Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, HT-28 is one of the Navy’s advanced helicopter training squadrons, responsible for training hundreds of student naval aviators each year in rotary-wing flight operations. The squadron’s expertise and dedication ensure that naval helicopter pilots are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of operational fleet service around the world. 
 
While in service, the TH-57C trained more than 30,000 naval aviators and will continue to serve as a living tribute to decades of naval aviation excellence aboard USS Lexington Museum. 
 
“The successful landing and transfer of the TH-57C to the USS Lexington Museum honor a remarkable legacy of naval aviation training, especially here in South Texas,” said Rear Adm. Rich Brophy, Chief of Naval Air Training. “The Sea Ranger has prepared generations of pilots for the fleet, and we are proud to preserve its history for future aviators and visitors. At the same time, we welcome the enhanced capabilities the TH-73A brings to our training community.” 
 
The USS Lexington now proudly houses the TH-57C, where it will inspire and educate the public on the history and evolution of naval rotary-wing aviation. 
 
As the Navy celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, this historic event symbolizes the service’s continued commitment to honoring its past while embracing innovation to train tomorrow’s warfighters.

Release From NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION

NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy, in partnership with Skydweller Aero, recently achieved continuous solar-powered unmanned flight during a nonstop three-day test from Stennis, Mississippi. 
 
Led by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), the test of Skydweller UAS marks a significant advancement in both long-endurance solar-powered UAS technology and its potential to enhance maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). 
 
“This demonstration is a prime example of how NAWCAD partners with industry to deliver what the fleet needs,” said NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Todd Evans. “It also reflects the technical depth of our workforce and our ability to translate ideas into capability.” 
 
The 73-hour flight proved Skydweller’s ability to maintain continuous solar-powered operation and demonstrated the feasibility of achieving a positive energy balance to power the aircraft during extended flights. It also validated the system’s communication links, autonomous real-time decision making and ability to adapt to turbulent weather. 
 
“Integrating Skydweller into the Navy’s ISR architecture creates a layered and resilient network that maximizes the capabilities of all our assets,” says NAWCAD’s Special Purpose UAS lead Bill Macchione. “This collaborative approach ensures we have the right platform for the right mission, optimizing our resources and enhancing our overall maritime domain awareness.” 
 
Skydweller’s strength lies in its ability to provide continuous, wide-area surveillance over extended periods, enabling more advanced systems to focus on missions that require such specialized capabilities as rapid response and advanced sensor packages. 
 
NAWCAD began experimentation with Skydweller’s solar-powered UAS capabilities in 2020 to address U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) operational challenges, including drug trafficking and border security. This technology provides continuous surveillance over vast areas, enabling the U.S. and its allies to enhance maritime security and disrupt illicit activities. NAWCAD will conduct further testing with Skydweller later this summer in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. 
 
NAWCAD’s military, civilian, and contract personnel operate test ranges, laboratories, and aircraft in support of test, evaluation, research, development, and sustainment for all Navy and Marine Corps aviation platforms. Based in Patuxent River, Maryland, NAWCAD also has major sites in St. Inigoes, Maryland; Lakehurst, New Jersey; and Orlando, Florida. 

From HQMC Communications Directorate, July 30, 2025 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Marines postured around the globe serve as America’s rapid crisis response force, ready to meet the Nation’s needs at a moment’s notice. On July 26 Marine Corps readiness was on display, when U.S. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363, operating under Marine Rotational Force–Darwin, deployed four MV-22B Ospreys more than 1,950 nautical miles from Darwin, Australia, to Clark Air Base, Philippines. 

Within 24 hours of notification, Marines planned, organized and were in the air headed to their assigned objective, demonstrating the agility and speed of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Two U.S. Air Force KC-46 Pegasus aircraft from the 6th Air Refueling Squadron enabled the long-range movement by offloading 59,100 pounds of fuel midair. The MV-22B’s unique ability to bridge the gap between rotary-wing and fixed-wing capabilities allows the Joint Force to move personnel and supplies quickly across vast distances and diverse terrains, which is essential to crisis response. 

This mission underscores the value proposition of a forward deployed Marine Corps in support of our Nation’s interests. Marine Rotational Force–Darwin rapidly transitioned from Exercise Talisman Sabre 26 to real-world crisis operations, integrating joint-enabled capabilities to ensure that when the Nation calls, Marines answer without hesitation. 

By Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants Public Affairs, July 31, 2025 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Navy released a solicitation seeking industry input in support of the Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program, July 28. The solicitation, open until August 11, invites industry partners to submit white papers or slide decks outlining their capabilities and proposed solutions for the MASC program. 

The program will utilize an innovative acquisition approach – leveraging Other Transaction Agreements, a flexible and streamlined acquisition tool – to emphasize rapid deployment and cost-effectiveness through commercial off-the-shelf technology and incremental development phases. Utilizing existing commercial designs and production capabilities will enable the Navy to rapidly deploy a formidable and cost-effective USV force. 

“The MASC program represents a significant step forward in the Navy’s pursuit of a robust and adaptable unmanned surface fleet,” said Capt. Matthew Lewis, program manager of the Unmanned Maritime Systems program office. “This innovative approach to acquisition, coupled with a modular design philosophy, will provide the fleet with cost-effective and highly capable platforms to address the challenges of the 21st-century maritime environment.” 

MASC combines essential capabilities from the Navy’s Medium and Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) programs, merging them into a flexible, modular platform designed for multi-mission operations. This will enhance the Navy’s distributed lethality and battlespace awareness through embarked warfighting capabilities including anti-surface warfare, strike warfare and information operations in addition to future embarked mission areas. 

“By uniting advanced modular design with rapid, cost-effective acquisition strategies, MASC will transform our surface fleet’s capabilities—enabling distributed lethality and enhanced battlespace awareness across multiple mission domains,” said Melissa Kirkendall, acting Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC). “We encourage industry partners to engage with this transformative initiative and collaborate with us to shape the future of unmanned maritime operations.” 

The development of MASC answers the call to adapt to evolving geopolitical and technological challenges. MASC will bolster the Navy’s ability to operate in contested environments, ensuring a more distributed and resilient force posture and significantly enhancing the Navy’s combat effectiveness. 

PEO USC designs, develops, builds, maintains, and modernizes the Navy’s unmanned maritime systems; mine warfare systems; special warfare systems; expeditionary warfare systems; small boats/craft; and small surface combatants. 

Release From Saronic 

Austin, Texas, July 30, 2025 — Saronic Technologies today unveiled Echelon, a unified platform that enables advanced mission planning, high-fidelity simulation, and real-time command-and-control (C2) for its growing fleet of Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs). Built to enable scalable, distributed operations, Echelon allows a single operator to plan, simulate, and execute complex missions across multiple autonomous assets—using a single interface. 

As maritime environments become increasingly contested and operationally complex, both defense and commercial users require intuitive solutions to deploy, manage, and dynamically task autonomous systems at scale. Success in these domains hinges on advanced mission planning, scalable C2, and the ability to operate reliably with or without continuous connectivity. Echelon aims to deliver on this need by combining mission planning, simulation, and execution capabilities into one system, accelerating deployment timelines and reducing cognitive load for operators. 

With Echelon, operators are provided with an intuitive interface for rapidly designing and testing missions in a high-fidelity simulation environment. Enabled by Saronic’s deep instrumentation across the hardware and software stack, this simulation layer delivers full visibility into vessel autonomy, providing insight into the vessel’s performance capabilities prior to deployment. Once validated in simulation, the mission is easily deployed to the designated ASV(s). Mission observation and real-time control are available as needed, though Saronic ASVs are uniquely capable of operating independently without persistent communications, a critical requirement for denied or degraded environments. 

During operation, Echelon prioritizes the safety, reliability, and effective control of Saronic ASVs. The platform combines ultra-low-latency video streaming with intelligent, autonomy-aware alerts generated from the vessels’ onboard sensors and mission telemetry. By surfacing only the most relevant data, from subsystem telemetry to autonomy behaviors, Echelon helps operators stay focused, informed, and ready to make high-impact decisions in real-time.  

“Echelon is aligned with Saronic’s core belief that a vertically integrated system across both software and hardware will best enable our end users to achieve their mission objectives,” said Vibhav Altekar, Co-Founder and CTO at Saronic. “While our vessels remain compatible with third-party C2 systems, Echelon was purpose-built to unlock the full potential of Saronic’s autonomy stack and deliver an intuitive mission-ready capability to our customers.”   

Saronic continues to push the boundaries of distributed autonomy with Echelon. The unified platform represents a critical step forward in Saronic’s mission to enable one-to-many operations, where a single operator can command and control a heterogeneous fleet of ASVs—reliably, safely, and at scale. 

From U.S. Fleet Forces Command, July 30, 2025 

NORFOLK, Va. – Sailors and Marines from across 22 time zones, six component commands, and seven U.S. numbered Fleets are now participating in Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2025, as the Navy and Marine Corps officially kick off one of their largest global training events, July 30. 
 
LSE 2025 is a global, all-domain warfighting exercise designed to simulate complex, real-world threats—from the piers of U.S. naval bases to ships at sea and headquarters around the globe—creating a realistic environment that mirrors strategic competitor challenges. 
 
Using state-of-the-art technology, exercise planners have built real-time, dynamic scenarios that stress-test Navy and Marine Corps systems, processes, and decision-making—without physically wearing down our ships, aircraft, and equipment. While the scenarios are virtual, the lessons learned are very real, testing readiness, flexibility, and resilience in ways never before imagined. 
 
Building upon insights from previous exercises, LSE 2025 enables Sailors and Marines to plan, execute, and evaluate advanced warfighting concepts, ensuring future readiness when facing a thinking, capable adversary. 
 
For the first time, LSE will include U.S. allies and partners—including Canada, Japan, and NATO—expanding the exercise’s reach and enhancing coalition integration. This level of international coordination strengthens interoperability, trust, and joint effectiveness across the maritime force, ensuring we can respond to future challenges with unity and precision. 
 
“This isn’t just about scale—it’s about integration, synchronization, and rehearsal for the full spectrum of conflict,” said Vice Adm. John Gumbleton, deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “LSE 2025 will test our ability to globally coordinate Maritime Operations Centers, execute contested logistics, and mobilize our Reserve forces. Large Scale Exercise 2025 is how we prepare to fight and win—anywhere, anytime.” 
 
LSE 2025 is the only exercise where all 10 Fleet Maritime Operations Centers (MOCs) will operate simultaneously. While many exercises focus on a single fleet or region, LSE 2025 raises the bar—requiring coordinated action across the globe and providing critical experience at the operational level of war. 
 
“This exercise provides an incredible opportunity to hone command and control across the most lethal amphibious task forces in the world, ensuring sea lanes remain open and global commerce flows freely, maintaining peace and stability worldwide,” said Lt. Gen. Bobbi Shea, commander, Marine Forces Command. “LSE offers a glimpse into the future of warfare, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and ensuring that our Navy-Marine Corps team remains the most advanced, agile, and effective fighting force in the world.” 
 
Large Scale Exercise 2025 represents a pivotal opportunity to test and refine the Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to operate in a globally contested environment. By integrating advanced warfighting concepts, allied capabilities, and real-time operational coordination, LSE 2025 reinforces the maritime services’ commitment to maintaining strategic advantage, deterring aggression, and ensuring security and stability across the world’s oceans. 
 
USFFC is responsible for manning, training, equipping and employing more than 125 ships, 1,000 aircraft, and 103,000 active-duty service members and government employees, and providing combat-ready forces forward to numbered fleets and combatant commanders around the globe in support of U.S. national interests. 

From U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District, July 29, 2025 

MIAMI – U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma’s crew offloaded approximately 9,970 pounds of cocaine worth $73.7 million, Tuesday, at Port Everglades. 

The seized contraband was the result of an interdiction on June 24, 2025, approximately 120 miles northwest of Ecuador by the crew of the Tahoma. 

“I couldn’t be more impressed with the determination and teamwork displayed by this crew. They executed this interdiction with precision and professionalism,” said Cmdr. Nolan Cuevas, commanding officer of the Cutter Tahoma. “Behind every successful deployment is a dedicated team of logistics and support personnel. Their tireless efforts ensured we had the resources and maintenance support to operate. Our collective actions reaffirm the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to protecting our nation’s borders and the safety of our citizens.”  

The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:   

• U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma (WMEC 908)  

• U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Tactical Law Enforcement Team  

• U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety & Security Team Houston  

• Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-South)  

• Southwest Coast Guard District staff  

Detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant coordination. Joint Interagency Task Force-South conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once an interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard for the interdiction and apprehension phases. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Southwest Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, California.   

Tahoma is a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.   

A new tool provides immediate compliance support as maritime operators become federally required to report cyber incidents under U.S. law 

From Cydome, July 28, 2025 

Tel Aviv, July 28, 2025 – With Federal maritime cybersecurity reporting rules that entered enforcement on July 16, U.S.-bound maritime operators are now federally required to report cyber incidents, marking a turning point for shipowners, operators, and offshore stakeholders. In response, Cydome, a leading provider of class‑endorsed maritime cybersecurity solutions, has launched a free reporting tool to simplify compliance. By simply registering, operators take an immediate first step toward meeting the Coast Guard’s cyber‑reporting expectations. 

Cydome data shows that roughly every three days, a shipping company faces a cyber threat, yet many still struggle to operationalise existing guidance. The new U.S. regulation, applying to vessels, facilities, terminals, and outer continental shelf (OCS) facilities, mandates not only incident reporting, but also cybersecurity staffing, procedures, and governance. Incident reporting is just one pillar of the revamped Federal Law. 

Many of the incidents now deemed reportable are everyday glitches, such as GPS spoofing or jamming, short VSAT dropouts, partial software updates that require a system restart, or an unauthorized USB stick being plugged into a bridge computer; a sustained loss or degradation of communications (e.g., satellite, VHF, or navigation‑data links), or a series of mistyped passwords that lock an account, can also trigger a mandatory report. Taken together, these otherwise routine events can generate dozens of mandatory reports during a single voyage. Non‑compliance is costly: the Coast Guard may impose substantial civil fines, suspend a vessel’s certificate, detain the ship in port, or issue Captain of the Port orders that require anchorage, tug escort, or a full halt to cargo operations until the vulnerability is remedied. 

Cydome’s digital platform provides a step-by-step incident workflow, complete with built-in U.S. Coast Guard templates that are pre-filled and auto-routed for seamless submission. The tool enables internal escalation, from IT to CISO to senior management, as well as formal reporting to regulators, helping companies stay compliant efficiently, automatically, and securely. It is built to accommodate both large organizations with dedicated IT or cyber teams and companies with more limited in-house capabilities. It is designed for the operational realities of multi-class fleets, where vessels may fall under different standards and reporting chains. 

“This tool puts operators back in control,” said Nir Ayalon, CEO and Founder of Cydome. “We designed it to be simple enough for maritime companies, yet powerful enough to deliver a full audit trail for inspectors. With enforcement now real, the sector needs a no-obstacle solution, and we’re proud to deliver exactly that.” 

While the U.S. Coast Guard has been tasked to begin enforcing the new cyber-reporting legislation, Cydome turns the cyber-incident ensuring process into a few clicks. The platform mirrors the Coast Guard’s forms, auto-fills every required field, timestamps supporting evidence, and routes each report from shipboard IT through the CISO and senior management directly to the National Response Center (NRC). In moments, crews can file an inspector‑ready record for navigation, propulsion, ballast, and other critical IT or OT systems, long before an audit team arrives.  
 
With U.S. enforcement already underway, compliance urgency is high. At the same time, the EU’s NIS2 directive has taken effect and will soon be actively enforced. Cydome’s class‑endorsed, independent platform gives European operators the same streamlined reporting workflow, automated escalation paths, and regulator‑ready templates that U.S. users already rely on. By design, the tool adapts seamlessly to multiple regulators, classification societies, and standards, giving mixed fleets a single, simple route to full compliance on both sides of the Atlantic. 

“Policy alone won’t keep ships safe; crews need a clear, repeatable way to act,” said Dr. Gary Kessler, former cyber official at the U.S. Coast Guard and a leading voice in maritime cybersecurity. “By translating every Coast Guard requirement into a straightforward process, Cydome delivers that clarity, and because the solution is class‑endorsed, the same disciplined approach works across multi-class fleets and the new European rules as well.” 

About Cydome 
Cydome is a class-certified cybersecurity pioneer, purpose-built for maritime and critical infrastructure. Trusted by all major classification societies for its independence, Cydome’s ISO-certified platform secures IT, OT, and onboard communications, automates vulnerability management, and simplifies compliance with US Coast Guard, NIS2, and global regulations. With seamless onboard deployment and centralized control, Cydome empowers operators to detect, respond to, and protect against cyber threats, ensuring vessels remain secure and compliant. 

Bethesda, Md. July 28, 2025 – Lockheed Martin has reached a landmark achievement with the delivery of the 250^th MK 48 Guidance and Control (G&C) Section, a critical component of the MK 48 ADCAP torpedo, a powerful and reliable weapon that has been the cornerstone of the US Navy’s and Allies’ submarine arsenal. The Guidance and Control Sections are designed to detect and track threats in real-time, ensuring pinpoint accuracy and lethality in the most high-pressure situations. 

The MK 48 Guidance and Control Section, leverages advanced capabilities to engage and eliminate fast-moving, evasive and deep-diving threats with precision. Its advanced processing and algorithms enable a flexible response in complex engagements, allowing the system to adapt in a dynamic undersea environment. This makes the MK 48 Heavyweight Torpedo an indispensable asset in the heat of the battle where split-second decisions mean the difference between success and failure. 

“Reaching the production of the 250^th MK 48 Guidance and Control Section marks a major milestone in our mission to deliver new torpedoes to the fleet. It’s a fitting achievement that this comes as the US Navy celebrates its 250^th birthday this year – a powerful reminder of our enduring commitment to those who serve”, stated Tom Warner, Lockheed Martin, RMS Vice President of Undersea Warfare. 

The production of 250 Guidance and Control Sections is a testament to Lockheed Martin’s unrelenting pursuit of excellence and its commitment to supporting the US Navy’s mission. This achievement demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s ability to aggressively revitalize a once-dormant technology, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and performance. As the US Navy continues to evolve and face new challenges, Lockheed Martin remains steadfast in its commitment to providing the advanced technologies and capabilities necessary to maintain its edge in the maritime domain. 

Introducing the Beechcraft M-346N for the future of Naval aviation 

From Textron Aviation Defense, July 28, 2025 

Textron Aviation Defense LLC, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced its offering of the Beechcraft M-346N jet as a “ready-now” solution from an iconic American company for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The U.S. Navy has released several Requests for Information related to an upcoming Request for Proposals for a new aircraft for the UJTS program. 

Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have entered into a teaming agreement to work together to meet the Navy’s requirements for its new jet trainer. The Beechcraft M-346N is part of a proven integrated training system based on the original M-346 aircraft developed by Leonardo. More than 100 Leonardo M-346 aircraft are already meeting the demanding student pilot training needs for 4th and 5th generation air forces worldwide, including at Italy’s globally renowned International Flight Training School (IFTS). 

“With our heritage deeply rooted in the strength and reliability of American manufacturing, the Beechcraft M-346N joins a proud lineup of aircraft built on 95 years of aviation excellence. The aircraft can be the cornerstone for the Navy’s future of undergraduate jet training, combining operationally-proven performance with cutting-edge technologies.” Said Travis Tyler, president and CEO, Textron Aviation Defense 

About the Beechcraft M-346N 
The Beechcraft M-346N — a twin-engine, tandem-seat aircraft with fully digital flight controls and avionics — is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system with quadruple redundancy, a cutting-edge human-machine interface with Head-Up Display and Large Area Display in each cockpit, hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls and innovative safety features such as the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS). 

Fitted with two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, the M-346N delivers an inherently high level of safety along with impressive performance, including a maximum cruise speed of more than 590 knots and a service ceiling of 45,000 ft. 

The aircraft’s advanced aerodynamic design enables exceptional maneuverability and energy management, while the elevated rear cockpit gives instructors excellent visibility in all phases of flight. The result is a trainer that effectively bridges basic instruction and the high-performance world of carrier-based fighter operations. 

Advanced integrated training: A complete ecosystem 
The comprehensive M-346N integrated training ecosystem, which has been validated and continuously improved through the global operational experience of the M-346 integrated training system, is poised to provide the Navy with a complete solution that enhances student readiness and operational effectiveness while reducing training costs and risks. 

The Beechcraft M-346N leverages the operationally-proven Embedded Training System avionics suite for basic to advanced tactical training emulating sensors, weapons and Computer Generated Forces. This enables students to interact in real-time through a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) training architecture that links aircraft in flight (Live), simulators (Virtual) and computer-generated friendly and adversary forces (Constructive). The innovative system also features adaptive training powered by Artificial Intelligence which continuously analyzes student pilot performance data to personalize learning paths, automate evaluations and tailor instruction to individual strengths and areas for improvement 

Together with its full spectrum of high-fidelity ground-based training devices — comprising simulators, computer training devices, mission planning / management tools and a carrier-based LVC environment — the Beechcraft M-346N offers a complete solution for training the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps aviators.