VANCOUVER, Wash. (July 14, 2025) – Saronic Technologies and Vigor Marine Group today announced a strategic partnership focused on rapidly advancing the delivery of autonomous maritime capabilities and strengthening operational support for defense and commercial customers. This partnership brings together two trusted maritime innovators with complementary capabilities, whose combined expertise can help support U.S. government and commercial customers in a rapidly changing environment. 

Vigor brings decades of experience in complex aluminum and small vessel fabrication, ship repair, and sustainment as one of the leading maintenance and modernization prime contractors in the United States, with a robust presence on both the West and East coast, supporting both defense and commercial operations. Saronic, one of the fastest-growing defense technology companies in the U.S., blends deep expertise in maritime autonomy, platform design and development, and high-rate production, enabling the rapid delivery of Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs) at speed and scale. 

Under the agreement, Vigor and Saronic will work closely to identify opportunities to advance the priorities of core U.S. government and commercial maritime customers. Together, the partners are focused on accelerating innovation while expanding the industrial and operational support required for autonomy at scale. 

“This partnership brings together two leaders in the maritime industry to collaboratively create a full lifecycle solution that can ensure our maritime customers are mission-ready today and into the future,” said Dino Mavrookas, Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic. “Combining Saronic’s technical leadership in autonomous maritime systems and scaled production with Vigor’s strategically located infrastructure and experience in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and lifecycle sustainment creates new opportunities to accelerate capability delivery and ensure that government and commercial customers can count on a reliable, trusted sustainment network to meet the readiness requirements for larger autonomous ships today and into the future.” 

“Partnering with Saronic is a tremendous opportunity for Vigor Marine Group to harness our innovative spirit and long history in the marine fabrication and MRO markets to provide solutions for our customers in this rapidly changing maritime environment,” said Francesco Valente, CEO of Vigor Marine Group. “As an industry leader, we are always looking ahead at our customers’ future needs, whether in military readiness or commercial uses. With this partnership, we are aligning our core strengths to advance autonomous maritime capabilities that meet the urgent and evolving needs of our defense and commercial customers.”  

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advance U.S. maritime systems and shipbuilding in a way that is operationally effective, economically sustainable, and aligned with national security priorities. By combining Vigor and Saronic’s expertise, proven experience, and industry knowledge, the collaboration can help shape the future of maritime capability delivery and industrial base readiness across the full mission lifecycle. 

“Exploring the combination of Saronic’s autonomy technologies and Vigor’s experience in marine vessel fabrication, subsystem integration, and MRO support enables us to find solutions to better support the warfighter,” said Mark Norris, Vice President of Vigor Marine Fabrication.  

From RTX, July 14, 2025  

System is the world’s most modern short-range ship self-defense weapon 

LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, was awarded a $74 million contract to produce RAM Guided Missile Launching Systems (GMLS) for the U.S. Navy. 

Under the contract, Raytheon will provide several new launcher systems, refurbishments on current systems, and hardware required to support upgrades as well as various spares. 

“This contract marks the largest single order of U.S. RAM launchers in over two decades and will ensure our naval assets remain well-protected against anti-ship threats,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “Our continued investment in modernizing production capacity enables us to meet the growing global demand for the world’s most modern short range ship self-defense weapon system.” 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, the RAM weapon system – which consists of the RAM launcher and missiles – is a bilateral partnership between the U.S. and Germany with Raytheon serving as a prime contractor for U.S. Navy requirements. The system is currently deployed on more than 165 ships in 11 countries ranging from fast patrol boats to aircraft carriers and is being installed on several new U.S. Navy ship classes, including the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers. 

Majority of work under this contract will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be completed by 2028. 

VALDEZ, Alaska — Coast Guard Cutter Blacktip (WPB 87326) arrived at its new homeport in Valdez Monday after transiting approximately 2,800 miles. 

Blacktip, an 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boat, is replacing the recently decommissioned 110-foot Island-class cutter Liberty and will conduct various missions throughout the Arctic District, including maritime law enforcement and security, living marine resources, and search and rescue.  

“We are extremely happy to be in Alaska and to continue serving the community of Valdez,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Andre Pinault, officer in charge.  

Blacktip was commissioned in 2000 and previously homeported in Oxnard, California.  

Marine Protector-class patrol boats are 87-feet long and 19.5-feet wide with a 100 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed of 25 knots and a range of 1,000 miles. They can hold a crew of up to 12. The Blacktip is equipped with advanced electronics and navigation systems for multi-mission operations, including search and rescue, law enforcement, and homeland security. 

Long Beach, Calif. 10 July, 2025: Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has awarded a contract to Bollinger Shipyards, the largest privately owned new construction and repair shipbuilder in the United States, to support the build out of Rocket Lab’s ocean landing platform for its Neutron reusable rocket.  

Modification and fit-out of Rocket Lab technology to its 400-ft-long landing platform named ‘Return On Investment’ has begun and is taking place at Bollinger Shipyards, primarily at its shipyard in Amelia, Louisiana, with delivery of the vessel to Rocket Lab expected in early 2026. Bollinger Shipyards, a premier builder of high-performance vessels, will leverage its extensive experience in marine engineering to complete the Rocket Lab-led design of the rocket-landing platform that includes autonomous ground support equipment, blast shielding for on-deck equipment protection during Neutron landings, and station-keeping thrusters for the platform to hold its position during Neutron return-to-Earth missions at sea.  

Reusability is key to Rocket Lab’s development of Neutron. To meet the increasing demand for regular and reliable launch to space for large single satellites, multi-satellite constellation deployment, and high assurance national security missions, Rocket Lab expects to quickly scale Neutron and double its launch capacity annually once it enters service – with “Return On Investment” integral to that effort. Rocket Lab’s development of recovery infrastructure in Louisiana builds upon the Company’s existing U.S. expansion plans for Neutron’s operations and development, with “Return On Investment” to be operated out of the U.S. East Coast to support timely delivery and return of Neutron rockets to its launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia.   

Rocket Lab Vice President – Neutron, Shaun D’Mello, says: “Neutron’s ability to return to Earth on “Return On Investment” and launch again and again will be foundational to its success. With Bollinger’s extensive experience in marine engineering and shipbuilding, they have been selected to deliver this critical project. We’re looking forward to working with Bollinger to create the conditions to modernize Louisiana’s shipyard capabilities to meet the demands of the aerospace industry’s cutting-edge capabilities.”  

Bollinger Shipyards President and CEO, Ben Bordelon, says: “Bollinger is proud to partner with Rocket Lab on a project that showcases both the ingenuity and innovation of American shipbuilding and the future of space flight. At Bollinger, we’ve spent decades building some of the most advanced vessels in the world. We’re honored to have been selected to bring our deep expertise and experience in marine engineering and fabrication to a program that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.”  

Release From L3Harris Technologies

WACO, Texas, July 10, 2025 — L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has delivered the first overhauled P-8A Poseidon aircraft to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) – a key milestone that supports the U.S. Navy’s readiness goals.  

L3Harris is performing program depot maintenance along with repair and overhaul for NAVAIR’s fleet of 139 aircraft. NAVAIR aircraft perform missions that include maritime patrol, long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. L3Harris will also support foreign military sales of P-8A aircraft.  

“We’re keeping the Navy’s fleet mission-ready with this first P-8A delivery,” said Jason Lambert, President, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, L3Harris. “Our proven expertise in aircraft maintenance enables us to enhance performance and extend fleet longevity.”  

L3Harris anticipates up to nine aircraft inductions during the first contract year. The company is currently overhauling seven aircraft, with all on track for delivery this year. Work on the Navy’s P-8A fleet began in 2024 at L3Harris’ aircraft modification facility in Waco and continues through September 2029.  

From Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Public Affairs

MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) from Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, July 11. 

Pierre is the 19th and final ship marking the completion of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) construction phase—a sustained acquisition effort involving Navy personnel, industry partners, and program management teams for over two decades. 

Pierre successfully completed acceptance trials the week of June 9, achieving the highest measured quality score of any LCS in the past 15 years. This performance reflects the notable progress made over the course of the program and the expertise honed by the LCS shipbuilding and acquisition teams. 

“The delivery of the final Independence-variant LCS marks the end of a chapter, but not the story,” said Capt. Matthew Lehmann, program manager of the LCS Program Office. “The LCS program, for all its complexities, has pushed the boundaries of naval design and operational concepts. The LCS represents a bold vision for a more agile and adaptable Navy. We are seeing the Fleet operating these ships with the advanced mission packages they were designed for and they are continuing to evolve those operational concepts as more unmanned technologies come online.” 

Following commissioning later this fall, the ship will be homeported in San Diego, California, —supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence in key operational theaters. 

“Pierre is more than just the last number – it represents the hard work of manufacturers, suppliers and builders from across the nation culminating in a warship that will serve as the Navy’s most versatile workhorse for years to come,” said Melissa Kirkendall, acting program executive officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC). “The legacy of Pierre and her sister littoral combat ships is the vibrant shipbuilding industrial base that we now have in the mid-tier yards that are now constructing the Navy’s next-generation warships.”   

LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused warship designed to operate in near-shore environments to counter 21st-century threats. It is a class of small surface combatants armed with capabilities to defeat challenges in the world’s littorals. LCS can operate independently or in high-threat scenarios as part of a networked battle force that includes larger, multi-mission surface combatants such as cruisers and destroyers.  

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. 

For more news from PEO USC, visit: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/ 

Release from Crowley 

Tiscapa Will Offer Service Connecting U.S. and Dominican Republic 

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; July 10, 2025) Crowley’s newest, LNG-powered containership Tiscapa began its inaugural service today, adding faster, bigger options for timely ocean cargo transport around the U.S., Caribbean and Central America. 

Like its sister ships in the Avance Class, Tiscapa features container capacity for 1,400 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), including 300 refrigerated units. This ship was specifically designed to quickly and frequently deliver cargo while using lower emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) for fuel. 

“The addition of Tiscapa to our fleet marks another milestone in Crowley’s commitment to delivering efficient and reliable logistics solutions across the region,” said Andrew Davis, vice president of operations for Crowley Logistics. “With its LNG-powered design and expanded capacity for dry and refrigerated goods, Tiscapa enhances our ability to provide faster, dependable service for customers moving essential goods throughout the U.S. and Caribbean Basin.” 

Tiscapa departed from the Port of Jacksonville, Florida, for its first commercial voyage serving the Caribbean Basin. Following a transition period of service for the region, Tiscapa will begin providing regular service between the U.S., Dominican Republic and Central America, offering direct market connections for goods such as medical devices, household goods, food and perishables

This follows sister ships Quetzal and Copán, which are also strategically built to serve El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and the growing trade between the U.S. and Central America. 

Avance Class ships, operated under charter from Eastern Pacific Shipping, are named to honor the cultural aspects of Central America, where Crowley has operated shipping and logistics services for more than 60 years. Located in the capital city of Managua in Nicaragua, Tiscapa is a lagoon of volcanic origin that formed over 10,000 years ago. The area surrounding it contains pre-Columbian remains and a massive Augusto Sandino statue, an iconic symbol of the city. 

The fourth and final Avance Class ship, Torogoz, which is named for the national bird of El Salvador, is due to enter service this August. 
  

From Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Bertucci

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) officially kicks off with the arrival of the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, led by Rear Admiral Todd F. Cimicata, U.S. Pacific Fleet Executive Agent for Pacific Partnership, and the mission commander, U.S. Navy Captain Mark B. Stefanik. 

The PP-25 team, embarked aboard the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to make final preparations ahead of its upcoming port visits throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The PP-25 team will conduct medical exchanges, engineering projects, community outreach, and disaster preparedness engagements with host nation partners. 

“Pacific Partnership is a testament to what we can achieve together,” said Cimicata. “By working alongside our allies and partners, we strengthen regional capacity and resilience and lay the foundation for a collective response to crises. It’s about preparing in calm to respond in crisis.” 

This year’s PP-25 mission will include mission stops in Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Samoa, and Vanuatu. Prior to the USS Pearl Harbor’s departure, separate fly-in missions were conducted in the Philippines, Fiji, and Tonga in June. 

“This enduring mission provides us the opportunity to build on our relationships, share expertise, and learn from one another,” said Stefanik. “Our shared experiences help create more resilient communities, and I’m proud to lead a team committed to strengthening partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.” 

Pacific Partnership brings together more than 1,500 personnel from the United States and participating nations including Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Activities will include engineering projects at schools and clinics, medical subject matter expert exchanges, and performances by the Pacific Partnership Band, composed of musicians from the U.S. Pacific Fleet and partner nations. 

The mission team will work alongside allies and partners to strengthen relationships, bolster host nation capacity to provide essential humanitarian services, and support efforts to reduce the risk of, prepare for, and respond to disasters. 

Every day, the U.S. Pacific Fleet operates to protect the security, freedom, and prosperity for the U.S. and our allies and partners. The U.S. Pacific Fleet continues to advance a shared vision, alongside our allies and partners, of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. 

Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. 

For updates and multimedia from Pacific Partnership 2025, follow #PacificPartnership, #PP25, and #PacificPartnership25 on social media or visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership 

Release From U.S. Fleet Forces Command

SAN DIEGO –The Navy deployed two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers in mid-March to conduct border security objectives in support of the U.S. Northern Command southern border mission: the USS Gravely (DDG 107) to the Gulf of America and the Caribbean, and the USS Stockdale (DDG 106) to the Pacific Ocean. Earlier this summer, the USS Cole (DDG 67) relieved the USS Gravely after 83 days of service to the mission. 

Among the crew onboard these ships have been NCIS Special Agents who provide law enforcement and counterintelligence capabilities related to counternarcotics and combating transnational organized crime. 
 
These Special Agents collaborate with law enforcement and intelligence community partners to synthesize data that enhances Navy leadership’s understanding of the operational environment and increases the probability of successful counternarcotics interdictions. 
 
Such counternarcotics interdictions have included, among others, the seizure of over 6,000 pounds of cocaine by the USS Gravely in May. A subsequent seizure netted over 11,000 pounds of cocaine and 7,200 pounds of marijuana. The USS Cole, partnering with the Royal Canadian Navy, was involved in the seizure of over 540 pounds of cocaine in June. 
 
The ships operate with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LDET) that, combined with NCIS Special Agents enhance maritime security and support interagency collaboration in the region through presence operations. 
 
These deployments are unique in scope and duration compared to the traditional Special Agent Afloat deployments that NCIS has been conducting aboard U.S. Navy ships since the early 1970s. The Special Agent Afloat program deploys agents for year-long deployments aboard aircraft carriers, hospital ships, and amphibious assault ships. NCIS law enforcement and counterintelligence support to these ships enables the Navy to operate with optimal readiness and lethality to protect the United States and advance its interests globally. 

LONDON, July 9, 2025 — “What we’re seeing unfold in the Red Sea is shocking and unacceptable. Seafarers are being killed while simply doing their jobs,” World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek said today in response to attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea over the past few days.  
 
“The World Shipping Council extends its deepest condolences to the families of those who have been lost, and our thoughts are with all those affected. These are devastating, deeply felt losses for the global shipping community,” Kramek said. 
 
“We cannot allow attacks on commercial ships to become normalized or weaponized as political tools. The safety of those at sea, and the freedoms and rights of navigation, must be protected. We support the International Maritime Council Secretary-General’s call for dialogue, to ensure the safety of seafarers,” Kramek concluded.