Secretary of the Navy John Phelan has withdrawn the service from a land swap with the District of Columbia that was to have created a home for a long-awaited new Museum of the United States Navy, the Navy’s Office of Legislative Affairs notified Congress.

“We want to notify you directly that, in consultation with the White House, the Secretary of the Navy has decided to strategically shift away from the leasing arrangement that contemplated private or mixed-use development of the O Parcel at the Washington Navy Yard in the interest of national security,” the OLA said in a statement provided to Seapower by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

“Given the sensitive work at the WNY, evolving national security threats, and a renewed focus on force protection, private development on the Washington Navy Yard property is not feasible from a national security perspective.

“This decision does not reflect a negative assessment of the land exchange, the developer [RedBrick], or the future National Museum of the Navy; instead, we are focused exclusively on the national security concerns of private development on the Washington Navy Yard. Please be assured we are committed to the future National Museum of the Navy.”

Former Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite, now chair of the Navy Museum Development Foundation that is raising money for the new museum, first made the news public at a panel discussion at the Congress of the Naval Order of the United States in Philadelphia.

In a recent edition of the Tuesday Tidings newsletter of the National Maritime Historical Society, Braithwaite said the move means fundraising is on hold until a new site can be identified.

The location of the new museum was the subject of a press briefing last October, where then-Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and other officials, including Braithwaite, praised the location, which would have been near the Navy Yard as well as the Washington Nationals baseball stadium and the Audi Field soccer stadium.

Even had the site development continued there, it would have been a long time before anyone walked through the door. The foundation was charged with raising nearly half a billion dollars for the museum and the groundbreaking wouldn’t have been before 2030 at the earliest.

From HII, Oct. 24, 2025 

PASCAGOULA, Miss., Oct. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII’s (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully completed the second builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), building on the success of the initial trials conducted at the end of September. The Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer spent multiple days in the Gulf of America testing the ship’s main propulsion, combat systems and other critical systems in preparation for the future acceptance trials. 

“The Ingalls and Navy team demonstrated tremendous teamwork during this trial and are fully committed to delivering DDG 128 to the fleet,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “As we move forward, our focus remains on ensuring that every system is thoroughly tested and fully operational as we progress toward readiness for acceptance trials. I extend my gratitude to our test and trials team for their contributions to the ongoing success of the destroyer program.” 

During the second builder’s trials, the Ingalls and Navy team completed additional hull, mechanical, electrical and combat systems tests. This included testing the second-in-class Flight III AN/SPY-6 (V)1 radar system and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system. These tests are designed to validate critical system performance and ensure the ship meets or exceeds Navy requirements. 

Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers represent the next generation of surface combatants for the U.S. Navy and incorporate a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability. To date, Ingalls has delivered 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy, including the first Flight III, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) and currently has five more Flight III destroyers under construction: Ted Stevens (DDG 128), Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), George M. Neal (DDG 131), Sam Nunn (DDG 133), and Thad Cochran (DDG 135), which authenticated the ship’s keel on Oct. 23. 

As the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi, Ingalls Shipbuilding has been designing, building, and maintaining destroyers for the U.S. Navy for over 86 years. To learn more about the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program at Ingalls work visit: https://hii.com/what-we-do/capabilities/guided-missile-destroyers/arleigh-burke-class/. 

From Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Oct. 27,2025     

DIEGO GARCIA, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY — A multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) P-8A Poseidon from Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72 joined an Indian Navy MPRA P-8I for a bilateral combined detachment and training in vicinity of Diego Garcia and the Indian Ocean, Oct. 22-28, 2025. 
 
The combined detachment saw both aircraft conduct bilateral trainings focused on antisubmarine warfare and maritime domain awareness to strengthen and refine the interoperability between the U.S. and Indian Navies. The training builds on prior interoperability exercises such as Tiger Triumph 2025, where the U.S. and Indian armed forces incorporated satellite and unmanned technologies to enhance joint communication and warfighting capabilities. The U.S.-India strategic partnership is founded on shared values including a commitment to democracy and upholding security, freedom, and prosperity. 
 
“Our P-8A crews were proud to fly alongside our Indian partners in this combined detachment,” said Capt. Rodney Erler, commodore of CTF 72. “Maritime domain awareness, which the global network of P-8 aircraft contribute to, is a critical aspect of identifying threats, traditional and non-traditional, that could threaten the stability and security in the region. By working with our allies and partners, we increase our shared maritime awareness to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.” 
 
After the arrival of the P-8I to Diego Garcia, the U.S. and Indian crews worked together on operational planning for the exercises to set the groundwork for increased enhanced information sharing, and cooperation at sea. This shore phase was concluded by a combined flight and bilateral anti-submarine and communication exercise. 
 
Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 is assigned to CTF 72, the command and control headquarters for Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft in U.S. 7th Fleet, promoting regional security and enhancement of theater security operations through multilateral engagements and providing reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities. 
 
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. 

Release From Shield AI

WASHINGTON (October 21, 2025) — Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software and aircraft, announced it provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support for U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/4th Fleet during UNITAS 2025, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise. V-BAT, Shield AI’s Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS), was deployed from USS Cooperstown (LCS 23) during the exercise, delivering consistent ISR capabilities throughout maritime training scenarios.  

Running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 3, 2025, UNITAS brought together 8,000 personnel from 25 allied and partner nations, with ships, submarines, and both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft operating across the Americas to strengthen interoperability, enhance maritime domain awareness, and advance combined readiness.  

“It was great to see V-BAT flying alongside U.S. and partner forces during UNITAS,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s Co-Founder, President and former Navy SEAL. “V-BAT has proven itself in operations across the fleet and has helped the U.S. Coast Guard and joint task forces interdict billions of dollars’ worth of narcotics. We’re excited to keep supporting U.S. and partner forces as they continue operations across the Americas.”   

Through the deployment of V-BAT, Shield AI supported in strengthening maritime domain awareness, advancing the use of autonomous systems, and improving information sharing with partners. V-BAT successfully passed both full-motion video and ViDAR wide-area search data to the Navy’s Minotaur Family of Services (MFoS). MFoS provides a shared Common Operating Picture by fusing sensor inputs from multiple platforms, ensuring that what one platform detects can be seen across the joint force and coalition — a critical enabler for faster decisions, stronger interoperability, and more effective maritime security operations. 

With its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities, small logistics footprint and advanced wide-area search sensors, V-BAT is uniquely suited for ship-based ISR in complex maritime environments. This UNITAS deployment was in support of the Monitoring, Analysis, Reconnaissance, Logistics, Intelligence and Network Services (MARLINS) task order awarded to prime contractor SMX in support of the U.S. Southern Command.  

Release From Saronic

Saronic today commemorated the official opening of its 80,000+ square-foot facility in downtown San Diego, marking the occasion with a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event was attended by City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who provided remarks, as well as other local leaders, government stakeholders, and industry partners. The City has proclaimed October 21 as “Saronic Day” in recognition of the company’s contributions to the region’s defense innovation ecosystem and commitment to bring skilled jobs, economic opportunity, and technical expertise to the community. 

Driven by its strong naval presence, premiere research institutions, and robust industrial partnerships, San Diego has long been viewed as a hub for defense innovation. By opening its new downtown San Diego facility, Saronic is deepening its committed to the region’s economic revitalization while strengthening its ability to deliver autonomous maritime capabilities to its commercial and US Navy partners. Given its proximity to Navy commands, the site ensures Saronic can collaborate with defense customers to rapidly integrate feedback and provide real-time mission support of its Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs). 

“San Diego is where innovation meets service,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “With Saronic expanding here, we’re strengthening our city’s leadership in defense technology and creating new opportunities for San Diegans to power the next generation of maritime innovation. This investment means more good jobs for San Diegans and stronger partnerships to support the men and women who serve our country.” 

Workforce Development: Training Naval Operators on Maritime Autonomy 

Saronic’s new facility in San Diego will serve in part as a training and development hub for naval and maritime operators, allowing defense and commercial customers and partners to expand their skills and expertise in maritime autonomy. Through a specialized curriculum tailored to the unique demands of autonomous maritime capabilities, Saronic is equipping sailors and mariners with the know-how to maintain and operate the hybrid fleet of the future. 

Saronic is committed to ensuring the safe and effective operation of its ASVs, as well as the development of a highly skilled and certified operator base. The company is a participant in industry- wide initiatives like the AUVSI Trusted UMS Operator Program, which establishes a common standard for training and certification of mission operators across the unmanned systems domain. This new San Diego training initiative reinforces that commitment and builds on the region’s role as a national center for workforce development in the maritime sector. 

“Saronic is partnering closely with naval leaders, operators, and partners to ensure this program not only addresses immediate technical needs but also provides opportunities for continued skills advancement and deepens the understanding of Saronic’s ASVs and autonomous capabilities,” said Nick Stoner, VP of Growth at Saronic. “San Diego is an anchor in the nation’s naval defense network, and this initiative underscores our belief that advancing technology must go hand-in-hand with investing in people – the region’s most powerful asset.” 

Investing in San Diego’s Future 

Saronic first announced its plans to establish a San Diego facility in July 2025. Since then, the space has undergone an extensive renovation, bringing on new capabilities to support its role as an operations, training, and depot facility. With this launch, the company continues to expand its local headcount, hiring across Mission Operations, Growth, Corporate Development, Mission Services, Forward-Deployed Engineering, Programs, and other functions. The company expects to add dozens of roles to its San Diego operations in the coming months. 

This investment builds on Saronic’s continued U.S. expansion, which includes large-scale manufacturing operations in Austin, Texas, and its shipbuilding facility in Franklin, Louisiana. 

From Lockheed Martin 

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 20, 2025 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded a $233 million firm-fixed-price contract to deliver IRST21^® Block II systems and initial spares to the U.S. Navy and Air National Guard (ANG). 

IRST21 is Lockheed Martin’s next-generation infrared search and track (IRST) sensor capability, a long-wave infrared system that passively detects and tracks airborne targets at extended ranges. By delivering longer range detection and faster target data, IRST21 Block II boosts warfighter situational awareness, cuts decision making time and keeps our armed forces mission ready to engage threats the instant they appear. 

The Block II variant, contracted under this award, features cutting edge optics, advanced processors and industry-leading algorithms that significantly increase threat-detection range and provide tracking and targeting data to support beyond-visual-range missile engagements. 

This award follows the U.S. Navy’s recent declaration of Initial Operational Capability for IRST21, which cleared the path for full-rate production of the Block II variant now entering fleet deployment. 

“IRST21 Block II delivers a game-changing leap in passive warfighting capabilities across multiple platforms,” said Cristin Stengel, IRST21 program director for Lockheed Martin. “By significantly enhancing the range and accuracy to enable weapon employment in challenging environments, this system ensures pilots remain ahead of evolving adversaries and mission-ready at all times.” 
 

On the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, IRST21 is mounted on the nose of the centerline fuel tank, complementing the aircraft’s AN/APG-79 radar to maintain effectiveness in radar-denied or heavy electronic attack environments. 

For F-15 and F-16s, IRST21 is embedded in a ready-now modular, externally mounted Legion Pod, providing ease of transportability and bringing 6^thgeneration targeting capability to 4^th generation aircraft. By operating passively without emitting a signal, the system is resistant to electronic jamming—ensuring warfighters maintain a critical advantage where survivability and reaction time are essential. 
  

From UTIC, Oct. 20,2025 

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC) announced today a significant milestone in its mission to advance undersea tech innovation. UTIC has now successfully facilitated the award of 100 prototype projects, with a value of over $1.4 billion.  

UTIC is the consortium for the U.S. Navy’s Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) for undersea and maritime technology, an agile and flexible procurement strategy for acquiring military technology. The OTA allows the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport to rapidly prototype and acquire leading-edge technologies from UTIC member organizations, accelerating innovation that meets the needs and mission of the U.S. Navy.  UTIC members represent small and large businesses, academia, and nonprofit research institutes with state-of-the-art undersea and maritime technology. 

“UTIC represents some of the most innovative organizations in the nation. Through this partnership, the Navy has fast and efficient access to leading edge undersea and maritime technology,” said Molly Donohue Magee, Chief Executive Officer at UTIC. “Our national defense is stronger thanks to this community of best-in-class experts, and our UTIC members continue to successfully compete for exciting and rewarding undersea and maritime technology opportunities in support of the Navy’s needs.” 

Since the OTA award in June 2018, prototype project awards have been distributed to 64 organizations, including 50 non-traditional defense contractors, demonstrating UTIC’s commitment to fostering innovation across diverse sectors. 

“Collaboration drives innovation, and speed is a collective imperative. Celebrating 100 prototype projects is not only as a numerical milestone—but a testament to the power of deep industry engagement,” added Mica Dolan, President and Chief Operating Officer of Advanced Technology International (ATI), UTIC’s consortium management firm. 

Successful prototypes developed under the OTA include sonar, autonomous, and communication systems essential for effective operations in the undersea environment. 

“I am pleased to note that the excellent partnership between UTIC and NUWC Newport has resulted in a milestone 100 awards through Other Transaction Authority. The continued success of this partnership has helped the Navy move forward in its mission to successfully get emerging technologies to the Fleet at a rapid pace,” said Marie Bussiere, Technical Director at NUWC, Newport. “We’ll continue to evolve and expand the undersea battlespace through the technologies that come forth through our industry partnerships.”   

About UTIC 
The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC) promotes the rapid development, prototyping, and commercialization of innovative undersea and maritime. UTIC represents a united undersea and maritime industry voice, breaking down barriers to growth by identifying and integrating undersea and maritime technology resources and opportunities, and providing the environment to collaborate on innovative solutions. For more information on UTIC,  visit https://www.underseatech.org/. 

By Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

PHILIPPINE SEA  –  The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy begin the multilateral exercise Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX) 2025 in the Philippine Sea, Oct. 20, 2025. 

This year’s ANNUALEX focuses on enhancing the Japan and U.S. bilateral alliance within a multilateral context through maritime communication tactics, anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations, replenishment-at-sea, and more. JMSDF Izumo-class helicopter-capable, anti-submarine warfare destroyer JS Kaga (DDH 184) leads the JMSDF participation in this year’s ANNUALEX. 

Held every two years, ANNUALEX is led by the JMSDF to provide an opportunity to refine and build upon existing combat interoperability capabilities, enhancing readiness across all platforms. This serves as a deterrent against regional instability and aggression. 

U.S. participating assets include the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86), Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG 62), P-8A Poseidon, Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6), USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8), fleet replenishment oiler USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199), a U.S. submarine, and U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II is assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242. 

Participating forces will also include the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Air Force (RCAF), French Navy (FN), and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). 

The previous ANNUALEX, held in November 2023, featured Carrier Strike Group 1, represented by its flagship Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), during operations in U.S. 7th Fleet. 

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. 

From General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. 

SAN DIEGO – 17 October 2025 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has been contracted by the U.S. Navy to develop conceptual designs for a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) to support the carrier air wing of tomorrow. 

GA-ASI was selected to work on Navy CCA designs emphasizing a modular approach to platform selection, capable of being rapidly reconfigured and upgraded to meet changing mission requirements, including operations on and from aircraft carriers. GA-ASI’s approach supports the Navy’s revolutionary acquisition strategy of smaller, frequent purchases that enable rapid technology insertion rather than traditional long-lifecycle programs 

GA-ASI’s Navy CCA contract follows its selection to design and fly the U.S. Air Force’s first CCA, the YFQ-42A. A production-representative unmanned fighter, YFQ-42A was the first Air Force CCA to begin flight testing in August, another historic achievement for the company. 

“We’re honored by the vote of confidence from the U.S. Navy and we’re eager to put what we’ve built to work for the future fleet,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “No one has more experience than we do with unmanned combat aircraft and we’re leveraging that to help the Navy get this capability onto the flight deck fast.”  

CCAs are highly capable, semi-autonomous jet fighters that complement and enhance traditional, human-piloted combat aircraft. Produced in high quantities at comparatively low cost, they let commanders shift risk away from human flight crews, enhance the sensing and other capabilities of legacy aircraft formations, increase lethality of the air wing, and maximize operational flexibility across the board.  

GA-ASI has configured all its unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) to be AMS-GRA compliant, including XQ-67A, YFQ-42A and MQ-20 Avenger^®. GA-ASI rapidly reconfigured and upgraded its modular XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station, an autonomous-capable unmanned jet built under contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory that achieved first flight in 2024. GA-ASI has pioneered unmanned jet operations for more than 17 years, beginning with the MQ-20 Avenger in 2008, and has extensive experience working with the U.S. Navy and other nations on carrier-based unmanned aircraft operations. 

The Navy’s CCA design will emphasize seamless coordination among manned fighters, uncrewed vehicles and support platforms; accommodate elevated risk profiles and reduce risk to crewed platforms; support and enhance 4th- and 5th-generation aircraft and complement 6^th-generation aircraft; and maximize operational flexibility, cost efficiency and mission effectiveness. 

At the UK’s Farnborough Air Show in 2024, GA-ASI announced its company-developed concept for ship-based CCA operations, codenamed Gambit 5. GA-ASI’s Gambit Series envisions multiple CCA variants rapidly reconfigured from a common Gambit Core, enabling substantial commonality for rapid and affordable production at scale. 

GA-ASI has recorded numerous recent aviation milestones with its aircraft at sea. In 2023, the short takeoff and landing demonstrator known as Mojave launched from and landed aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. In 2024, Mojave took off from the South Korean amphibious assault ship Dokdo and flew to a naval base ashore. 

GA-ASI has developed more than two dozen different types of unmanned aircraft and delivered more than 1,200 units to customers, building more than 100 aircraft per year at its 5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Poway, Calif. GA-ASI aircraft have amassed 9 million total flight hours and more than 50 GA-ASI aircraft are aloft around the world every minute of every day. 

At NATO’s largest unmanned maritime exercise, Astrolight’s POLARIS laser communication terminal kept a jam-proof ship-to-ship link through rain and fog over horizon-limited distances, proving a secure, undetectable solution for radio-silent, GPS-denied environments. 

October 17, 2025. Lithuanian space and defense tech company Astrolight has successfully demonstrated undetectable, unjammable, and high-bandwidth laser-based ship-to-ship communication with its POLARIS terminal during REPMUS’25, NATO’s largest unmanned maritime exercise recently. 

During the REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems)/Dynamic Messenger mission, hosted by the Portuguese Navy, POLARIS laser terminals maintained a stable, jam-proof horizon-limited laser-based link between two vessels: NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida and NRP Dom Carlos I. During testing, the link wasn’t detected by a single sensor of other participating ships, drones, and land assets. 

“With persistent and rising GPS jamming attacks in NATO territories, we needed to test it in real-life conditions as soon as possible. Exercise results showed that our laser technology is a reliable and operable alternative to radio frequency-based communication – now it’s time to scale,” said Dalius Petrulionis, CTO and co-founder of Astrolight, who led POLARIS’ testing at sea. 

Astrolight’s terminals also transmitted gigabytes of data at latencies and speeds that allow for more than 10 concurrent, real-time HD video streams, even through rain and fog, during the day and night. 

“Astrolight team spent two weeks living and working with the Portuguese Navy aboard two of their ship fleets, installing their POLARIS laser terminals. They established undetectable ship-to-ship laser communications, exceeding their initial targets by 200%, and proving that first-time experiments can go better than planned when the technology is well-developed,” NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) shared on its socials. 

Jamming is a serious problem at sea because it can distort satellite navigation, confuse radar and ship-tracking displays, and interrupt radio and satellite communications. In such cases, crews switch to less secure backup methods like noisy radio or signal lamps that increase a ship’s electromagnetic signature and make it easier to detect. 

“Participating in REPMUS, NATO’s largest naval exercise, marks an important milestone for innovators within the NATO DIANA programme. It is the perfect opportunity for these companies to demonstrate the value their solutions can provide in an operational context, while also making the most of end-user insights and feedback as they move closer to adoption and deployment. We were proud to see six different DIANA innovators participating this year, including Astrolight, and we are confident that they will all rise to the challenge. Their technologies exemplify the kind of innovation DIANA was created to support – cutting-edge technologies with real operational potential, positioned to deliver real-world impact,” said James Appathurai, Managing Director at NATO DIANA. 

The demonstration of Astrolight’s POLARIS in Portugal builds on prior tests with the Lithuanian Navy. 

NATO’s REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger exercise combines REPMUS, the top event for maritime robotics and unmanned tech, and Dynamic Messenger, a program for testing innovative naval systems. They bring together NATO Allies, partners, academia, and industry experts, and provide a realistic setting to evaluate new maritime capabilities and promote their integration into NATO operations. 

“Every technological breakthrough was once an innovation in testing. Running ours alongside NATO in a real, tactical setting proves that we already have top-tier defense tech. The REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger exercise is an important milestone on our path to delivering resilient, jam-resistant communications to NATO’s Navy in these turbulent times for national security,” concluded Dalius Petrulionis.