By USNAVSOUTH/4TH FLEET PUBLIC AFFAIRS, May 29, 2025 

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador  –  SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (May 27, 2025) — Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, in coordination with the Salvadoran Navy, hosted the annual U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet Hybrid Fleet Campaign (HFC) Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) Event demonstrating combined/joint integration potential for unmanned systems during a showcase event in San Salvador, El Salvador, May 27. 
 
In its 25th year of operation and as one of only two forward operating locations in the United States Southern Command area of responsibility, CSL Comalapa’s mission to assist in the joint/combined regional mission of combatting transnational organized crime created the perfect opportunity to transition FLEX from partner nation observation to partner nation participation. 
 
“The intent of FLEX is twofold,” said USNAVSOUTH Commander Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, “To accelerate technological advancements through cooperation with industry and international partners, and to operationalize those advancements to increase maritime domain awareness to counter illicit traffic flow. As a cornerstone of the efforts to combat transnational organized crime, it is only fitting that CSL Comalapa be the first location to host FOURTH Fleet’s Hybrid Fleet Campaign FLEX Event outside the United States.” 
 
HFC is a learning campaign to retain and improve advantages using next-generation manned and unmanned systems. In 2025 the FLEX series is enabling scaled hybrid fleet operations from robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) experiments into months-long deployments integrated with partner nations. In turn, these deployments feed vast amounts of data to the 4th Fleet Maritime Operations Center (MOC). 
 
“Surface, aerial, and undersea autonomous systems stack together to give us highly effective maritime domain awareness,” said Cmdr. Jon Williams, the USNAVSOUTH technology and Innovation director. “But all of these systems are inherently independent. Part of what we’ve done here at Comalapa is an advanced data fusion. Each of these independent systems communicate together and provide an integrated feed that we monitor from the MOC in Mayport.” 
 
King Air manned aircraft teamed with Resolute Eagle unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), Tsunami unmanned surface vessel (USV), Minotaur data fusion, and Lema expeditionary solar power to operate with Salvadoran navy Task Force (TF) Tridente in various combinations from April 1 to May 23. 
 
Synchronization now happens in real time, connecting RAS, tactical teams, and operations centers enabling a common operating picture for highly effective operations. During FLEX, TF Tridente accomplished the interdiction and apprehension of narcotics smugglers with the assistance of this synchronized system. Practical tests showed the capability of single or combined systems to find, fix, track, assess, disrupt and pursue training targets from longer ranges and less exhaustion to manned interdiction crews. 
 
“El Salvador is a capable and willing partner,” said Dr. Christopher Heagney, the NAVAIR Fleet/Force Advisor to USNAVSOUTH, “accelerating new manned and unmanned technologies from Navy Laboratories and the acquisition community into the hands of Sailors will deliver more capability at lower cost and risk. Operating those systems in El Salvador helps us disrupt illicit traffic flows into the homeland while also providing a testbed to innovate with our partners.” 
 
USNAVSOUTH is working with the Creative Defense Foundation to better connect Congressional appropriators with Industry, operational, and acquisition communities. As Congress funds new pathways for rapid capability development and employment, the United States Southern Command area of responsibility is a perfect environment to innovate. 

By Brian Varela, May 14, 2025 

Sailors are a ship’s first line of defense against system failures. But when the issue requires a subject matter expert (SME), repairs have often had to wait until a technician could travel to the ship. 
 
Enter ARMS, short for the Augmented Reality Maintenance System. ARMS enables sailors and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) SMEs to instantly address system failures and eliminate the need for costly travel — and it’s now installed aboard five Navy ships. 
 
NSWC PHD’s Augmented Reality Maintenance System (ARMS) team recently outfitted five ships in less than a week with the unique and fully operational remote viewing instruments. 
 
The group installed the technology on USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) with support from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR). NSWC PHD electronics engineer Matthew Cole and computer scientist Nick Bernstein led the effort between March 22 and 26. 
 
“Sailors are by trade operators and maintainers of their warships,” NSWC PHD Commanding Officer Capt. Tony Holmes said. “It’s never a matter of if, but when, systems aboard a ship will require some sort of troubleshooting and/or corrective maintenance to keep them operating. If outside help is required to resolve an issue, and that issue can be resolved by over-the-shoulder assistance via ARMS, that is a good thing.” 
 
This remote assistance not only empowers sailors to fix problems quickly and keep their systems operating, he explained, it also saves time and money by averting the need for an SME to fly out to the ship for onboard technical assistance. 
 
“The biggest win in this case is that the sailor fixed the problem, not the external SME,” Holmes added. “ARMS capability goes to the heart of enabling sailor self-sufficiency, and keeping our warships in the fight.” 
 
Prior to the recent installations, Bernstein — who is also the ARMS engineering lead — led a small NSWC PHD ARMS team to conduct short technical demonstration installations aboard three ships. The group used AR hardware with the same NAVAIR-developed ARMS software, Bernstein said. 
 
For the March installations, Bernstein and Cole worked with the internal and external ARMS team to equip the aircraft carrier and four guided-missile destroyers with the latest hardware and software to be used on their deployments. 
 
“These are the first operational, useable ARMS installs,” Bernstein said. 
 
Augmented reality 
 
ARMS is a remote viewing capability used to connect deployed sailors with subject matter experts (SMEs) at warfare centers, in Regional Maintenance Centers and other shoreside locations. Sailors wear a simplified AR headset that allows the SMEs to observe and troubleshoot any shipboard systems in real time by seeing and hearing from the sailor’s point of view. While wearing the headgear, the sailors can pull up technical manual excerpts, maintenance requirement cards, 3D images, design models or schematics to restore a system while the remote SMEs talk them through the process. 
 
The team aims to use the technology to reduce the number of visits command personnel make to ships to provide them with technical assistance. ARMS can also reduce the length of time NSWC PHD personnel spend aboard by diagnosing issues in advance. 
 
As a result, the fleet will receive faster support without waiting for technicians to arrive aboard. 
 
“Now, we can send the right expert with the right tools out to the ship, thereby saving time and money,” Cole said. 
 
Installation and test 
 
The five-day installation in March marked the end of one Interim Authority to Test (IATT) and the beginning of another. The Navy conducts IATTs as a first step to check within a specified time period that a new system works and to gather feedback for upgrades. 
 
The first IATT was scheduled to expire in March. However, NAVWAR Commander Rear Adm. Seiko Okano requested the original seven-month time frame to perform an operational ARMS capability be narrowed down to one month so the AR equipment could be installed aboard the five ships before they deployed from Naval Base San Diego, Bernstein said. 
 
The vessels were ported simultaneously for a one-week period in San Diego, so the group had to work fast. The ARMS installation team — which included NSWC PHD and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific SMEs — installed each system in less than a day while also training sailors. 
 
During the current IATT, the team will monitor ARMS usage and solicit feedback to improve its capabilities and handling ahead of the full Authority to Operate. 
 
Gear changes 
 
Throughout the first IATT, ARMS utilized an AR/mixed reality headset that had been used commercially for remote collaboration and training. After the product was discontinued in October, the ARMS system switched to AR smart glasses to retain the hands-free goal of ARMS. 
 
The ARMS team is also looking at other potential headsets, including a 3D-printed alternative the command’s Engineering Development Lab is developing, Cole said. 
 
Since he first got involved with the program in fiscal year 2022, Bernstein has watched ARMS grow as it reached numerous milestones. He said he’s excited to see ARMS maturing as it’s fielded for operation aboard future ships. 
 
“It’s incredibly rewarding seeing this project transition to the fleet and stand on its own to support sailors and SMEs,” Bernstein said. 

From HII

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) hosted members of the United Kingdom House of Commons Defence Committee at its Newport News Shipbuilding division last week. 

The visit was held in support of the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) partnership. HII continues its commitment to supporting AUKUS, which set in motion tasking across all three countries to determine the optimal pathway to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and a broader partnership on advanced capabilities. 

“The Committee were delighted to visit the HII yard and see the skill and endeavour on display,” said Tan Dhesi, chairman of House of Commons Defence Committee. “The AUKUS agreement is a vital tool for the strategic advantage of all three countries and the Committee is pleased to support it with our recently launched inquiry, ensuring it achieves its maximum potential.” 

Defence Committee members met with company leadership and saw facilities that support construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Additionally, they participated in a tour of the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School that focused on HII’s workforce development expertise. 

Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://hii.com/news/hii-hosts-united-kingdom-house-of-commons-defence-committee-members-at-newport-news-shipbuilding/. 

“We greatly appreciate the Defence Committee’s engagement and the opportunity to showcase how HII’s decades of expertise directly support AUKUS objectives,” said Michael Lempke, president of the HII Mission Technologies division Global Security group and the leader of HII’s Australia and U.K. operations. “From building nuclear-powered submarines to fortifying industrial capacity across the U.S., U.K. and Australia, our efforts are closely aligned with the trilateral vision. These discussions are vital to strengthening the collaboration and driving the innovation that underpins AUKUS.” 

Industrial integration of submarine and shipbuilding capabilities between the U.S., U.K. and Australia is a critical component of the AUKUS partnership, enabling aligned defense production, workforce development, and supply chain collaboration to support shared security objectives. 

NNS is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy. HII is the founding member of the AUKUS Workforce Alliance (AWA), a dedicated partnership committed to preparing a skilled workforce in support of all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines. The company was awarded a contract for the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) pilot program to accelerate the identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products into the United States submarine industrial base. 

About Defence Committee’s inquiry: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9068/aukus/ 

RESTON, Va. (May 28, 2025) – Leidos (NYSE:LDOS) announced today that it has acquired Kudu Dynamics, accelerating Leidos’ rapid scaling of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cyber capabilities for defense, intelligence and homeland security customers. 

Leidos’ extensive current AI-enabled cyber offerings arm users with the rapid capability and scale needed to automate vulnerability detection, enhance novel defenses, neutralize attacker advantages and evade adversary defenses. Acquiring Kudu Dynamics will accelerate Leidos’ strategy for AI-enabled offensive cyber, electromagnetic spectrum operations and vulnerability research.   

Founded in 2013, Kudu Dynamics has rapidly grown its work across the Department of Defense, leading the industry in automated targeting, scalable hardware reverse engineering and the generation of other non-kinetic effects. 

“Kudu’s ability to generate new cyber capabilities with AI perfectly complements our strategy to rapidly grow differentiated offensive cyber technology capabilities,” said  Leidos Chief Executive Officer Tom Bell. “This acquisition underlines Leidos’s commitment to continue to build smarter full-spectrum cyber capabilities, so that the U.S. and its allies dominate the cyber warfighting domain.” 

“We’re excited to deliver the next level of capabilities to our customers as we bring together the highly innovative cyber professionals and disruptive technologies of Kudu with the scale, resources and experience of Leidos,” said Kudu Dynamics’ Founder and CEO Mike Frantzen. “In Leidos, we’ve found a partner who shares our ethic of purposeful innovation in support of our nation’s most critical missions.” 

The Kudu Dynamics purchase marks Leidos’ first acquisition in two-and-a-half years. Increasing investment in the company’s already formidable cyber capabilities is among the five strategic growth pillars of its new NorthStar 2030 strategy, developed through a year of deep strategic thinking in 2024.   

The approximately $300 million all-cash acquisition closed May 23. 

Advisors 

Baird served as exclusive financial advisor to Kudu Dynamics on this transaction. 

Real-time observations will support U.S. commerce, naval interests in the region 

From Kimberly Rodgers, [email protected] , May 28, 2025 

May 28, 2025 

NOAA’s first Physical Oceanographic Real-time System, or PORTS, at Pearl Harbor-Honolulu, Hawaii, is now operational. Installed by NOAA’s National Ocean Service, data from the new publicly available observation system advances NOAA’s ability to better serve Hawaii’s coastal communities and secure maritime safety in the Pacific Islands. 

Pearl Harbor-Honolulu PORTS is NOAA’s 40th system in this national network of precision marine navigation sensors concentrated in busy U.S. seaports, and is the result of a partnership between NOAA and U.S. Navy Region Hawaii. Data from the system will be used to assist in the Navy’s planning and monitoring during daily operations and hazardous weather situations in Pearl Harbor and on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam — home to more than 55,000 military members and civilians, contributing more than $2 billion annually to the local economy. 

Commercial and local mariners traveling to Honolulu Harbor, the principal seaport of Hawaii, will also have access to these publicly available real-time observations. They will enable safer vessel movement, help determine the amount of cargo a vessel can carry and reduce transit delays for commercial traffic. Honolulu Harbor handles more than 11 million tons of cargo annually. National Weather Service forecasters in Honolulu will use PORTS water level observations to anticipate and communicate coastal flooding impacts to the community so preemptive actions can be taken. 

“With the launch of PORTS in Honolulu, we’re delivering mission-critical data to partners and decision makers — naval operations, commercial mariners and local agencies,” said Nicole R. LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “PORTS data will contribute to a safer and more efficient movement of vessels traversing Mamala Bay, entering and exiting Pearl Harbor and within Honolulu Harbor.”  

The Pearl Harbor-Honolulu PORTS consists of one water level and meteorological station located in Pearl Harbor (Ford Island) and a buoy-mounted current meter at Ford Island Channel, Lighted Buoy #1, sponsored by the U.S. Navy. The new stations will collect data on wind, air temperature, air pressure, and tidal currents to help mariners plan for safe docking in high winds, adverse weather, and heavy ship traffic.  

The system also integrates data from a long-standing NOAA National Water Level Observation Network station at Honolulu Harbor, as well as a Coastal Data Information Program wave buoy at the entrance to Pearl Harbor.  

PORTS is a successful public-private partnership program between NOAA and local partners that provides an integrated system of sensors concentrated in seaports. These sensors deliver accurate, real-time environmental data to commercial and other vessel operators. The PORTS program supports safe vessel movements in more than half of the top 175 U.S. seaports, including key coastal military installations. The safety and economic benefits of PORTS are well documented, including a 50% reduction in maritime accidents in seaports where real-time data is available. The data is publicly accessible online and can be integrated into vessel portable pilot units. The new Pearl Harbor-Honolulu PORTS® will be maintained by NOAA.  

From U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs, May27, 2025 

MANAMA, Bahrain – The littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) arrived at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, May 22, the first of four of the class expected to be stationed in the region. 

The crew hosted a tour of their ship on May 26, welcoming senior Bahraini defense officials, the U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, the honorable Steven Bondy, and commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Vice Adm. George Wikoff. 

“Today is about showcasing the United States’ continued commitment to maritime regional security in a broader sense, but in a specific sense, the friendship that we enjoy and never take for granted with the Kingdom of Bahrain,” Wikoff said. “We look forward to leveraging all the capabilities that this ship brings as a next-generation platform, working side-by-side with our Bahraini partners enforcing maritime security in the region.” 

The LCS is expected to replace the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships which have operated forward in the region for decades. 

“Canberra’s arrival in Bahrain signifies our commitment to delivering advanced capabilities to further regional maritime security and maintaining our robust partnership with the Royal Bahrain Naval Force,” said the commanding officer of Canberra’s Blue Crew, Cmdr. Bill Golden. He previously served on a mine countermeasures ship forward deployed to Bahrain, USS Gladiator (MCM 11). “To see the differences between that platform and what Canberra offers is incredible.” 

Canberra is the first LCS to deploy with the mine countermeasures mission package. An integrated suite of unmanned maritime systems and sensors, it is designed to locate, identify, and destroy mines while increasing the ship’s standoff distance from the threat. 

Canberra, on its maiden deployment, is the first Independence-variant of the littoral combat ship to be deployed to the region. The ship left San Diego in March. 

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb. 

From NCDOC PAO Alexis Smith, May 27, 2025 

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) held a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 9, supported by Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) and Naval Network Warfare Command (NNWC) leaders to officially open TRIDENT – Technical Readiness in Defensive Cyber Operations {DCO} Education and Network Training – Center for NCDOC and NNWC personnel. 

Vice Adm. Mike Vernazza, commander, NAVIFOR and the Navy’s IBoss for Information Warfare, served as guest speaker. 
 
“This facility, in collaboration with our partners, provides hands on experience and training, real time sets and reps, and advanced mentorship from exceptional industry partners utilizing persistent access to lab and exercise environments with scenarios based on real world threats,” said Vernazza.  “As the Navy’s operational command for Defensive Cyberspace Operation, NCDOC’s mission is clear – to defend Navy networks and ensure warfighter readiness in cyberspace. This new training space directly aligns with that mission by enabling more dynamic, realistic, and collaborative cyber training, giving our teams the skills and agility that they will need to meet emerging threats.” 
 
The ribbon cutting ceremony is in honor of TRIDENT achieving a significant milestone, the successful execution of a remote Cyber Protection Team (CPT) mission and an operational recertification event. 
 
The 14,420 square foot center is specifically designed to support a wide range of activities, including individual and team-based scenarios, technical labs, demonstrations, mission rehearsals, cyber training, conferences, and professional development courses.  TRIDENT has actively supported the Cyber Competition Team, CPTs and Navy Red Team (NRT) through four Capture the Flag (CTF) events. 
 
These events allow the Sailors to practice and develop their skills in friendly competition against other teams across the DoD, U.S. Government, and the private sector.  The TRIDENT facility is also a space for Sailors, officers, and civilians to complete advanced cyber training ranging from vendor provided courses to internally developed training in support of NCDOC’s unique mission as DCO Task Force, sole Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) in the Navy, the Navy Cyber Defense Teams deployed afloat, and the Navy Hunt Team across enterprise networks. 
 
Additionally, NCDOC NRT, one of only 13 certified DoD Red Teams, can safely research, develop, and test various tools, exploits, and malware at TRIDENT, better preparing them to harden DoD Information Networks – Navy. 
 
TRIDENT has also been used to strengthen partnerships amongst the other stakeholders working to secure, operate, and defend Navy networks.  A Cyber Network Defense 5.2 training program between NCDOC and Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic was hosted at the facility in April 2025. 
 
“NNWC Blue Team has also taken advantage of the facility to conduct enhanced capability establishing it as the nexus of training excellence for the Navy’s Secure, Operate, and Defend workforce.  The team received training from the National Security Agency representatives on their DarkEther network device data collection tool,” said Capt. Sharon Pinder, commanding officer, NCDOC. 
 
The TRIDENT ribbon cutting showcased a large orange ribbon, aligning the significance of the color orange in cybersecurity to the importance of the TRIDENT facility.  In industry, orange in cybersecurity represents teams who train and educate the frontline defenders against cyber threats. Cutting the orange ribbon represents TRIDENT’s role in fostering a culture of excellence in cybersecurity for the Navy and a conscious effort to provide ready, relevant learning to the warfighters charged with defending the networks to enable Assured Command and Control, Battlespace Awareness, Integrated Fires. 
 
NCDOC’s mission is to plan, coordinate, and conduct global DCO for the Navy’s largest warfighting ecosystem, the layered and interconnected networks and weapons systems linked across all warfighting domains through DoDIN-N.  Perform as Navy’s Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) in order to generate cyber intelligence, conduct proactive DCO on DoDIN-N to assure command and control, expand battlespace awareness, and facilitate integrated fires to win decisively in war. 
 
For more information on NCDOC, visit the command Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NavyCyberWarriors or the public web page at https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil/ncdoc/. 

From Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific Public Affairs, May 22, 2025 

SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Navy is strengthening maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region through a $125 million initiative designed to enhance India’s maritime domain awareness. Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific is playing a central role in the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) program, a flagship effort under the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy. 

The IPMDA initiative aims to improve maritime awareness and regional coordination by providing partner nations with unclassified maritime situational awareness tools and data. A core component of the case is SeaVision, a U.S. Navy-managed platform that aggregates Automatic Identification System (AIS) and other vessel tracking data to enable secure, real-time maritime monitoring, according to Robert Lendvay, NIWC Pacific Foreign Military Sales Case Manager supporting the Navy’s International C4I Integration Program Office [PMW 740]. Lendvay has spearheaded the effort since January 2023. The initiative also integrates commercial satellite-based radio frequency (RF) detection capabilities from HawkEye 360, enabling partner nations to detect and monitor vessels operating without transponders. Together, these tools create a multi-layered operational picture that significantly enhances India’s ability to monitor its maritime domain and contribute to regional security objectives. 
  
The program’s inception began with a foundational meeting at NIWC Pacific in San Diego, where Lendvay, alongside the NIWC Pacific SeaVision Technical Assistance Field Team, hosted a high-level delegation from the Indian Navy and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. This engagement was instrumental in defining the initial operational and technical requirements that laid the groundwork for the largest IPMDA-related case to date. 
  
Over the course of two years, Lendvay led detailed coordination efforts across the U.S. Department of State, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Navy International Programs Office, and other interagency partners to ensure the program met U.S. releasability standards and foreign disclosure policies. 
  
“These collaborative efforts ultimately resulted in the successful completion of the Congressional Notification process – a critical milestone,” said Lendvay. “This authorizes the U.S. Government to offer new and improved capabilities to India in support of IPMDA. This approval not only affirms the strategic trust placed in India as a key Indo-Pacific partner but also reflects the growing defense ties between members of the Quad alliance: the United States, Japan, Australia, and India.” 
  
“This initiative is a testament to the strong partnership between the U.S. and India and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said John Smith, a NIWC Pacific employee. “By providing India with advanced maritime domain awareness tools, we are enhancing their ability to monitor their maritime domain and contribute to regional security.” 
  
NIWC Pacific and PMW 740 have played a central role in managing the program’s development, working closely with commercial vendors and interagency stakeholders to define a technically sound and contractually executable acquisition strategy. The IPMDA initiative strengthens the region’s ability to detect and deter threats and reinforces collective maritime security objectives. 

From U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs, May 22, 2025 

NAPLES, Italy – U.S. 6th Fleet Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) and USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) conducted two separate live-fire events as part of exercise At Sea Demonstration (ASD) / Formidable Shield (FS) 25. U.S. Navy destroyers are equipped with the Aegis weapons systems designed for ballistic missile defense. 

On May 15, 2025, Thomas Hudner successfully engaged a short-range ballistic missile (IAMD-T) target with an SM-6 missile. 

On May 20, 2025, Bulkeley and Thomas Hudner successfully engaged a medium-range ballistic missile target (ARAV-B) and a simulated target (EDTT) with an SM-3 missile. 

Throughout the exercise, Allied forces are participating in a series of live-fire events using NATO command and control reporting structures. 

The two destroyers’ successful missile intercepts demonstrated the lethality of U.S. Navy systems and the ability to operate seamlessly with Allied nations to maintain a stable security environment. It sends a strong message to any potential adversary by demonstrating combat credibility. 

ASD/FS 25 is the largest at-sea live-fire exercise in the European theater, hosted by U.S. 6th Fleet and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. ASD/FS 25 includes a series of live-fire events against unmanned air and surface systems, subsonic, supersonic, and ballistic targets, incorporating multiple Allied ships, multi-nation/multi-service ground-based air defenses, and aviation forces working across battlespaces to deliver lethal effects, accomplish exercise objectives, and hone warfighting skills. 

The exercise commenced on May 3, 2025 and involves approximately 6,900 personnel from across the Alliance. 

From Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, May 21, 2025 

ST. INIGIES, Md. — The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is boosting its testing capabilities with a new UAS experimentation system showcased recently at a training event at Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s Webster Outlying Field. 

Designed to accelerate unmanned aviation development, the Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Experimentation Payload System (TULEPS) allows developers to test software and mission equipment on a generic unmanned platform. 

“When we test payloads on specific UAVs, it requires significant money, time and effort because of the limitations of the UAV – TULEPS is an innovative resource that allows us to focus first on the development of the actual payload technology,” said NAWCAD lead experimentation engineer James Tomasic.  “After we’ve worked through the technical issues and are comfortable with the payload, we can focus on implementing that technology on a specific UAV platform.” 

TULEPS streamlines testing by allowing equipment to be loaded on its UAV without requiring flight clearances. Its tether enables systems to fly in most weather conditions, powers payloads for extended periods of time, securely transmits data, and can be used on ships or trucks to give antennas and sensors a higher vantage point and longer reach. 

“If we want to test an electronic warfare pod, a new communication antenna or an electro-optical surveillance sensor, we can put it on the TULEPS system with very little paperwork,” said Chief Test Pilot Lt. Col. Jason Noll at NAWCAD’s unmanned Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24. “The system is already approved, so we don’t have to obtain a new clearance – we can test on a shorter timeline with fewer manhours and save money as well.” 

NAWCAD’s Experimentation Office (NEO) worked with industry partner DPI UAV Systems to quickly stand up the new test capability, which culminated in a two-day TULEPS event that featured classroom and hands-on training for more than 10 UX-24 air vehicle operators who are the command’s first qualified TULEPS operators. 

“NEO is here to help solve problems and support all of NAWCAD,” said Tomasic. “We are constantly looking at game-changing technologies like TULEPS that bring new capabilities to the warfare center.” 

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.