The Dutch government has assigned the Ministry of Defence the permanent task of monitoring potential threats in the Dutch part of the North Sea. Adversarial reconnaissance The Dutch government is thus recognising the risk of sabotage against vital maritime infrastructure and gaining a better picture of threats in the North Sea. The mapping of, for example, internet cables,...

In April 2023, the presidents of South Korea and the United States agreed that a US Navy submarine equipped with nuclear weapons would visit South Korea again. This is part of a bilateral agreement to improve the "regular visibility" of US strategic assets on the Korean peninsula and in response to North Korea's repeated threats and progressive nuclearisation....

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has authorised his country's defence forces to order 17 new "Jurmo" class landing craft, including the necessary spare parts. According to a press release issued by the Finnish Ministry of Defence at the end of June 2023, the contract worth a total of 25.5 million euros was awarded to Marine AluTech Oy AB. The new "Jurmos" will be used to...

The ten armaments projects approved by the Budget and Defence Committee of the German Bundestag on 6 July include three fleet service boats, including a training and reference facility. On 10 July 2023, the amendment agreement was signed between the President of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support...

The renewal of the fleet of the Navy's defence technology unit, WTD 71, is progressing. On Friday, 30 June 2023, the first of two newbuildings was christened "Kalkgrund" by the Mayor of Eckernförde, Iris Ploog, in Berne an der Weser. The ceremony was accompanied by music from the Wilhelmshaven Naval Music Corps...

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="4.16" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" custom_padding="|||" global_colors_info="{}" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.19.5" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}"] Michael Nitz - internationally recognised and renowned German marine photographer - accompanied the national units and foreign guest ships during Kieler Woche. From a selection of thousands of photos, he has...

In November 2022, the government asked the Chief of Staff of the Norwegian Armed Forces, General Eirik Kristoffersen, for his recommendation on how national and alliance defence should be organised and equipped in the future. The 68-page paper was submitted in May and published at the beginning of June. It contains extensive proposals such as an increase in the...

Hading Bay-538 is an old Frosch I-class landing ship of the NVA People's Navy, commissioned in 1978 and operated under the name "Cottbus" until reunification. The decommissioned "Cottbus" was then sold to Indonesia in 1993 and was given the name "Hading Bay" and the hull number 538. She made headlines in the first days of June when...

At the end of May, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained the Chinese bulk carrier "Chuan Hong 68", which was anchored without authorisation in its economic zone off the southern province of Johor and equipped for deep-sea dredging. During the search, metals, weapon parts and large-calibre ammunition shells were discovered. The captain and crew (32) were then arrested, according to...

Swedish Armed Forces award contract for amphibious fire support The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has commissioned Swedish shipbuilder Swede Ship Marine AB to supply eight "seaworthy artillery platforms" for the amphibious battalion in Stockholm and Gothenburg, according to a press release issued by FMV on 17 May 2023. The commissioned...

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