Angolan Navy BR71 MKII Corvette Program Progresses

Progress advances on future BR71 Mk II light corvettes for the Angolan Navy, with all three vessels under simultaneous construction in France and the United Arab Emirates. Equipped with advanced electronic systems and heavy armament for their size, these ships will rank among the most capable warships in their class on the African continent. Various published photos during the last months showcase the progress on the new BR71 MKII light corvettes being built for the Angolan Navy, simultaneously at the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) shipyard in Cherbourg, France, and the Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) facilities in the UAE. Some of the photos reveal a fully assembled vessel at CMN, offering intriguing insights into its configuration. My story for Naval News, here.

Hellenic Navy Conducts its Largest Missile Firing Exercise

On Monday, June 23, 2025, the Hellenic Navy conducted training launches of guided missiles in the wider area of the southern Ionian Sea. The exercise was observed by Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, and Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos. Greece showcased its naval strength with a spectacular live-fire exercise involving twelve missiles of seven different types—highlighting the full range of the Hellenic Navy’s arsenal and its combat readiness. This marked the largest live missile-firing drill in the Navy’s history. My story for Naval News, here.

India Commissions Its First ASW-SWC Corvette

On June 18, 2025, the Indian Navy commissioned the first of 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), essentially a light corvette, to enhance the protection of its vast coastline against subsurface threats such as submarines, midget submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The commissioning ceremony took place at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, in the presence of General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff. Among the others present were Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, CWP&A, Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, ADG Donny Michael, Coast Guard Commander (Eastern Seaboard), senior officials from Indian Navy and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding (L&T), distinguished civilian dignitaries, ex- Commanding Officers of erstwhile Arnala and guests. My story for Naval News, here.

Hellenic Navy Outlines Requirements for Next-Generation Submarine Program

On May 22, 2025, at the Combined Naval Event (CNE) in Farnborough, UK, a Navy Leaders Conference, Commodore Konstantinos Tourkantonis, Deputy Director of the Armaments Directorate of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, revealed new details for the imminent modernization of the Hellenic Navy’s submarine fleet. It is worth noting that the Greek Commodore previously served as Director of the submarine program, giving him direct and extensive involvement in Greece’s submarine initiatives. He also held the position of Commander of the Hellenic Navy Submarine Command. Naval News was present for the briefing, titled “Submarine Modernization Across the Hellenic Naval Force,” and here are the key takeaways from the presentation. My story for Naval News, here.

Barbaros-Class Frigates Enter "Beast Mode" with Major MLU

Written by D-Mitch

TCG Orucreis frigate after MLU during Exercise Dynamic

Mariner / Flotex 25. Photo by Anadolu Agency.

Today, the Turkish Turkish Naval Forces (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) operate a fleet of four Barbaros-class multipurpose frigates. Two of these ships were built by the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, while the other two were constructed at Turkey’s Gölcük Naval Shipyard with German assistance. Construction of the lead ship, TCG Barbaros (F-244), began in April 1992, and all four vessels were commissioned between 1995 and 2000. The Barbaros-class frigates are approximately 7 meters longer than the earlier Yavuz-class frigates (four ships) and have a full load displacement of around 3,400 tons. Compared to their predecessors, they feature a more advanced propulsion system—CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas)—which allows for a higher top speed. They also incorporate upgraded electronic and sensor systems. Until the commissioning of TCG Istanbul (F-515, the lead ship of the first indigenous Istif-class frigates in January 2024, the Barbaros-class frigates were considered the most modern vessels in the Turkish Navy. Today, the ships of the class are undergoing a comprehensive Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) to enhance their combat capabilities and extend their service life into the 2040s. This article offers a detailed and thorough examination of the Barbaros-class frigates and their extensive (and impressive) MLU.

INFOGRAPHICS #65: Future Surface Combatants Vol. VΙII (Wicher class, ...)

Written by D-Mitch

In this post, I include some of the infographics I made and published on social media, about new surface combatants that are under construction and about to enter service in the near future.

 

1. Wicher-class (Arrowhead 140PL/Miecznik Project) frigates of the Polish Navy (3 ships)

 

Wicher class frigate of the Polish Navy. Image from the YouTube video by Kamil Sa here.

 

 

First Greek FDI HN Frigate Starts Sea Trials

The first FDI frigate for the Hellenic Navy, HS Kimon, started her first sea trials on May 21st in Lorient. Developed to be operated by the Hellenic Navy, the FDI HS Kimon has begun her sea trials from the Naval Group site of Lorient, Brittany. The trials will be carefully attended by the Hellenic Navy representatives. Thanks to the experience gained during the Amiral Ronarc’h sea trials, the trials of HS Kimon will be performed much faster. The first period at sea will be mainly dedicated to test the platform systems including propulsion and navigation systems. The second period at sea, in a few weeks, will be dedicated to combat systems and endurance at sea. 2025 marks a key milestone for the FDI programme, with sea trials and the upcoming delivery of the first frigate for the Hellenic Navy, along with the imminent launching of the third vessel, HS Formion. By 2026, the Hellenic Navy will operate three first-rank, multi-mission FDI HN frigates. My story for Naval News, here.

S-100 CAMCOPTER UAS Strengthens Greek FDI Frigate Capabilities

In an exclusive interview with Naval News at Defence Exhibition Athens (DEFEA) 2025, Lubos Sramek, Sales Director for Europe at Schiebel, shared key insights into the S-100 CAMCOPTER Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Air System (UAS), which is set to equip Hellenic Navy’s future Kimon -class (FDI HN) multi-mission frigates. The S-100, CAMCOPTER developed by Austrian manufacturer Schiebel, has been selected for integration with Naval Group’s SETIS combat management system (CMS) aboard Greek FDI HN frigates, significantly enhancing the ships’ operational capabilities across multiple domains. While the contract has not yet been signed, it is expected to be finalized in the coming months. My story for Naval News, here.

Naval Group & HAI Sign MoU for FDI Frigate C-UAS capabilities

At DEFEA 2025, Naval News learned that Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Naval Group to integrate the combat-proven CENTAUR counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) aboard the Hellenic Navy’s Kimon-class (FDI HN) frigates, with plans to extend the integration to other surface vessels, including the French Navy’s FDI frigates. This agreement aims to enhance the frigates’ capabilities with a fully integrated solution for countering the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems—from detection to interception. Naval News visited HAI’s booth and obtained details on the final industrialized version of the CENTAUR system, whose prototype has been successfully deployed in the Red Sea and is currently in service aboard Hydra-class (MEKO 200HN) frigates, demonstrating strong performance against UAV threats. HAI also unveiled a new lightweight and compact C-UAS system, named IPERION, which was presented to the public for the first time. My story for Naval News, here.