US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea
The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond, returning to Portsmouth. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
UK Minister for Defence Procurement Maria Eagle has launched a new bidding framework that will allow British small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to bid for work on MoD contracts to supply parts for warships and submarines.
The framework will apply to more than 180,000 different parts and items of equipment required in surface vessel and submarine building, fitting projects around the world.
The plan is designed to kill two birds with one initiative, boosting RN fleet readiness while also stimulating the SME section of the UK economy.
SMEs under the scheme will be able to bid for work under a seven-year framework
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The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
With ongoing market research to find potential shipyards for building LCUs, NAVSEA intends to issue a request for proposals for the programme next year.
While the Australian government insists the investment is predominantly aimed at strengthening the country’s defence capabilities, the upgrade also bodes well for the AUKUS pact which Australia’s defence minister said “is going well”.
The USCG exercised a $507 million contract option for the acquisition of 10 extra FRCs. This new order will raise the total number of Sentinel-class vessels procured by the service from 67 to 77.
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.