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MS DAILY BRIEF – APRIL 18 th, 2025
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Daily appearance Monday-Saturday 10 AM (GMT +2)
Some information is presented when possible from several sources
Announcement: from April 19-21 we will not publish our news
Contents
BREAKING: Gazans REVOLT against Hamas; IDF eliminates HUNDREDS of terrorists | TBN ISRAEL 1
Ukraine update | Ukraine stopped the biggest Russian attack | Russian tactics a total failure 1
Meloni says Trump to visit Rome after Washington talks on tariffs. 1
Trump news at a glance: president targets Harvard, threatens tax-exempt status. 2
US air strikes on Yemen’s Houthi oil harbour in Yemen kill dozens of people. 5
We will take on Trump, says Mark Carney in Canada’s second election debate. 6
US introduces new harbour dues for Beijing-bound ships to ‘reverse Chinese domination. 8
Giorgia Meloni whispers soothing words to Trump on ‘Western nationalism.. 9
Ukraine war briefing: China arming Russia and building weapons on its territory, says Zelenskyy 12
Macron hosts ‘excellent’ ceasefire talks with senior US, European and Ukrainian officials. 13
Chinese Z-10 helicopter lands on civilian ship in viral video – 17 April 2025. 16
Two dead and nine missing after Chinese sand carrier overturns – 16 April 2025. 20
Trump administration halts construction of Equinor’s New York offshore wind farm – 16 April 2025 21
Louisiana shipbuilder Gulf Craft has been acquired to build autonomous vessels. 22
Piracy incidents up nearly 35% in Q1 across the Singapore Strait 23
North Korean missile shipments to Russia continue, but may have peaked. 24
Philippines says Chinese gliders were used for covert mapping. 25
US deploys anti-ship missiles near Taiwan in the Luzon Strait – 17/04/2025. 26
What a militarised Svalbard would mean for Russia – 17 April 2025. 28
Textron Systems awarded contract to support USV MCM craft – 17 April 2025. 30
Fincantieri and TKMS partner on submarine project in the Philippines. 31
9th FREMM frigate “Spartaco Schergat” delivered to the Italian Navy. 32
Netherlands looks to buy new SDVs for its special forces. 34
Pakistan Navy introduces fourth OPV PNS Yamama (built in Galati/Romania) 35
Russia’s Arctic oil exports to China surged helped by STS transfers, sources say – 17 April 2025 37
BREAKING: Gazans REVOLT against Hamas; IDF eliminates HUNDREDS of terrorists | TBN ISRAEL
Ukraine update | Ukraine stopped the biggest Russian attack | Russian tactics a total failure
Meloni says Trump to visit Rome after Washington talks on tariffs
Trump praises Italian PM and accepts invitation that could present chance to meet other European leaders
Angela Giuffrida in Rome and agencies
Thu 17 Apr 2025 20.46 CEST
Giorgia Meloni said Donald Trump had accepted her invitation for an official trip to Rome, as the two met in Washington in a bid by the Italian PM to bridge the gap between the EU and the US amid tensions over trade tariffs.
Meloni said Trump’s trip could take place “in the near future” and could be an opportunity for him to meet other European leaders.
“The goal for me is to make the West great again,” Meloni said.
Trump opened Thursday’s summit from the Oval Office by saying Meloni “is doing a fantastic job” and that she “has taken Europe by storm”, adding that she “has become a friend”.
Mr Trump and Ms Meloni have previously expressed optimism that the EU-US trade conflict will be resolved. The EU is facing import tariffs of 25% on steel, aluminium and cars, as well as higher tariffs on almost all other goods, in line with Trump’s policy of hitting countries he says impose high barriers on US imports.
“I am sure we can reach an agreement and I am here to help,” Meloni said ahead of the summit.
Trump said he generally expected to make an announcement on trade deals, but that he was in no rush. “We’re going to have very little trouble striking a deal with Europe or anybody else because we have something that everybody wants,” Trump said.
Before leaving for Washington, Meloni discussed the summit with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Germany’s outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and his successor, Friedrich Merz, have also discussed meeting Meloni, according to reports in the German edition of Politico . Scholz failed to secure a meeting with Trump, and Merz’s request is reportedly pending.
Meloni has previously described Trump’s tariffs on EU goods as “wrong”, but appears to be taking a more cautious approach as she manages a delicate balancing act between her political ideals, which are closer to Trump’s, and Italy’s role in the EU.
The meeting has caused concern among some of Italy’s European allies, as well as Meloni’s domestic opposition, amid fears that their rapprochement risks jeopardising the bloc’s united approach to tariffs and other issues.
Enrico Borghi, a politician from the centrist Italia Viva party, said in a TV programme: “The opposition’s advice is for the prime minister to return home with reopened negotiations between the US and the EU that will guarantee a framework of relative calm for our economic and productive system, which has been weakened by what is a real trade war.”
Italy is the EU’s third biggest exporter to the US. Meloni’s office has denied that it would seek special tariff exemptions for Italian products. Italy has strong economic ties with the US that go beyond exports, including foreign direct investment.
The summit was expected to address Trump’s demand that NATO partners increase military spending to 2 per cent of GDP. Italy’s is at 1.49 per cent, among the lowest in Europe.
This was Meloni’s third visit to the White House, the previous two occasions having taken place during Joe Biden’s administration.
She will return to Rome in time to meet on Friday with Trump’s vice-president JD Vance, whose blistering attack on Europe at the Munich security conference in February was defended by her.
Mr Vance will also meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, during his Easter weekend visit.
Trump news at a glance: president targets Harvard, threatens tax-exempt status
The IRS reportedly plans to revoke Harvard’s tax exemption, a move that would cost the university millions – the top stories in US politics on Thursday 17 April at a glance
Guardian staff
Friday 18 April 2025 02.06 02.06 CEST
The Trump administration has targeted Harvard, with President Trump calling for the university’s tax-exempt status to be revoked, despite the likely illegality of the threat.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reportedly plans to enforce the president’s request, a measure that would cost Harvard millions of dollars each year.
The move is part of an ongoing battle and represents a significant escalation of Trump’s assault on Harvard and his aggressive and multi-pronged attack higher education institutions. White has urged Harvard to change its hiring, teaching and admissions practices to help combat anti-Semitism on campus.
Harvard said it has taken steps to address the issue and has received support from institutions such as Stanford University and other schools united in support of academic freedom.
Here are the main news in brief:
IRS plans to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status – reports
The IRS is reportedly planning to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status in what would likely be an illegal measure in the context of Donald Trump’s concerted attack on the independence of US higher education institutions.
Ábrego García’s wife rejects ‘violent’ portrayals by Trump officials
The wife of Kilmar Ábrego García , the Maryland man illegally deported to a mega-prison in El Salvador , has vehemently criticised the Trump administration’s attempt to smear his character, saying a temporary restraining order against him was “out of an abundance of caution” and that “he is a loving partner and father” who is being denied justice.
Luigi Mangione indicted on federal murder charges in health CEO’s slaying
Luigi Mangione was indicted Thursday on federal murder charges in the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last year, a necessary step for prosecutors to seek the death penalty.
The indictment returned by a grand jury in Manhattan federal court also charges Mangione with two counts of harassment and a firearms charge.
Trump condemns Fed chair on interest rates
Donald Trump on Thursday morning condemned Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for not cutting US interest rates and expressed his desire for him to step down from his post. The US president attacked Powell as “always too late and wrong” in a post on his social media platform Truth.
SpaceX is favourite to build Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’
Elon and Musk’s SpaceX two partners have emerged as favourites to win a crucial part of Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defence shield, six people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Booker to visit El Salvador in bid to repatriate wrongfully deported man
Cory Booker plans to travel to El Salvador , said a source familiar with the New Jersey senator’s itinerary, as Democrats try to pressure the Trump administration to return a wrongfully deported Maryland resident.
Meloni says Trump to visit Rome after Washington talks
Giorgia Meloni says Donald Trump has accepted her invitation for an official visit to Rome, after the two met in Washington as the Italian prime minister seeks to bridge the gap between the EU and the US amid tensions over trade tariffs.
What else happened today:
- A Turkish PhD student detained after co-authoring an editorial on Gaza was denied bail by a Massachusetts immigration judge.
- Trump’s new media firm has asked market regulators to investigate “suspicious activity” after a London-based hedge fund revealed a vast bet against its shares.
- Two people were killed Thursday in a mass shooting on the campus of Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, and six others were injured, police said. ” It’s horrible that things like this happen ,” the US president said.
,,,, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/trump-administration-news-updates-today
US air strikes on Yemen’s Houthi oil harbour in Yemen kill dozens of people
If confirmed, the death toll would make the strikes on Ras Isa harbour one of the deadliest in the month-long US campaign
Agents
Fri 18 Apr 2025 05.11 05.11 CEST
US airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen have killed 33 people and wounded 80 others, Houthi-led media reported on Friday morning, which if confirmed would mark one of the deadliest days in the campaign launched under US President Trump, which has involved hundreds of strikes since 15 March.
The strikes hit the oil port of Ras Isa and were aimed at depriving the rebels of “illegal revenues that have funded Houthi efforts to terrorise the entire region for over 10 years”, the US military’s Central Command said.
“This strike was not meant to harm the Yemeni people, who rightly want to escape the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live in peace,” he added. He did not recognise any casualties.
The satellite news channel al-Houthi al-Masirah broadcast graphic images of the aftermath of the attack, showing bodies strewn on the ground. It claimed paramedics and civilian workers at the port were killed in the attack, which caused a massive explosion and fires.
On 9 April, the US State Department issued a warning about oil supplies to Yemen. “The United States will not tolerate any country or commercial entity that provides support to foreign terrorist organisations such as the Houthis, including unloading ships and supplying oil to Houthi-controlled ports,” it said.
An Associated Press analysis found that the new US operation against the Houthis under Donald Trump appears broader than under former President Joe Biden, with Washington moving from exclusively targeting launch sites to firing on senior personnel and dropping bombs on cities.
The new campaign of air strikes began after rebels threatened to start targeting “Israeli” ships again because Israel is blocking aid from entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.
From November 2023 to January this year, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant ships with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. They have also unsuccessfully launched attacks targeting US warships.
The US campaign shows no sign of letting up as the Trump administration has also linked its air strikes on the Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.
With Associated Press and Reuters
We will take on Trump, says Mark Carney in Canada’s second election debate
The PM is focussing on the threat from beyond the border, while most polls show his Liberals leading Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party in a tight race
Agence France-Presse
Friday 18 April 2025 05.17 05.17 CEST
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney faced sustained attacks from his Conservative rival in an election debate on Thursday, but the Liberal leader tried to focus attention on what he calls Canada’s main threat: US President Donald Trump.
Most opinion polls show Pierre Poilievrevre’s Conservative Party trailing Carney’s Liberals ahead of the 28 April vote to elect Canada’s federal government.
The race remains close, however, and Poilievre worked hard in the English-language debate to halt the Liberals’ momentum, which has grown since Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister on 14 March. They also debated Wednesday night in French, Canada’s other official language.
Trump’s annexation trade war and threats of have provoked widespread outrage in Canada, and the Conservative leader has been criticised for directing his anger entirely at the Liberals instead of attacking Washington.
As the campaign has evolved, Poilievre has increasingly tried to do both: condemning Trump while accusing the Liberals of weakening the economy during Trudeau’s decade in power and leaving Canada vulnerable to hostile US policies.
He continued that strategy in Thursday’s debate, accusing the Liberals of giving “Donald Trump and the US almost a monopoly on our energy” by refusing to build pipelines that could allow Canadian oil to be exported abroad.
The 45-year-old Poilievre, who has served in parliament for two decades, has consistently sought to categorise Carney as an extension of Trudeau, who became deeply unpopular towards the end of his term. “The question you have to ask yourself is, after a decade of Liberal promises, can you afford food? Is your housing more affordable than it used to be?” Poilievre asked.
“How could we think you [Carney] are any different from the previous 10 years of Liberal government?” Poilievre added, saying repeatedly that Carney was “Justin Trudeau’s economic adviser.”
Addressing the Conservative leader, Carney said, “I know you want to run against Justin Trudeau. Justin Trudeau is not here.”
Throughout the evening, Carney tried to refocus attention on Trump.
“The biggest risk we have to this economy is Donald Trump,” said the 60-year-old former central banker, who has never served in parliament and never held elected public office.
Trump, he added, “is trying to destroy us so he can own us”.
“We will all stand up against Donald Trump. I am ready.”
Carney was also criticised by the other two party leaders on stage, Jagmeet Singh, head of the left-wing New Democracy party, and Yves-Francois Blanchet, leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois.
They both criticised Carney for his years in the private sector, including at Canada’s big Brookfield corporation, questioning whether the Liberal leader could advocate for workers given his background.
Carney spent the early part of his career as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs.
Carney replied that his private sector experience would help him in government, but rejected suggestions that his loyalties would be divided.
“I am on the Canadian side,” he said.
On 6 January, the day Trudeau said he would resign, the Liberals trailed the Conservatives by 24 points, according to public broadcaster CBC’s polling aggregator.
On Thursday, CBC data put Liberal support at 43.3 per cent and Conservative support at 38 per cent.
US introduces new harbour dues for Beijing-bound ships to ‘reverse Chinese domination
Under the new rules, per-tonnage or per-container fees will apply to every voyage to the US by China-bound vessels
Agence France-Presse
Fri 18 Apr 2025 03.49 03.49 CEST
The US has unveiled new harbour dues on Chinese-built and operated ships in a bid boost the country’s shipbuilding industry and reduce China’s dominance in the sector.
The move – which stems from an investigation launched under the previous administration – comes as the US and China are locked in a major trade war over President Donald Trump’s tariffs and could further escalate tensions.
“Ships and shipping are vital to American economic security and the free flow of trade,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement on Thursday announcing the new tariffs, most of which will begin in mid-October.
“The Trump administration’s actions will begin to reverse Chinese dominance, address threats to the US supply chain, and send a demand signal for US-built ships,” Greer said.
Under the new rule, tonnage or container charges will apply to every voyage to the US by Chinese-bound ships, rather than every port, as some in the industry feared.
The fee will be levied up to five times a year and can be waived if the shipowner orders a US-built ship.
Dominant after the Second World War, the US shipbuilding industry has gradually declined and now accounts for just 0.1% of world output.
The sector is dominated by Asia, with China building almost half of all ships launched, ahead of South Korea and Japan. The three countries account for more than 95% of civilian shipbuilding, according to UN figures.
There will be separate fees for Chinese-operated ships and Chinese-built ships, and both will gradually increase in the coming years.
For ships built in China, the tax starts at $18 per net tonne (NT) or $120 per container – meaning a ship with 15 000 containers could incur a tax of $1.8m.
In March, US groups representing 30 industries expressed concern about the risks such tariffs could have on prices of imported goods.
One company interviewed by the groups expressed concern that the proposed tariffs, along with tariffs on China and other countries, as well as tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, would put “tremendous pressure on US retailers”.
All car carriers built outside the US will also be hit with a tax starting in 180 days.
Washington is also introducing new taxes on liquefied natural gas (LNG) transporters, although these don’t come into effect for three years.
A fact sheet accompanying the announcement says the duties will not cover “shipping on the Great Lakes or in the Caribbean, shipping to and from US territories, or bulk cargo exports on vessels arriving in the United States empty”.
In addition to duties, Greer also announced proposed tariffs on some ship-to-shore cranes and Chinese cargo-handling equipment.
Giorgia Meloni whispers soothing words to Trump on ‘Western nationalism
Italy’s president and prime minister spoke a common language – but for a discordant moment on Ukraine
Robert Tait in Washington
Thu 17 Apr 2025 23.51 CEST
She was welcomed to the White House with open arms, as few other foreign visitors have been since Donald Trump‘s return, and Giorgia Meloni wanted to reassure her host that – at least in terms of their political worldview – they spoke a common language.
The Prime Minister of Italy, whose Italian Brothers party hasits roots in neo-fascism , was keen to emphasise that she shared many things in common with the man who had just greeted her as a “friend” whom “everyone loves…. and respects”.
Fares were a small problem. But between friends? Hey, that can be arranged.
Even though Italy boasts one of Europe’s biggest trade surpluses with the US, such disagreements could be resolved by resorting to the previously unshakeable creed of “Western nationalism”, Meloni argued, speaking in confident, slightly accented English, though she admitted she didn’t know if that was “the right word”.
“I know that when I talk about the West, mainly, I’m not talking about geographic space. I’m talking about civilisation, and I want to make that civilisation stronger,” she said, in terms that the president and his accompanying cabinet members-cum-courtiers have surely absorbed.
“So I think even though we have some problems between the two sides of the Atlantic, it’s time to try to sit down and find solutions.”
After all, Meloni emphasised, they were on the same side when it came to an existential struggle, “the fight against the woke ideology and the ADI [sic] that would like to erase our history”.
The acronym was a bit confusing. Did she mean DEI? But no matter, her audience got the general gist.
Meloni, 48, has been labelled “Trump’s whisperer in Europe” – considered capable of awakening hidden angels of his nature that other European leaders cannot touch. She has spent time at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s residence in Florida, and was the only European leader invited to his inauguration in January.
Here in the Oval Office, the whispers had a soothing effect. The President smiled indulgently, before launching into a few “weaves” during which he attacked Joe Biden, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates, Biden again, the “activist judges” who were blocking his deportation programme, then Powell again.
But it was standard Trump. The man who publicly bashed Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, and who barely tolerated Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer on their White House visits was the picture of a gracious host.
Even JD Vance – whose rude interventions blew up Zelenskyy’s visit and nearly did the same to Starmer’s – kept his mouth shut, proof that everything was going smoothly.
Then he threatened disaster.
An Italian journalist insisted on asking the Prime Minister a question in her native Italian. Mama mia!
On Cam: Meloni translator stutters after Trump asks her to talk about Nato, Zelensky and Ukraine war
Meloni looked disgusted. They weren’t all supposed to be Western nationalists here, defenders of the same civilisation. Why emphasise the differences?
Meloni played the role reluctantly, her features relaxing slightly as she launched into a lengthy speech, but her body language betrayed her as she lifted both feet off the ground, one crossed leg bending behind the other. Trump watched her intently all the while.
When he finished, an American journalist tried to ask another question, but Trump interjected: “No, wait, I want to hear what you said.”
It was the turn of Meloni’s interpreter standing nearby to reveal: ‘Prime Minister Meloni was asked … what she thinks about President Trump holding Zelenskyy responsible for the war in Ukraine.”
It was a jarring but key moment – and the Prime Minister knew it. As the interpreter tried to carry on, Meloni – perhaps sensing that this is unsafe territory, not least because, for the most part, she was left with Western support for Ukraine that Trump is on the verge of abandoning – took over interpreting her own response.
She confined her explanation to a pledge to increase Italy’s contributions to Nato, which currently stand at less than 1.5 per cent – well below the agreed minimum of 2 per cent and well below the 5 per cent level Trump has been demanding of late.
Then it was the president’s turn. “I don’t hold Zelenskyy responsible,” he said, a retreat from his previous false accusations that Ukraine started the war . “But I’m not really happy that the war has started. I’m not happy with anyone involved.”
If anyone was to blame, he continued, it was Biden – the implicit scapegoat for any mistakes – because, after all, everyone knew the war would never have started if Trump had still been president.
No blame was attributed to “President Putin”, the man who was actually responsible for starting the war. “Now I’m trying to make him stop,” Trump said.
For the unfortunate Zelenskyy, widely praised in the West for standing firm in defence of his country when it came under attack, there was little mercy.
“I don’t blame him. But what I’m saying is I don’t think he did the best job, okay? I’m not a big fan, I’m really not.”
It was a telling moment for just how far the centre of gravity of the West has shifted in the few weeks since Trump’s return to power. And an uncomfortable one, even for Meloni.
Then the conversation shifted to the common ground of fighting migration – and back to whispering again.
,,,, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/giorgia-meloni-trump-meeting
Ukraine war briefing: China arming Russia and building weapons on its territory, says Zelenskyy
As much Russian shelling during ceasefire, says Ukrainian president. What we know on day 1,150
Warren Murray and the agencies
Friday 18 April 2025 02.36 02.36 CEST
- China supplies arms to Russia, including gunpowder and artillery, and Chinese representatives are involved in arms production on Russian territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday, citing reports by Ukrainian security and intelligence agencies. “We are ready to talk in detail about this,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine expects to share documentation supporting the allegations next week.
- Mr Zelenskyy said: ‘We have finally received information that China is supplying arms to the Russian Federation. … We believe that Chinese representatives are involved in the production of weapons on Russian territory … We see cooperation between these two countries in this area and we have to recognise that it is happening.” The Associated Press could not confirm Zelenskyy’s statement. At the time of writing, China had not responded to the latest allegations, but Beijing has consistently denied arming Russia against Ukraine.
- Mr Zelenskyy said that Russia had reduced the number of attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, but stepped up attacks on civilian infrastructure. Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kiev that in total, Russia has launched the same number of missiles and drones on Ukraine as before. “They have reduced their attacks on energy. This is a fact. But we wanted to be careful about this – Russia has not reduced the number of strikes, this was the strategy … by reducing [strikes on] energy, they are striking other civilian infrastructure.”
- Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, on Thursday accused Ukraine in the Security Council of ignoring the energy ceasefire. In a joint statement after the Council meeting, Slovenia, Denmark, France, Greece and the UK urged Russia to accept a full and unconditional ceasefire. Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, said: “Ukraine wants peace and demonstrated this by accepting a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire five weeks ago. At today’s consultations, Russia again rejected the full ceasefire and refused to take the first step towards peace.”
- Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Thursday that Kiev has signed a “memorandum of intent” with Washington on a planned “investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine”. US President Donald Trump said they would sign a minerals deal “next Thursday”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told AFP that an agreement was targeted for 26 April.
- Top negotiators from the “E3” grouping of Britain, France and Germany are due to meet again in London next week with their US counterparts, after Donald Tfinally with European foreign ministers on ceasefire efforts . “What’s new is that the United States, Ukraine and the Europeans met around the same table,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said after Paris hosted the German, British and US foreign ministers and Trump’s friend Steve Witkoff and a Ukrainian delegation on Thursday.
- “The E3 are around the table and we are doing it with a European ambition,” a senior adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said after Thursday’s talks at the Élysée Palace. “What is important is that we have started today in Paris a process that is positive and in which the Europeans are associated.” Marco Rubio, Trump’s secretary of state, held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the US State Department said.
Macron hosts ‘excellent’ ceasefire talks with senior US, European and Ukrainian officials
Top diplomats to meet again in London next week after ‘very productive’ Paris summit to relaunch stalled efforts
Jon Henley and Kim Willsher in Paris
Thursday 17 April 2025 23.26 23.26 CEST
Senior US, European and Ukrainian diplomats will meet again in London next week, the Élysée Palace has announced, after what a French official described as an “excellent” day of talks in Paris aimed at reviving stalled ceasefire efforts.
“We have started a positive process in which the Europeans are part of,” the spokesman said after meetings attended by senior British, French, German and Ukrainian officials, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The French official said, “The Americans are ready to discuss security guarantees, but the exact content of these guarantees will depend on the negotiations that will enable Ukraine to achieve a solid and lasting peace, starting with a complete ceasefire as soon as possible.”
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the talks as Washington and Europe seek common ground on how to end the fighting three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, with Trump’s pledge to end the war quickly so far unfulfilled.
“Everyone wants peace. A robust and lasting peace. The question is about phasing,” Macron said at the start of the talks. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, who also attended, later said the talks were “very productive” but did not elaborate.
A previously unannounced team of Ukrainian officials, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and the country’s foreign and defence ministers flew in to meet the US and European delegations.
Mr Yermak said: ‘We exchanged views on the next steps … including the implementation of a full ceasefire, the involvement of a multinational military contingent and the development of an effective security architecture for Ukraine.’
In Kyiv, Zelenskyy criticised Witkoff’s message, saying he believed the US envoy “took over the Russian side’s strategy”. He added: “I think he is very dangerous, because he – consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know – is spreading Russian narratives.”
Rubio wrote on social media that the US delegation in Paris was seeking “real, practical solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine war”. He spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday, a US State Department spokesman said.
“President Trump and the United States want this war to end and have now presented to all parties the broad outlines of a lasting and durable peace,” the spokesman said. “The encouraging reception in Paris of the US framework shows that peace is possible if all parties are committed to reaching an agreement.”
Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskyy said pressure must be put on Moscow to demand an end to the fighting. “Russia uses every day and night to kill,” he said. “We must put pressure on the killers … to put an end to this war and guarantee a lasting peace.”
The Élysée spokesman said the purpose of the meetings was “to enable Ukraine to better understand the US proposals”, adding that the fact that Rubio, Witkoff and Kellogg attended “shows that they recognise the important role of the Europeans”.
Macron spoke by phone with Zelenskyy before the talks, the French president’s office said. He later greeted Witkoff and Rubio before a joint lunch. Before that, his foreign policy adviser Emmanuel Bonne and his British and German counterparts met Yermak.
Trump has expressed frustration with both Moscow and Kiev, but European leaders’ concern has grown as the US president has piled pressure and criticism on Zelenskyy while repeatedly making diplomatic overtures to Vladimir Putin.
From left to right: Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio and US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz in talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia last month. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Moscow said the Paris meeting was a chance for Mr Witkoff to brief European officials on the current state of the peace talks, although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had so far seen only “an emphasis on continuing the war” from the Europeans.
Russia’s chief economic negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, said “certain countries” are trying to derail Moscow’s talks with the US. Mr Macron’s office said the Paris meetings hoped to “examine progress in peace talks aimed at ending Russian aggression in Ukraine”.
Kiev and its EU allies say Moscow is to blame for rejecting Trump’s ceasefire proposal last month. They hope to persuade the US to take a tougher stance, especially after a Russian attack on the city of Sumy on Sunday that killed at least 35 civilians.
France, Britain and Germany were taken by surprise when Trump opened talks on improving relations directly with Russia, but sought a coordinated European response on protecting Ukraine during the conflict and any ceasefire.
Britain and France, backed by a “coalition of the willing”, have proposed that a mainly European “reassurance” force could be deployed to Ukraine if a ceasefire begins. However, many European leaders say such a force would need US backing.
A French diplomatic source said earlier that Mr Rubio and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot would discuss “the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear dossier”. The trip is Rubio’s third to Europe since taking office.
After talks in Paris, Witkoff plans to fly to Rome for a second round of talks on Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Iran’s nuclear programme. On Saturday, the two met for 45 minutes in Oman.
Both sides described the talks as positive while recognising that any agreement was remote. On Monday, Trump said that he believes Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal and that he is willing to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities if an agreement is not reached.
A meeting with national security advisers at the White House on Tuesday focused on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The US president has resumed a campaign of “maximum pressure” on Tehran since February, after he scrapped a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions during his first term.
Separately in Washington, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed efforts for a “lasting peace” in Ukraine with his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu, the Pentagon said. Hegseth called it an “excellent” meeting.
“We discussed the imperative need for Europeans to meet a commitment of 5% of defence spending to restore deterrence with ready, lethal conventional forces,” Hegseth said. Mr Lecornu described the talks as “productive”.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
Chinese Z-10 helicopter lands on civilian ship in viral video – 17 April 2025
A video circulating on social media platform X has captured the attention of military analysts and observers around the world. It shows a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) Z-10 attack helicopter practising landing and taking off from a merchant ship.
Video screenshot
This footage, believed to have been recorded recently, suggests that the Chinese military is exploring innovative ways to improve its amphibious capabilities, potentially in preparation for operations in the Taiwan Strait or other contested maritime regions.
The exercise highlights an evolving strategy that integrates civilian assets into military logistics, raising questions about the broader operational ambitions of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the challenges it faces in executing such complex manoeuvres.
While the video does not explicitly confirm plans for an invasion of Taiwan, it highlights a growing emphasis on hybrid tactics that blur the boundaries between military and civilian assets, a development that could reshape the strategic calculus in the Indo-Pacific.
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The Z-10, officially known as the CAIC WZ-10 [Wuzhuang Zhisheng-10, or Armoured Helicopter-10], is a modern attack helicopter developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation for PLAGF.
Entering service around 2011, it is designed to provide close air support, anti-armour capabilities and reconnaissance for ground forces. The helicopter measures about 46 feet long, with a rotor diameter of about 39 feet and has a maximum take-off weight of about 7,000 pounds.
Powered by two WZ-9 turbocharged engines, each producing about 1,000 kilowatts, the Z-10 achieves a top speed of about 168 miles per hour and a combat range of about 200 miles without external fuel tanks.
Its standard armament includes a 23mm automatic cannon mounted in a chin turret, capable of firing up to 800 rounds per minute, and fixed points for up to eight air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles, such as the HJ-10 anti-tank missile with a range of up to 7 kilometres.
The helicopter can also carry missile pods and, as seen in the video, is equipped with two external fuel tanks that extend its operational range significantly, potentially to over 400 miles, depending on payload and conditions. The Z-10’s avionics suite includes advanced fire control systems, night vision capabilities and electronic countermeasures, making it a formidable platform for both day and night operations.
Compared to its Western counterparts, such as the US Army’s AH-64 Apache, the Z-10 is lighter and less armoured, but offers comparable firepower and agility tailored to the PLAGF’s operational needs.
The significance of the Z-10’s appearance in the video lies not only in its technical capabilities, but also in its role in a broader strategic context. The PLAGF has expanded its rotary-wing aviation over the past two decades, with aviation brigades now integrated into its group armies to enhance mobility and firepower.
The exercise depicted in the video demonstrates an attempt to adapt these assets for maritime operations, a relatively new area for the PLAGF, which has traditionally focused on land-based campaigns.
Landing a helicopter on a commercial vessel presents unique challenges, including the need for precise pilot training to cope with unstable deck conditions, the risk of hull corrosion in salt water, and the logistical complexities of coordinating fuel and maintenance at sea.
Unlike military vessels, such as the PLA Navy’s Type 075 amphibious assault ships, which are designed with dedicated flight decks and hangars, commercial ships have no such infrastructure, requiring improvised solutions such as temporary deck markings and portable refuelling equipment.
A 2020 exercise reported by Janes showed PLAGF Z-8 and Z-19 helicopters landing on a semi-submersible heavy-lift ship, the Zhen Hua 28, indicating that the PLA has been experimenting with such tactics for at least five years.
The integration of merchant ships into military operations reflects a cornerstone of China’s military-civilian fusion strategy, which seeks to harness civilian infrastructure for strategic advantage. The PLA has a history of using roll-on, roll-off [RO-RO] ferries, roll-off [RO-RO] and other merchant vessels to augment its amphibious lift capability.
For example, a 2022 exercise observed by the US Naval Institute involved civilian ferries such as the Bohai Hengtong serving as mother ships for landing craft, demonstrating the PLA’s ability to transport vehicles and troops across the Taiwan Strait. These vessels, such as the Bohai Mazhu, have a displacement of up to 35,000 tonnes and can carry hundreds of vehicles and thousands of troops, providing significant logistical support.
However, unlike dedicated amphibious ships, such as the Type 071 or Type 075, which are equipped with advanced command and control systems and defensive weaponry, merchant ships are vulnerable to attack. Taiwan’s arsenal of anti-ship missiles, including the Hsiung Feng III, which has a range of up to 400 kilometres, could target these slow-moving ships, disrupting PLA operations before they reach their targets.
Historically, the PLA’s amphibious capabilities have been a focal point of its modernisation efforts, particularly since the 1990s when tensions with Taiwan escalated. The PLAGF’s combined amphibious brigades, restructured from divisions in the 2017 reforms, are designed for rapid deployment and cross-strait operations.
These units, six in number in the Eastern and Southern Theatre Commands, are equipped with modern amphibious vehicles, such as the ZBD05, which can swim several kilometres offshore. The PLA’s emphasis on amphibious training intensified after the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis, when US carrier battle groups deterred Chinese aggression, exposing gaps in PLA power projection.
Since then, the PLA has invested heavily in building a navy capable of challenging US dominance, with the PLAN now operating over 300 ships, including advanced amphibious platforms. The Type 075, for example, displaces 40,000 tonnes and can carry up to 30 helicopters and 1,000 troops, rivaling the US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ships.
The use of merchant ships as temporary flight decks for helicopters such as the Z-10 suggests that the PLA is preparing for scenarios in which its dedicated amphibious fleet may be insufficient or unavailable. The Taiwan Strait, about 100 miles wide at its narrowest point, presents a formidable logistical challenge known as the “tyranny of distance.”
Even with extended-range fuel tanks, the Z-10’s ability to strafe or provide sustained support over such distances is limited, requiring holding points ahead. Merchant ships could serve as floating bases for refuelling and rearming, extending the operational range of PLAGF aviation units. However, this approach carries significant risks.
Merchant ships lack the radar and defensive systems of military vessels, making them susceptible to detection and attack by Taiwan’s air defences or US naval forces in a conflict. Moreover, coordination of operations between the PLAGF, PLAN, and PLA Air Force remains a challenge, as joint exercises have historically revealed problems with integration between the services.
The strategic implications of Z-10 training extend beyond a potential invasion of Taiwan. The PLA’s growing expertise in maritime operations could allow it to project power into other contested regions, such as the South China Sea, where China claims vast territorial waters.
Exercises like the one shown in the video can also serve as a deterrent, signalling to adversaries that the PLA can quickly mobilise a flexible, hybrid force. This aligns with China’s broader military modernisation goals set for 2027, the PLA’s founding centenary, which include achieving a “world-class” military by 2049.
PLAGF’s investment in attack helicopters, with some 300 Z-10s in service, reflects a shift towards highly mobile, technology-intensive forces capable of operating in diverse environments.
Comparing the Z-10 with other attack helicopters provides insight into its role and limitations. The AH-64 Apache, with a heavier structure and advanced sensors such as the Longbow radar, excels in anti-armour and deep strike missions, but requires robust logistical support.
Russia’s Mi-28 Havoc, used extensively in Ukraine, has similarities to the Z-10 in its focus on close air support, but has faced significant losses in modern air defences such as the US-supplied Stinger missile.
The Z-10’s reliance on long-range missiles, such as the HJ-10, gives it an advantage in confrontational combat, but its lighter armour makes it vulnerable to ground fire, especially in a contested environment such as the Taiwan Strait, where Taiwan is deploying advanced Patriot and Sky Bow III air defence systems.
The PLAGF’s decision to train the Z-10 for maritime operations may reflect an attempt to compensate for these vulnerabilities by prioritising mobility and flexibility over direct confrontation.
The risks of using attack helicopters in amphibious operations are well documented. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ka-52 Alligator helicopters suffered heavy losses to Ukrainian MANPADs and radar guided missiles, highlighting the dangers of operating rotary-wing aircraft in air defence saturated environments.
The Taiwanese military, supported by US arms sales, has a layered defence network that could pose similar threats to the Z-10. Commercial ships, while offering logistical advantages, exacerbate these risks by serving as large, unprotected targets.
The PLA’s ability to protect these assets would largely depend on PLAN surface combatants and the PLAAF’s ability to achieve air superiority, both of which are untested in a high-intensity conflict.
Geopolitically, PLA training activities are taking place amid heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan has increased its defence spending to $19 billion in 2025, focusing on asymmetric capabilities such as mobile missile groups and unmanned systems.
The US, in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, continues to provide military aid, including Harpoon anti-ship missiles and F-16V fighter jets, while conducting regular freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait. Japan and Australia have also deepened their security co-operation, seeing China’s military buildup as a regional threat.
PLA exercises, including those involving civilian assets, can be designed to test the resolve of this coalition as it refines its own operational concepts. As noted K. Tristan Tang, a research associate at the Research Project on China’s Defence Affairs, the PLA is “using the enemy to train the troops” by taking advantage of Taiwan’s defensive responses to gain intelligence about its capabilities.
From a historical perspective, PLA integration of civilian assets draws parallels with past conflicts. During World War II, Allied forces reused merchant ships to transport troops and logistics, although these ships were often escorted by heavily armed warships.
The PLA approach is unique in its reliance on merchant ships as active platforms for military operations, a tactic that complicates targeting decisions for adversaries. This strategy also raises legal and ethical questions, as attacking civilian ships, even those supporting military operations, could violate international law and escalate a conflict.
The video of the Z-10 landing on a merchant ship offers a glimpse of the PLA’s evolving doctrine, one that prioritises adaptability and ingenuity in the face of logistical and strategic challenges. By combining civilian and military assets, the PLA aims to overcome the limitations of its amphibious fleet and extend its operational reach. However, this approach is not without flaws.
The vulnerability of merchant shipping, the complexity of joint operations and the strength of Taiwan’s defences present formidable obstacles. For the US and its allies, the exercise highlights the need for improved intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to monitor China’s hybrid tactics. It also underlines the importance of supporting Taiwan’s asymmetric defences, which could disrupt PLA plans before they reach land.
As the PLA continues to hone its capabilities, the question remains: can its adversaries adapt quickly enough to counter this unconventional approach, or will China’s fusion of civilian and military power redefine the battlefield in the Taiwan Strait and beyond?
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Two dead and nine missing after overturning of Chinese sand carrier – 16 April 2025
Rescuers are trying to find survivors after a Chinese-operated sand carrier capsized off the coast of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.
The sand carrier Hong Hai 16 was operating Tuesday morning off Barangay Malawaan in moderate seas. At around 05:20, the vessel capsized; the cause of the casualty is still under investigation.
The ship had 25 crew members. Fourteen were rescued alive by first responders, including six Filipino nationals and eight Chinese sailors. Two crew members were confirmed dead and nine remain missing, including three Chinese and six Filipino nationals.
Images courtesy PCG
Special Operations Group PCG Southern Tagalog sent a team of divers with cutting gear to assist with access to the vessel. The capsized vessel is floating with a uniform keel and partially submerged. PCG hopes some crew members may have survived in the engine room.
“The PCG remains on the scene and fully committed to ensuring the safety of all those involved, while preparing for any potential environmental impact,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
The commander of the PCG, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, visited the site on Tuesday for an aerial and on-site inspection, and in a statement said he urged the emergency crews to do everything possible to rescue survivors.
A similarly named Chinese dredging vessel capsized and floated for days in Manila Bay in May 2023.
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Trump administration halts construction of Equinor’s New York offshore wind farm – 16 April 2025
In a stunning move on Wednesday, 16 April, the US Department of the Interior announced that it has ordered a halt to the construction of Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore wind farm. The project had been approved in 2024 and was underway. The move draws sharp criticism from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and leaves the industry stunned.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum posted a brief message on X, writing that the Interior Bureau in consultation with Commerce “directs the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to immediately halt all construction activities on the Empire Wind project pending further review of information suggesting that the Biden administration rushed to approve without sufficient review.”
While the Biden administration approved several projects at the end of his term, Empire Wind received approval for its construction and operations plan in February 2024. The project also received its Clean Air Permit for construction in February 2024.
Norway’s Equinor acquired the Empire Wind lease area in 2017 and, in June 2024, announced the closing of the Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for Empire Wind 1 energy for 25 years at a strike price of $155.00/MWh. Project financial close was completed in December 2024. Total expected capital investment, including fees for use of the South Brooklyn marine terminal, would be approximately $5 billion, including the effect of expected future tax credits. New York issued final approvals for the project in May 2024.
New York’s governor, who has already sparred with the Trump administration over vehicle congestion charges in Manhattan, issued an angry statement saying the federal government should support his affordable energy efforts “rather than undermine them.”
“This fully federally permitted project has already put shovels in the ground ahead of the president’s executive orders – it’s exactly the kind of bipartisan energy solution we should be working on,” Governor Hochul said in his statement. “As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.”
The news website FreeBeacon has obtained a copy of Burgum’s memo to BOEM’s acting director. In it, he claims “serious issues” were raised about the approval for Empire Wind. He says it was rushed through without sufficient review or consultation among the relevant agencies.
Burgum also writes that he is asking BOEM to continue to review federal wind permitting practices “for both existing and pending permits.”
Work has begun to redevelop the Brooklyn site, which was to be used as the wind farm’s base during construction and future maintenance. FreeBeacon reports that rock work was scheduled to begin in the coming weeks at the offshore site, along with other preparations. The wind farm was scheduled to provide power starting in 2027.
Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2, both approved in 2024, are located approximately 12 nautical miles south of Long Island, New York and approximately 16.9 nm east of Long Branch, New Jersey. Combined, the projects would have a total capacity of 2,076 megawatts of renewable energy that BOEM estimated could power more than 700,000 homes each year.
In January 2025, Trump ordered a review of leasing and permitting practices, but most expected this to be a halt to future activity. The administration also withdrew the EPA’s construction permit for a project in New Jersey. There are several projects currently in the construction phase. The Biden administration approved a total of 11 offshore wind farms and left others under review at the end of his term.
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Louisiana shipbuilder Gulf Craft has been acquired to build autonomous vessels
Saronic concept for a 150-foot autonomous surface vessel, the Marauder (Saronic)
Saronic, a start-up launched in 2022 to focus on autonomous ships for defence systems, has acquired Gulf Craft, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, to accelerate its growth in autonomous shipbuilding. The company says it gives it an immediate capability in shipbuilding as it has unveiled its concepts for a 150-foot next-generation ship called the Marauder.
Gulf Craft located in Franklin, Louisiana is a custom builder of aluminium boats. Established in 1965, the company builds ferries, offshore support and other commercial vessels.
“Today marks a significant milestone in Saronic’s expansion into autonomous shipbuilding and lays the foundation for our vision for our larger, state-of-the-art Port Alpha shipyard,” said Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas. “While we are actively looking for a home for Port Alpha, this acquisition gives us the immediate ability to meet urgent customer needs for larger autonomous ships and the flexibility to expand to address the emerging commercial and defence applications of these advanced systems.”
Saronic announced in February 2025 that it had completed its next round of financing, raising $600 million in its Series C round. Having invested in developing and expanding its production capabilities for its small ASVs over the past two years, the company has unveiled its vision for a new shipbuilding base it calls Port Alpha. The new shipyard will be capable of delivering new classes of autonomous ships at the speed and scale needed to protect and defend the maritime domain.
The company reports that the Gulf Craft acquisition provides a strategically located shipyard on the Gulf Coast that will serve as a prototyping and production centre for its medium-sized fleet of unmanned surface-going unmanned vessels (MUSVs). The yard provides the infrastructure and skilled labour it says will be needed to develop, rapidly iterate and expand production of Saronic’s MUSVs today and into the future. Saronic has retained the Gulf Craft workforce and expects to create more than 500 new jobs over the next 3-4 years. In addition to bringing in skilled shipbuilders, welders and electricians, Saronic anticipates creating new roles for engineers, technologists and naval architects to develop and scale the production of its MUSVs.
The acquisition adds nearly 100 acres to Saronic’s footprint, supporting both MUSV’s immediate development and production as well as significant expansion capacity. Saronic plans to invest over $250 million directly into the shipyard, which will include major facility upgrades that will enable it to apply a first principles approach to shipbuilding. This includes modernising infrastructure, purchasing new machinery and upgrading facilities, while focusing on building a production system designed for speed, scalability and quality. These upgrades will support a rapid increase in capacity, enabling Saronic to deliver up to 50 unmanned vessels per year.
The company also unveiled the Marauder, a 150-foot autonomous surface vessel (ASV) designed to support a wide range of missions for US, allied and commercial customers. With a payload capacity of 40 metric tonnes, the autonomous vessel is designed to travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or stay for 30+ days, depending on mission requirements.
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Marauder is designed to be completely unmanned and will integrate the autonomy stack utilised in the existing Saronic family of ASVs. The ship incorporates Saronic’s vertically integrated approach, disciplined engineering philosophy and strong network of in-house suppliers.
As part of its long-term vision, Saronic says it plans to invest more than $2.5bn to develop Port Alpha, which it calls the world’s most advanced shipyard, designed to produce hundreds of unmanned vessels annually. It is trying to align its operations with national efforts to revitalise the US shipbuilding industrial base and capitalise on the US Navy’s growing interest in future autonomous systems.
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Piracy incidents up nearly 35 per cent in Q1 through Singapore Strait
The ICC’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has issued its quarterly report on global piracy, warning of a rise in global piracy and armed robbery incidents driven by an increase in attacks in the Singapore Strait. Southeast Asia, and in particular the regions around the Singapore Strait, has become the global hotspot, the report warns, while figures show that global piracy continues to fall.
The UK-based group, which is often referred to as the anti-crime arm of the International Chamber of Commerce, has added its voice to that of Asia’s ReCAAP and private security firms who have raised the alarm over the rising number of robberies on ships transiting the Singapore Strait. IMB calculates that 31 of the total 45 incidents in the first quarter occurred in Southeast Asia. The Q1 report highlights that 27 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait, compared to seven in the same period in 2024.
“The reported increase in incidents in the Singapore Strait is worrying,” said IMB director Michael Howlett, emphasising the urgent need to protect the safety of seafarers navigating these waters. “Ensuring the safety of these vital routes is essential and all necessary steps must be taken to protect crew members.”
Of additional concern is that 92 per cent of all vessels targeted in the Singapore Strait have been successfully boarded. IMB says this includes nine bulk carriers and tankers weighing over 100,000 gross tonnes. Furthermore, it highlights that while the majority of incidents were considered low-level opportunistic offences, crew members were at high risk with weapons reported in 14 incidents. In 2024, weapons were reported in 26 incidents globally. Ten crew members were taken hostage in six separate incidents, two were threatened and one was injured.
Globally in the first quarter, IMB calculates that 37 ships were boarded, four were hijacked and four attempted attacks. The threat to crew safety remains high, with 37 crew members taken hostage, 13 kidnapped, two threatened and one injured. Also, in three-quarters of the incidents (35), the ships were moving when the attacks took place.
While incidents are on the rise in Southeast Asia, the data also highlights that the number of incidents reported in the Gulf of Guinea continues to be at its lowest level in nearly two decades.
However, the IMB warns that the danger in West Africa is not over. All 13 crew members reported to have been kidnapped during the quarter were taken in these waters. Two separate attacks resulted in kidnappings and a total of six incidents were reported in the first quarter of the year. In March, pirates hijacked a bitumen tanker south-east of Santo Antonio in Sao Tome and Principe, kidnapping 10 crew members, while a fishing vessel south of Accra, Ghana, was boarded by armed pirates who abducted three crew members.
“While we welcome the reduction in incidents, the safety of crewmembers in the Gulf of Guinea remains at greater risk,” Howlett said. “It is essential that we maintain a strong regional and international naval presence to address these incidents and ensure the protection of seafarers.”
Similarly, off the east coast of Africa, the threat of Somali piracy also remains. Between 7 February and 16 March, two fishing boats and a dhow were hijacked off the coast of Somalia. In these incidents, 26 crew members were taken hostage, demonstrating the continuing capabilities of Somali pirates. Reports indicate that all the crew were freed along with the vessels.
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North Korean missile shipments to Russia continue, but may have peaked
North Korean exports of artillery ammunition to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine continue. But volumes delivered in recent weeks have fallen from previous peaks, suggesting that initial shipments may have come from stockpiles, now depleted, and more are now being covered directly from production.
Trafficking between North Korea and Russia has been tracked by the Open Source Centre (OSC), run by James Byrne, former director of open source analysis at the UK’s Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. North Korean munitions are transported in containers from Raijin to the Russian ports of Danube and Vostochny in the Vladivostok area. By monitoring the four Russian-flagged RO-RO container vessels carrying the containers – MV Angara (IMO 9179842), Lady Mariia (IMO 9220641), Maya-1 (IMO 9358010) and Lady R (IMO 9161003) – then counting the containers on board and measuring the volumes, the OSC has been able to accurately measure the number of artillery shells delivered. All four Russian ships are US sanctioned and some have also been used to transport military cargo to and from Tartus in Syria.
The MV Maya-1 recently left the Sea of Japan route, loaded cargo in China, transited the Suez Canal in February and made a return trip to Kaliningrad, departing on 10 April for an unknown destination. It appears to have been unmolested during the transit or during its port calls, despite being penalised.
The OSC tracked 64 voyages of the four Russian vessels between September 2023 and March 2025. Traffic peaked in January 2024, when seven cargoes were shipped. By March 2025, only three cargoes were being shipped per month. Over the entire period, the 64 ships spotted carried an estimated 15,809 containers, with each container likely containing 224 boxes of 152mm artillery shells or other cargoes consisting of rockets, 122mm or mortar rounds. Using these figures, OSC estimates that up to 6 million shells could have been shipped to Russia from North Korea by the end of March 2025.
Once unloaded at Russian ports, the containers are transported by train directly to Russian ammunition depots serving the Ukrainian front line. The main receiving depot at Tyhoretsk, 60 miles south of Rostov, was attacked by Ukrainian drones on 21 September 2024, with about 90% of the stockpile destroyed. In 2025, Ukraine plans to produce 3,000 Bar, Peklo and R-360 Neptune missiles of its own design, the last of which has a range of over 600 miles and all are capable of attacking Moscow
Ukrainian intelligence estimates that North Korea supplies half of the ammunition currently consumed on the Ukrainian front line. Korean ammunition batches need to be checked and range tables separated, as the performance of Korean ammunition is inconsistent and inferior to Russian production. North Korean shells are also prone to exploding in the breach if loaded into hot barrels from high-intensity fire missions.
Russia is also known to receive shipments of 122mm and 152mm ammunition from Iran, albeit in smaller volumes. Iranian exports have tended more to supply drones and missiles. Iran ships arms through the Caspian ports of Bandar-e Anzali and Amirabad either to Kaspiysk in Dagestan or to the Volga-Don transhipment port of Olaya. On 2 January this year, Iranian images on social media showed Iranian air defence systems and truck-mounted Fath-360 tactical Fath-360 tactical ballistic missiles (comparable in capability to M142 HIMARS) at the dock at Bandar-e Anzali before loading.
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Philippines says Chinese gliders were used for covert mapping
A suspected Chinese drone was recovered in Masbate, 2024 (Philippine National Police)
In a press conference on Tuesday, AFP spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the devices were found in locations that are “strategically important in the defence and security not only of the country but also for international maritime navigation”. Three were in the Taiwan Strait off Luzon; one was found off Masbate, near the centre of the Philippines’ internal waters; and one was found off Mindanao, the southern tip of the archipelago. “Most likely these were dumped by a mother ship,” he said.
Trinidad said they are able to collect data “beyond navigation”. The on-board sensor package could be used to measure bathymetry, water depth, salinity and temperature – all essential data for operating or hunting submarines. Jonathan Malaya, a member of the National Philippine Sea Task Force, told reporters that the drones were “most likely deployed by China to map the underwater terrain of the Philippines”.
Of the five drones, at least one sent signals to China, based on a forensic examination of a SIM card found on board the drone. “The card’s last contact was in mainland China,” Trinidad said. Two drones also had Chinese markings.
Based on the evidence, Trinidad estimated the likelihood that the drones belonged to China at about 55-80 per cent. Malaya went further and said the forensic data “has allowed us to conclusively determine that they are of Chinese origin”.
Few nations are producing glider drones, and images of some of the devices displayed on Tuesday appear similar to the Chinese-built “Sea Wing” (Haiyi) UUV developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, previously found in sensitive waterways in Indonesia in 2019-2020. AFP also displayed photos of an unusual all-black glider equipped with larger protrusions at the front and back.
The disclosure of new forensic evidence comes just days before the launch of the annual Balikatan defence exercises between the US and the Philippines. This year, 14,000 troops, mostly from the United States, will participate. “It’s a tested defence plan,” Philippine army Brigadier General Michael Logico told reporters.
Just in time for the exercise, Google Maps has adopted the name Philippines for the waters in its western exclusive economic zone, an area that is also claimed by China. Maps app users will now find a marginal sea with a Philippine sovereign name – the West Philippine Sea – just off the coast of Luzon and Palawan. The decision has angered Chinese commentators, who would prefer to continue using the name “South China Sea” for the entire region.
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US deploys anti-ship missiles near Taiwan in Luzon Strait – 17/04/2025
US Marine Corps anti-ship missiles will be deployed in the Luzon Strait, a first strategic choke point in the island chain between the Philippines and Taiwan, during Balikatan 2025.
The 3rd Marine Regiment’s Medium-Range Missile Battery will deploy naval missile-equipped Naval Expeditionary Ship Interdiction Systems (NMESIS) in the Luzon Strait during Balikatan 2025, marking the first deployment of US anti-ship missiles to the strategically located Batanes island chain.
An unspecified number of anti-ship missile launchers will be transported to “several islands” in Batanes by the US Army 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and the US Air Force 29th Tactical Airlift Tactical Airlift Squadron in northern Luzon. Although no missiles will be launched, a release from the 3rd MLR said the missile battery will set up a Forward Expeditionary Base Fires in coordination with the 4th Brigade of the Philippine Marine Corps and simulate fire missions in the Luzon Strait.
“NMESIS provides the 3d MLR with an enhanced sea denial capability, deepens naval integration, and strengthens deterrence by expanding the capability of the Combined Force to target and attack from both land and sea. In the Philippines, the NMESIS will also help shape defensive capabilities in line with the AFP’s coastal defence strategy,” a 3rd MLR press release said.
The unit also claimed that these systems were specifically requested by Manila following last year’s Balikatan exercises in Batanes, in which US Marines and troops deployed sensors and high-mobility artillery missile systems. Army engineers also examined harbour facilities in the area.
Hawaii’s Littoral Marine Regiment, which is in the Philippines under its first Littoral-Luzon Rotational Force deployment, received the NMESIS last December, becoming the first Indo-Pacific Marine unit to obtain dedicated anti-ship capabilities. Additional launchers are planned for the 12th MLR in Okinawa
Although it is not clear how many systems will be sent to the Philippines, the MLR’s medium-range missile battery consists of 18 launchers divided into two three-section platoons of three launchers each.
Along with the NMESIS, the 3rd MLR will also deploy the AN/TPS-80 ground/airborne targeting radar in northern Luzon in support of the Advanced Expeditionary Fires Forward Operating Base. Japan’s navy previously deployed the new radar system in an exercise last summer
Positioned between the Philippines and Taiwan, the Batanes Islands lie at one of the strategic transit points between the first and second island chain. With NMESIS’s 185-kilometre range, basing it on the Batanes islands could threaten ships entering the 250-kilometre-wide Luzon Strait.
Ben Lewis, co-founder of PLATracker, an organisation that monitors Chinese military activity and development, explained to Naval News that the deployment has “important implications” for US sea denial capabilities in the First Island Chain.
“The Luzon Strait and the Bashi Channel are a critical access point to enter or exit the Pacific Ocean from the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and the deployment of the NMESIS allows the US to assume control of this access,” Lewis said.
Balikatan 2025 will see a “full combat test” of US, Philippine, Australian and, for the first time, Japanese military forces in the Southeast Asian archipelago. The drills are scheduled to focus on the territorial defences of Palawan and Luzon islands, which are targeted hotspots in the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait. US and Philippine forces have previously tested their command and control capabilities during the Balikatan 2023 submergence exercise
The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, General Romeo Brawner, recently told troops in the northernmost command to prepare for a scenario in which Chinese forces invade Taiwan, saying such a conflict would “inevitably” involve Manila.
These priorities come against the backdrop of rising Philippine-US defence cooperation conflicts, which began to intensify in 2022-2023 following the South China Sea incidents between Manila and Beijing.
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What a militarised Svalbard would mean for Russia – 17 April 2025
The Russian government recently accused the Norwegian government of militarising the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. According to Russian media, the Russians are concerned that the archipelago could be used in a potential conflict. They argue that the Svalbard territory is increasingly drawn into Norway’s military and political planning with NATO.
The Russian accusation is said to be in response to statements by Norwegian politicians calling for an increased military presence in and around Svalbard. Norway reacted swiftly to the accusations and responded that it had not taken steps to militarise the island. The incident shows that Russia sees a militarised Svalbard as a military threat, one that, on analysis, could lead to a weakening of Russian dominance in the Arctic region and further stretch the northern fleet.
When viewed from an Arctic projection, it is clear that Svalbard has an important geographical position in the Arctic region. The island lies approximately halfway between the northern part of Greenland and the Murmansk region. As such, the island holds a dominant position between access to the Arctic region in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Pole.
The Svalbard archipelago is governed by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which designates the archipelago for peaceful development and restricts military use. Under the treaty, naval bases and military fortifications are prohibited, although it is not designated a demilitarised zone. Military vessels patrol the waters around the islands, and the Norwegian armed forces are known to assist local authorities in times of need and crisis.
The militarisation of Svalbard is possible, though highly unlikely
During a recent interview with the Norwegian Navy, it became clear that Norway is very unlikely to militarise the Svalbard archipelago in the near future. Asked about the performance of NATO forces in Baltic and Norwegian waters and what more could be done, the answer was that NATO forces are doing a good job and in the current situation are perceived as adequate by the Norwegian government. Given that NATO provides sufficient protection to Norway, it is unlikely that the country would see the need to militarise Svalbard to further enhance its security.
This does not rule out the fact that the Svalbard archipelago holds valuable military potential when it comes to relations with Russia in the Arctic region. Given the infrastructure present on Svalbard, any potential militarisation will most likely be aerial in nature, with aircraft based at Svalbard airport near Longyearbyen. In addition, Norway could also opt to place radar systems, missile systems and air defence systems on the island if it decides to militarise the archipelago.
It is also possible that Svalbard could be transformed into a position that could refit NATO warships operating in the Arctic. Full militarisation is highly unlikely, however, as it would require large construction projects on the island, which is difficult to achieve given its remote location.
Using current infrastructure, locating aircraft in Svalbard would be the easiest option available to Norway. These aircraft could include fighter jets to gain air superiority over the Barents Sea and maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the region. Operating out of Svalbard, maritime patrol aircraft could cover the Barents Sea and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, which hosts test sites linked to Russian strategic weapons programmes, such as the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear cruise missile, dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO.
This is not the first time Russia has accused Norway of militarising the Svalbard archipelago. However, in recent years, Russia has proved more aggressive in the region, with unannounced visits by Russian politicians to host a Victory Day military parade by the local Russian population living in the archipelago. Relations between Russia and NATO have also been strained following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is speculation that Russia may seek to take military action against Svalbard as a means of testing NATO’s commitment to the Arctic region.
Russian capabilities and responses
A militarised Svalbard would mean that the Northern Fleet would have to dedicate more assets to the northern approaches to the Barents Sea. When practising war scenarios, the Northern Fleet usually establishes a bastion area between Murmansk and Bear Island, south of Svalbard. A militarised Svalbard would require the Russians to extend their stronghold further north to take into account a threat posed by Svalbard, thus spreading their military ships further than they intended. As mentioned above, the hypothetical threat from Svalbard will most likely be in the form of fighter jets and reconnaissance. This would lead the Russians to focus more on their air defence capabilities, bearing in mind that Norway, in such a hypothetical scenario, would be able to strike from two directions. The first being from the already available airfields at North Cape and the second being from Svalbard.
Russian warships are less able to deal with aircraft when using standoff weapons such as long-range missiles. Only two Russian warships in the Northern Fleet are suited to deal with this threat, although both are not in active service at the moment. The aircraft carrier RFS Admiral Admiral Kuznetsov is still under maintenance and is unlikely to return to service after eight years of maintenance characterised by numerous accidents.
The other ship is the Kirov-class cruiser RFS Admiral Nakhimov, which is being modernised and is expected to enter service in the near future. The RFS Admiral Nakhimov carries several air defence missiles and close-in weapons systems and should be able to project an air defence zone over a Russian naval force. Russia could also call on aircraft from naval aviation regiments assigned to the fleet to help deal with air threats in the Barents Sea. All these elements would be defensive in nature.
More offensive responses by the Northern Fleet would target any hypothetical military installations on Svalbard to deny their use in a conflict scenario. Northern Fleet ships, particularly Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates, are capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. However, as seen in the Ukrainian War, these missiles struggle to outperform Western-made air defence systems such as SAMP/T and Patriot air defence batteries. We can expect, should Norway decide to place military aircraft in Svalbard, that they will be protected by modern air defence systems.
A more radical action by the Northern Fleet would be to invade and occupy Svalbard. It can count on the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade and the 200th Arctic Brigade. Both units are positioned on the Russian-Norwegian border at North Cape, but are trained to fight in the Arctic environment. Both units have however been deployed to Ukraine, where they suffered significant losses. Norwegian intelligence reports estimate that both brigades have lost 80 per cent of their capabilities by early 2023. Given Russia’s difficulties in replacing its combat losses with trained personnel and modern equipment, the combat capabilities of the 61st and 200th Brigades are questionable.
Even so, Russia has no amphibious transport in its Northern Fleet, as it sent two Ropucha-class and one Ivan-Gren-class landing ships to the Black Sea before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All three ships are currently stuck in the Black Sea until Turkey opens the Turkish Strait. Even if Russia invades Svalbard, it will designate additional naval units to protect and patrol the area, as Norwegian and NATO forces may deny Russian attempts to supply an occupied Svalbard.
In conclusion, even if the Norwegian government does not intend to militarise Svalbard, the idea of militarisation is enough for Russia to react and protest. Russia is aware that Svalbard, due to its geography, has dominant positions in the Barents Sea. If militarised, Norwegian forces could pose a two-pronged air threat to the Russian stronghold, striking as far as the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The Northern Fleet has more options to deal with a militarised Svalbard, although it would expand its naval assets over a larger area and in more missions than it is currently trained for.
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Textron Systems awarded contract to support USV MCM craft – 17 April 2025
Textron Systems Corporation has announced that it has been awarded a software support (SSA) and payload integration contract from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) worth up to $100 million over a three-year performance period.
Press release Textron Systems
Under this contract, Textron will support software development updates for the Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mine Countermeasures (MCM) unmanned surface vehicle (USV) software development, as well as payload integration, testing and demonstrations on potential future MCM mission packages, including the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep (MAGNUSS) system and mine neutralisation payloads, as well as non-MCM packages including various Surface Warfare (SuW). Antisubmarine (ASW), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and other capabilities.
Textron Systems was awarded the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) contract in 2014 to design and develop the MCM mission package, which includes craft and minehunting systems. As the designer, developer and manager of the USV MCM software, Textron Systems is uniquely positioned to update the highly specialised software on the ship.
“Our expertise lies in knowing how to design, integrate, deploy and support unmanned systems. Supporting the software development of USV MCM MCM ships allows us to apply this expertise to further the Navy’s missions.” David Phillips, senior vice president, air, land and sea systems
Textron is the originator of the CUSV® – Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle – which was successfully adapted to become the Navy’s first registered USV programme. With thousands of operational hours, the company is now leveraging its expertise as a leading systems integrator for new critical multi-mission payload multi-mission payload capabilities for naval USVs.
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Fincantieri and TKMS partner on submarine project in the Philippines
The Italian submarine U212NFS Near Future has surfaced. Image by Fincantieri.
Fincantieri of Italy and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) of Germany have signed an industrial collaboration agreement as part of a wider strategic partnership aimed at providing advanced submarine solutions to the Philippine Navy.
Press release Fincantieri
Under the Horizon III military modernisation initiative, the Philippine Navy aims to strengthen the archipelago’s defences by acquiring state-of-the-art weapon systems. In particular, the introduction of submarines would be a game-changer in protecting territorial waters, especially in the South China Sea.
The collaboration between thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Fincantieri combines state-of-the-art expertise and technologies to provide the most efficient and competitive solution for the U212 NFS class submarines, which Fincantieri is currently building in its own Italian shipyards for the Italian Navy. The partnership also aims to strengthen local infrastructure and expand the operational capabilities of the Philippine Navy’s fleet.
Co-operation between the Italian and German navies on U212A submarines dates back to 1996. Building on this long-standing partnership, Fincantieri and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems have extended their co-operation to include potential joint export projects.
The U212 NFS is an evolution of the U212A HDW class submarine, which has an extremely low acoustic, magnetic and visual signature, making it exceptionally stealthy. It fulfils the highest quality standards and strictest regulatory requirements, with thyssenkrupp Marine Systems providing key technologies and essential components.
The Philippine Navy has gained a significant strategic advantage with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, first introduced on the U212A and now integrated into the U212 NFS. In addition, the use of Amanox non-magnetic steel, combined with other key technical features and new stealth technologies, makes the U212 NFS virtually undetectable.
Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, said, “With over a decade of experience in submarine construction, Fincantieri has developed a solid expertise in providing high-performance naval solutions. This collaboration is a key step in furthering our international strategy, capitalising on the latest cutting-edge technologies and the qualities that distinguish Italy and Germany.”
Oliver Burkhard, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, commented: “Building on our successful cooperation in the Italian submarine programme, this industrial cooperation agreement is an excellent starting point for further joint projects in the submarine sector”.
A distinctive element of the U212 NFS offering is the operational support guaranteed by the Italian Navy, which will provide the Philippine Navy with an unprecedented level of training, doctrine and logistics. The package also includes specialised industrial and operational training activities, allowing the Philippine Navy to rapidly equip itself with well-structured and highly qualified crews.
In addition, in the context of the “Self-Defence Posture Revitalisation Act” in the Philippines, the partnership will support the Philippine Navy in the development of a new naval base. This will be made possible thanks to the design know-how of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Fincantieri’s decades of experience in shipbuilding and long-standing collaboration with navies around the world.
Naval News comments:
The Philippines confirmed in February that it will acquire two submarines to defend the country’s archipelago in the biggest and final stage of its military modernisation programme.
The new German-Italian bid will compete with France’s Naval Group, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Spain’s Navantia
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9th FREMM frigate “Spartaco Schergat” delivered to the Italian Navy
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered its ninth FREMM frigate, the Spartaco Schergat (F 598), to the Italian Navy. This FREMM comes in a new configuration combining anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.
Press release Fincantieri
Genoa/Trieste, 15 April 2025 – Today, at Fincantieri shipyard Muggiano (La Spezia), Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture owned by Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), delivered the multirole frigate “Spartaco Schergat” to the Italian Navy, the ninth in a series of 10 FREMMs (European Multi-mission European Frigates) ordered by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali as prime contractor, Design Authority for the entire warfare and combat system under the Italian-French international cooperation agreement and for which the contract was signed with OCCAR, Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement.
The ceremony was attended, among others, by Dario Deste, Director General of Fincantieri’s Naval Ships Division, Giovanni Sorrentino, CEO of OSN, OCCAR Director General Joachim Sucker, Admiral Vincenzo Montanaro, Commander of the Interregional Maritime Command South, Admiral Giuseppe Abbamonte, Director of Naval Armaments and General Francois Watteau, DGA representative.
The FREMM programme, launched in 2005 with the first ship delivered in July 2012, foresees the supply of four general purpose units, four anti-submarine warfare (ASW) units and two upgraded anti-submarine units. As part of this programme, two next-generation FREMM frigates in the “EVOLUTION” version – known as “FREMM EVO” – are currently under construction at Fincantieri’s integrated shipyard in Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with deliveries scheduled for 2029 and 2030.
The new unit, built at Fincantieri’s integrated shipyard in Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, is equipped with the most advanced systems produced by Fincantieri, Leonardo, MBDA and Elettronica. Like the other FREMM units, it offers high operational flexibility and is capable of operating in all tactical scenarios. The ship is 144 metres long, 19.7 metres wide and has a displacement of about 6,700 tonnes. It can reach a speed of over 27 knots and can accommodate up to 200 people on board.
The innovative and cyber-resilient features of these ships are the result of significant design, organisation and management efforts. A high level of automation has been integrated into the state-of-the-art on-board systems used for all on-board services. This approach helps to ensure high operational availability supported by an optimised maintenance profile. Extensive human factors studies have guided the design to create more efficient and optimised workspaces tailored to different operational needs. The vessel also has an extended range (around 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots) and logistical standards suitable for extended operations, even outside the wider Mediterranean area.
Spartaco Schergat, the first of the two units in the Enhanced Anti-Submarine Warfare configuration, is optimised as a multirole ship, incorporating systems typical of both the General Purpose version – allowing a balanced contribution in all combat domains – and the ASW version, with enhanced anti-submarine capabilities for maritime control operations, protection of sea lines of communication and naval interdiction. It will also be able to serve as a complex command centre, managing joint and combined operations.
The FREMM (European Multi-Mission Frigate) programme is the most important joint initiative developed between European naval industries and represents the vanguard of Italian and European defence. It stems from the need to renew the Italian Navy’s fleet, replacing in particular the “Lupo” and “Maestrale” class frigates built by Fincantieri in the 1970s and 1980s.
Spartaco Schergat photo by Giorgio Arra.
Naval News comments:
The frigate Spartaco Schergat (F 598) is the first of two FREMMs in a new hybrid ASuW/ASW configuration being procured by the Italian Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Naval Armaments (NAVARM) to replace the two General Purpose (GP) FREMMs sold to Egypt by Fincantieri.
The two FREMMs come in a new configuration that combines the hull and superstructure design and mission suite of the Italian Navy’s GP (General Purpose) or ASuW (Anti-Surface Warfare) configured FREMMs with the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite and capabilities of the same service’s ASW configured FREMMs, along with replacement and/or upgrades to on-board systems to maintain them over the life of the new frigates.
To find out more about these two new FREMM vessels, see our detailed article at this link.
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Netherlands looks to buy new SDVs for its special forces
The Dutch Command for Material and IT (COMMIT), the procurement arm of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, has issued a request for information (RFI) to industry to search for new SDVs (Submersible Delivery Vehicles) currently available on the market. A formal tender would follow the RFI phase. The SDVs will be procured for the Dutch Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF) unit.
Currently, NLMARSOF uses DPDs (submersible propulsion devices) from the American company STIDD, which are operated from land, ship, as well as Walrus class submarines. For SDVs, they use the JFD Shadow Seal SDV in the 4-person version, a derivative of the Ortega MK1 design from the Dutch company Ortega Submersibles BV. This company was acquired by JFD, the UK SDV manufacturer, in 2019.
The requirements for the VDS are as follows: the platform should be able to accommodate a minimum of 4 divers and a maximum of 8 with all their diving gear and additional equipment. For internal rebreather system capacity, the SDV must be equipped with tanks capable of providing “240 minutes of air per person”.
In terms of the technical specifications, COMMIT is looking for an SDV with an extended range capability: ‘minimum range of the vessel at the surface should be 80nm and submerged 25nm’ and an ability to operate up to sea state 4 in all types of environmental temperature: ‘+50ºC to -15ºC and a seawater temperature of +35ºC to -2ºC’. For speed, at the surface, it must reach at least 30 knots and a minimum of 5 knots when submerged. For its regular operating depth, the platform should be certified for a depth of 30 metres, which means that the actual certification requires a greater depth, as a large margin is necessary for safety reasons.
Much attention is paid to concealment, as RFI emphasises this point several times: ‘When submerged, the acoustic sound level of the ship should be as quiet as possible’.
So far, there is nothing to suggest that the Royal Dutch Navy is looking for a system that can be accommodated on submarines, but this cannot be ruled out. Indeed, the future Orka-class will be larger compared to the Walrus-class submarines, opening up new opportunities, and the Dutch have great expertise in deploying special forces from submarines.
In this RFI, the Navy’s desire to acquire an SDV system capable of both surface and underwater navigation eliminates a number of potential candidates. Indeed, all SDVs similar to the Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS), also known as the Mark 11 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV Mk 11) appear to be out of the running, leaving few potential candidates: SubSea Craft’s Victa, JFD’s Carrier Seal or more shadow seals…
This plan to renew diving systems is a general plan for the Dutch Frogmen, as the Navy is looking to acquire new capabilities and replace or at least complement all current diving devices, including smaller systems such as DPDs.
In addition to these general specifications and issues in the RFI, Naval News was able to find out the number of platforms desired. The Royal Dutch Navy is looking for three new SDVs that they can deploy from their LPDs and nine DPDs that can be deployed from their submarines.
This replacement plan also comes at a time when its near neighbour is also seeking such capabilities. Indeed, Naval News has learnt that the Belgian Navy is also exploring various options, including SDVs, to expand the capabilities of its combat divers.
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Pakistan Navy introduces fourth OPV PNS Yamama (built in Galati/Romania)
The ship is expected to enhance the Pakistan Navy’s ability to protect its territorial waters and more.
Damen Shipyards Group has finalised the delivery of the PNS Yamama in 2024. Credit: Damen Shipyards Group.
The Pakistani Navy has officially inducted PNS Yamama, its fourth and latest Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), into its fleet at the Jinnah Ormara Naval Base.
PNS Yamama is designed to fulfil a broad spectrum of maritime tasks, encompassing both security and non-combat military roles.
Built at the Damen shipyard in Romania, the vessel is about 85 metres long, can reach speeds of up to 22 knots and has an operational range of 5,000 nautical miles.
The PNS Yamama is equipped with stealth capabilities, command and control systems, advanced weapons, long-range air/ surface navigation and surveillance systems, along with provisions for helicopter operations, enabling it to operate effectively in various threat environments.
The introduction of the OPV marks a boost to the Pakistan Navy’s ability to protect its territorial waters, secure sea lines of communication and maintain order at sea.
The addition is expected to provide greater flexibility in fleet operations, strengthen maritime security and contribute to regional peace and stability.
According to a Facebook post, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, “highlighted the precarious geostrategic environment in the Indian Ocean and emphasised the need for a strong naval force to counter emerging traditional and non-traditional challenges”.
He reiterated that “the addition of PNS Yamama to the PN fleet would significantly enhance the Pakistan Navy’s capability to protect Pakistan’s maritime borders and reinforce its commitment to ensure safety and security in international waters”.
He also recognised the Damen Galati shipyard and the collective efforts of the project team in providing a platform that reflects the collaboration and bilateral ties between the two allied nations.
Damen Shipyards Group has finalised the delivery of the OPV 2600, PNS Yamama, to the Pakistani Navy at Constanta, Romania in December 2024. This follows the earlier transfer of PNS Hunain in the summer of 2024.
The delivery of the PNS Yamama continues a partnership that began with the production of two Yarmook-class vessels inspired by the Damen OPV 1900 design.
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A fire broke out Wednesday afternoon on board a car transporter carrying 110 electric vehicles in the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium – 17 April 2025
The fire broke out on one of the cargo decks of the M/V Delphine, according to the mayor of Zeebrugge, Dirk De Fauw. The full extent of the fire remained unclear until Wednesday evening.
Emergency responders immediately implemented safety protocols, including evacuating the crew and activating the ship’s automatic fire extinguishing system. Tugs were deployed to contain the fire, while federal police established a security perimeter around the affected area.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at around 15:00 CET. Fire-fighting vessels worked for hours to tackle the fire at Britannia Dock.
A spokesman for the port of Antwerp-Bruges confirmed that operations in the rest of the harbour continue unaffected. Favourable wind conditions have pushed the smoke out to sea, minimising the potential impact on land-based activities.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The M/V Delphine, built in 2018 and operated by European logistics and short sea shipping provider CLdN, is known for being the largest roll-on/roll- off short sea shipping vessel in the world, with a cargo capacity of 8,000 metres of tape. In 2023, it was fitted with two Norsepower rotor sails to reduce fuel consumption by harnessing the power of the wind.
This incident adds to a growing list of maritime fires involving electric vehicles, highlighting continuing concerns about the challenges of fighting fires involving lithium-ion batteries at sea.
The Port of Zeebrugge, part of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, is one of the main car handling ports in Europe, serving as a crucial hub for vehicle imports and exports.
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Russia’s Arctic oil exports to China surged helped by STS transfers, sources say – 17 April 2025
SINGAPORE/MOSCOW, April 17 (Reuters) – Russia’s Arctic oil exports to China are set to rise sharply this month buoyed by a jump in ship-to-ship transfers at sea to ensure tankers pulling into port are not on U.S. sanctions lists, according to traders and data from Vortexa.
The Arctic oil business accounts for a tenth of Russia’s seaborne oil exports which were hit with widened U.S. sanctions in January on nearly all tankers carrying crude oil grades such as ARCO and Novy Port and on Russian producer Gazprom Neft.
To avoid the restrictions, ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfers take place in international waters off Singapore and Malaysia, where cargoes are loaded onto very-large crude carriers (VLCCs) that are not subject to sanctions before heading to Chinese ports, according to traders and Vortexa senior analyst Emma Li.
At least 4 million barrels of Arctic oil completed the STS last week and another 16 million arrived or will arrive in the South China Sea this month, Li estimated.
China’s arctic oil imports are recovering due to ample supply, but the volume eventually unloaded will vary depending on logistical hurdles and buying interest from Chinese refiners, she added.
Russian oil exporter Gazprom Neft did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
China’s Arctic oil imports from Russia in March averaged 25,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to Vortexa.
China has said it opposes unilateral sanctions, which have been imposed by the US, the EU and others to curb the energy revenues of Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
However, STS transfers are being used, according to one trader, because many Chinese buyers want to avoid being tied to tankers subject to such sanctions because they are wary of secondary sanctions and are willing to pay higher prices for these STS cargoes.
For example, the VLCC Attila loaded 2.07 million barrels of ARCO from two sanctioned tankers in March in waters off Singapore and delivered the cargo to the Chinese port of Dongying in Shandong province in April, Kpler data show.
Attila previously engaged in STS transfers involving Iranian oil.
The Arctic grades – ARCO, Novy Port and Varandey – are produced in Russia’s northern regions, where harsh winter weather affects production and oil projects require huge investments.
These grades are usually shipped from the oil fields to floating depots in Murmansk and then dispatched to end-users, which makes it difficult to track the exports of each grade.
These shipments currently take two months to reach China as tankers travel through the Suez Canal, with the STS adding to the transport costs. The shorter North Sea Route (NSR) to China is closed until July.
“It’s a very long and expensive route,” said one trader. “The only idea is to evacuate the barrels.”
Arctic Light oil is being offered at discounts to benchmark Brent prices, down from previous premiums, traders said.
Not all Arctic oil cargoes will find a home soon, as some are stored on ships, traders said.
For example, the tanker Fast Kathy loaded Arctic oil in Murmansk on 14 March and has been floating off Egypt’s Port Said since 9 April, LSEG data showed.
India, previously the biggest buyer of Arctic oil, has reduced purchases because of sanctions, traders said. Arctic oil going to India is largely supplied by Litasco, the trading arm of Russia’s Lukoil LKOH.MM, they added.
Lukoil did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Indian authorities this month banned an oil tanker from carrying out an STS operation off Mumbai harbour involving a cargo of Russian crude oil.
Other Arctic oil buyers include Syria, which received its first deliveries earlier this year, and Myanmar.
Source: here
For Russia, any Taurus missile attack will be seen as Germany’s ‘direct participation’ in conflict – 17 April 2025
While France and Britain work to form a coalition of countries willing to offer security guarantees to Kiev, negotiations to secure a ceasefire [in the absence of a peace deal] between Ukraine and Russia are stalling. And the fragile moratorium on attacks on critical infrastructure could soon end.
Meanwhile, the – reciprocal – drone attacks continue… And civilians are paying the price, as in Sumy [at least 34 dead] or today in Dnipro [3 dead and 30 wounded]. In addition, on the front line, the Ukrainian army claimed a successful counter-attack in the strategic Prokrovk sector of Donbass.
In any case, Russia is accused of not wanting peace. In any case, this is what future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed to justify the possible transfer of KEPD-350 Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine on 14 April.
“I have always said that I will only do it in agreement with European partners. […] It has to be coordinated, and if it is coordinated, then Germany should be involved” because “the Ukrainian army has to get out of its defensive position. It is just a reaction,” Merz said. “Our willingness to talk to [Vladimir Putin] is interpreted not as a serious offer to make peace, but as weakness,” he concluded.
Equipped with a Mephisto [Multi-Effect Penetrator, High Sophisticated and Target Optimised] payload of 495 kg, the KEPD-350 Taurus has a range of 500 km and can fly at Mach 0.95.
While France and Britain delivered SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Kiev, and the United States overcame its reluctance by doing the same with ATACMS, Olaf Scholz, the incumbent German chancellor, has consistently refused to do the same with the Bundeswehr’s KEPD-350s, citing the risk of “escalation” with Russia. This despite the pressure put on him by his political allies [environmentalists and liberals] as well as the Christian Democrats, who were in opposition at the time.
Russia took several days to react to Merz’s remarks. On 17 April, it announced that it would regard any attack on Russian Taurus targets as “direct participation” by Germany in the conflict.
“A strike with these missiles against Russian facilities […] will be considered as a direct participation of Germany in hostilities on the side of the Kiev regime, with all the consequences that this entails,” warned Maria Zaharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
However, Russia has received substantial military support from North Korea. This support went far beyond sending 11,000 to 14,000 troops to Kursk, because according to an investigation by Reuters, in collaboration with the Open Source Centre [OSC], Pyongyang delivered almost 16,000 containers of ammunition [including artillery shells] to Moscow between September 2023 and March 2025. To this must be added the supply of “several hundred” short-range ballistic missiles, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US forces in the Indo-Pacific.
However, the potential sending of Taurus missiles to Ukraine has been criticised by Armin Papperger, CEO of German arms giant Rheinmetall.
In an interview published on 17 April by the daily Handelsblatt, Papperger argued that the Tauris “would not change the rules of the game” in Ukraine. He added: “What changes the game is conventional artillery ammunition. Only with them can Ukraine keep the Russians at bay.” And rightly so: his group is one of Europe’s leading producers of 155mm shells.
However, the Rheinmetall CEO is not entirely wrong. During a parliamentary hearing in July 2023, the director of French military intelligence [DRM], General Jacques Langlade de Montgros, emphasised the absence of a “game changer”. Clearly, no conventional weapon was capable of “reversing the course of the war overnight”. And this at a time when Ukraine was to receive SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles. The course of events proved him right.
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Britain’s new directed energy weapon has proven its effectiveness against drone swarms – 17 April 2025
Using a multi-million euro surface-to-air missile against a low-cost remotely-operated munition [or “kamikaze drone”], such as Iran’s Shahed-136, is not the most relevant solution, even if it is the only one that is effective in an emergency. Hence plans to develop directed energy weapons, which would be cheap to deploy.
In general, work on these directed energy weapons is focussing on lasers, such as the French Helma-P system. The British will be no slouch in this area, with DragonFire, which will soon equip Royal Navy ships. However, the effectiveness of these devices depends on several factors, including weather conditions.
The UK Ministry of Defence is also funding the development of a Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) as part of the Hersa programme, led by Thales UK under the aegis of the Defense Equipment and Support [DE&S] agency and with technical support from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory [Dstl].
Such a directed energy weapon emits a powerful electromagnetic signal that can damage or even destroy electrical and electronic circuits. This makes it possible, for example, to eliminate the threat of drone swarms, regardless of weather conditions.
Last year, the Ministry of Defence explained that for an “injection” costing just “10 pence” [about 12 euro cents], this RFDEW would also be effective against “land, air and naval threats” operating just a kilometre away. But “further developments are underway to extend it”, he said.
RF DEW is clearly delivering on its promises. On 17 April, the Ministry of Defence hailed the successful testing of the new weapon during “the largest ever exercise against drone swarms ever conducted by the British Army”. The latter took place on “a firing range in West Wales”.
“The RF DEW DEW demonstrator proved capable of neutralising multiple targets simultaneously with almost instantaneous effect,” he said. Two swarms comprising a total of 100 drones were taken out of action by this new weapon.
“These successful tests come at a time when drone swarms are increasingly being used in front-line fighting in Ukraine,” the defence ministry claimed.
Having said that, and contrary to the promise he made last year, the range of this RF DEW has not been increased, given that in his statement he suggests that drone swarms have been neutralised at “ranges of up to 1 km”.
“RF DEW is a promising concept. We found the demonstrator quick to learn and easy to use. With improvements in range and power that further developments could bring, it would be a valuable asset for multi-layered air defence,” said a non-commissioned officer from the 106 Regiment Royal Artillery who took part in the trials.
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