Alex Luck

Canadian experiences on specifying, then changing the River-class should serve as a lesson to others on not repeating the same mistakes. The most obvious case being Germany with F127. Especially now that cost estimates cause political concerns. www.navalnews.com/features/202...

Procurement timelines for western navies starved of funding & recapitalisation for decades now mean that lengthy & costly "adaptions" are unlikely to succeed. The reality is most services need materiel yesterday. They can buy American or French, with little to nothing in between.

After several decades of discontinued use Bundeswehr intends to acquire new troposcatter communication systems, in a highly portable configuration enabling broadband transmissions up to 60 km. Framework contract to cover low three digit number of sets. www.hartpunkt.de/satellitenun...

Bundeswehr personnel figures released for September. Despite an official narrative (by Pistorius) of the service in October including "more than 190,000" troops September figure is 186,200, a minor reduction from August (186,356). Via "Augen Geradeaus"/@wiegold.de: augengeradeaus.net/2026/10/pers...

The Royal Navy intends to procure a LUSV demonstrator vessel in 2027 for testing & evaluation covering a duration of four years. Recall that the First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins at DSEI 2025 claimed first drone escorts will sail with RN warships within two years. www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-t...

Unusual view at a PLAN Zubr-class LCAC aka Type 728 China has acquired two Zubr from (then) Ukrainian builder PO More by 2014, followed by two more built in China using Ukrainian parts. Two indigenously produced units followed by 2023, and three or more since then. Image via Wb.

Incidentally, COMEC (then GSI) did not originally produce the PRC-assembled Zubr. These originate at the Huangpu Wenchong-yard further upstream, which also builds FFG etc. We can tell as much from matching relevant imagery to the configuration in its production halls before 2021.

Unusual view at a PLAN Zubr-class LCAC aka Type 728 China has acquired two Zubr from (then) Ukrainian builder PO More by 2014, followed by two more built in China using Ukrainian parts. Two indigenously produced units followed by 2023, and three or more since then. Image via Wb.

In imagery from several months ago (possibly earlier) showing the COMEC yard in Guangzhou we can see at least five PLAN Zubr in the configuration produced since 2023. How do we know these are the newer variant, and not the older type? I'm so glad you asked.

For what its worth, this statement by Xinhua does not refer to the "real" third generation of nuclear powered submarines for China, which are the Type 095 and Type 096. The meaning relates to a Type 094A having launched a JL-3 SLBM as part of the test in July (and not a JL-2, as widely suspected).

IISS in February first reported that Bohai has resumed Type 094A production. So it remains to be seen whether these (at least two, according to the release) new boats feature further improvements, along lines of the Type 093B SSN (which may be considered a gen 2/gen 3-hybrid from a tech POV.

For what its worth, this statement by Xinhua does not refer to the "real" third generation of nuclear powered submarines for China, which are the Type 095 and Type 096. The meaning relates to a Type 094A having launched a JL-3 SLBM as part of the test in July (and not a JL-2, as widely suspected).

Imagery from the Australian Defence announcement at the Anduril factory in Sydney yesterday. Note in particular the Rheinmetall Asteria sea mine in the background. Mining was always the most plausible offensive use of Ghost Shark. All images via Defence media site.

Following the appearance of another suspected Chinese mothership for submerged payloads in Guangzhou I have put down some preliminary observations on what we know and can tell about its characteristics for @navalnews.com: www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2...

I jotted all this down last night when the images "broke". Acknowledgment must go to @twz.com, providing a critical additional image, easy to overlook, clarifying that COMEC is indeed the origin of the vessel, as I assumed at the time. www.twz.com/sea/second-c...

A second hull of the curious new auxiliary recently launched for PLAN at Hudong in Shanghai has now appeared in Guangzhou, presumably launched by COMEC (former GSI), which builds a wide range of naval auxiliaries for the Chinese Navy.

Underrated aspect in related discussions: dramatic expansion of PLAN blue water capability will impose severe operational strain on neighbouring navies for "basic" but vital duties such as maritime surveillance. Drones will only help to an extent. www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/10...

Unsurprisingly the IMO confused and contradictory idea of acquiring MQ-28A Ghost Bat for Luftwaffe is dead. Generally speaking, the Luftwaffe requirement for a Loyal Wingman-style CCA drone remains out of touch with technical realities of efforts in the field to date. www.welt.de/politik/deut...

The technical/operational requirement on CCA is not as well defined as often claimed. NATO doesnt (AFAIK) issue a direct requirement. Finally, an increasing number of German defence companies, both legacy and start-up, compete for a piece of the growing defence budget.

Unsurprisingly the IMO confused and contradictory idea of acquiring MQ-28A Ghost Bat for Luftwaffe is dead. Generally speaking, the Luftwaffe requirement for a Loyal Wingman-style CCA drone remains out of touch with technical realities of efforts in the field to date. www.welt.de/politik/deut...