Naval and Defense News

[Nikel]

Huge number of U.S refuelling aircraft crosses the Atlantic.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/huge-nu ... -atlantic/









Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz Sailing to Middle East

https://news.usni.org/2025/06/16/aircra ... of-malacca

[Nikel]

US Navy CSGs and ARGs situation according to Ian Ellis.





Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR MO) published footage from recent drone strikes on Russian S-400 ADs in Crimea.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... mXwWS5.mp4






MT Aderson pic and comments on Diego Garcia.

Diego Garcia: Post-Ceasefire Snapshot Reveals Sustained Readiness

New satellite imagery from NSF Diego Garcia on June 26, 2025, provides a fascinating glimpse into the ongoing strategic importance of this remote base. Despite the recent ceasefire, activity remains robust.

What we're observing:

Strategic Bombers: A notable presence of four B-52 strategic bombers – two on the north apron, two on the south. These long-range assets are key for power projection and deterrence.

Tactical Airpower: At least four F-15 fighter jets are visible, indicating continued air superiority and strike capabilities.

Air Refueling Backbone: 8x KC-135 tankers underscore the capacity for sustained, long-range air operations, ensuring aircraft can operate far from base.

Logistical Giant: 1x C-5M Galaxy transport aircraft highlights the capability for rapid, heavy airlift – essential for moving personnel and equipment.

Naval Presence: Adding to the layered defense, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (likely USS Ralph Johnson DDG-114) is visible alongside. Her presence suggests ongoing naval support or enhanced air defense for the base.

Why this matters:
The continued high tempo of operations and asset concentration at Diego Garcia, even amidst a ceasefire, speaks volumes about its role as a persistent forward operating location. It suggests:

Sustained Deterrence Posture: Maintaining a strong, visible presence as a deterrent against potential resurgence of tensions.

Strategic Flexibility: The capacity to quickly respond to unforeseen developments across a vast operational area, from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific.

Readiness for Any Scenario: Even if direct conflict has paused, the readiness of key air and naval assets ensures agility and responsiveness to a range of evolving threats or humanitarian needs.

This level of activity reinforces Diego Garcia's critical position in global strategic planning and its role in projecting influence across vital regions.

Van Lokeren, Russian Navy - Weekly Situation Report - Week 25/2025.

https://russianfleetanalysis.blogspot.c ... eport.html






HI Sutton, Updated overview Of Maritime Drones (USVs) Of The Russo-Ukrainian War.


http://www.hisutton.com/Russia-Ukraine-USVs-2024.html

[Nikel]

Large-scale military exercises in the Indo-Pacific in July, according to Ian Ellis.





UK Forces tracker, situation of the Royal Navy.









China Builds New Large Jet-Powered Ekranoplan, by H I Sutton.


https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... kranoplan/






The never ending news of retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II, that in any case should go to somewhere in East Europe, not to a desert.


https://defence-blog.com/pentagon-pushe ... hog-fleet/





TWZ piece. I think the db is missing this air-to-air role for the rockets loadout in the AC-10.


https://www.twz.com/air/about-to-be-ret ... own-drones

[Nikel]

B-2 flyover at the White House. Escorted by a pair of F-35s and F-22s.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... WzpC4T.mp4

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... tPJxZe.mp4


Pics by Dustin Smith.








Van Lokeren. Russian Naval Operations - Weekly Situation Report - Week 26/2025


https://russianfleetanalysis.blogspot.c ... eekly.html






‘Crimson Tide’ Sequel In The Works Says, Jerry Bruckheimer.

https://deadline.com/2025/07/crimson-ti ... 236448453/

[Nikel]

Work on the repair and modernization of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" was suspended some time ago.
In the near future, a decision will be made as to whether it is advisable to continue these works and return it to the fleet.

https://www.twz.com/air/russia-may-fina ... ft-carrier

Ukrainian Air Force shows footage of the combat work of a modern, German-made Skynex 35mm autocannon against Russian Shahed/Geran-type long-range OWA-UAVs.

https://video-s.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/ ... kyiYw6.mp4


UK and France pledge coordinated nuclear deterrent.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... deterrent/

https://www.twz.com/nuclear/uk-and-fran ... deterrence



Supply season to Pankovo reactor-weapons test site has started.

An interesting scenario setting?

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/secu ... ted/432909

P.png (666.81 KiB) Viewed 433 times

Intelschizo updated graphic after the attack on Eternity C, the deadliest attack by the Houthi on civilian merchant ships.






Avivector, strategic aviation at Russia's key airbases, 13 July.

Bundeswehr will procure an undisclosed number of Typhon fire units from the United States.

[Nikel]

Ian Ellis updated map on US Navy CSGs and ARGs situation.

The George Washington Carrier Strike Group participated in dual carrier ops with U.K. Prince of Wales CSG in the Timor Sea as part of ongoing exercise Talisman Sabre.

More pics in this link.

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/ ... us-carrier

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier eastbound in the Strait of Gibraltar. - July 19, 2025

Production of russian drones Geran-2, Tatarstan. 100s of them launched to attack Ukraine every single day.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... J5yOV-.mp4

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... EocBSU.mp4



Janes' graphic on Chinese Rainbow UAVs.





Raising the flag ceremony in Severodvinsk, joining the russian navy, for the new Borey-A class SSBN K-555 “Knyaz Pozharskiy”. Putin himself assisted.




Some pics and video.

https://t.co/XqWpOnsnwr


HI Sutton graphic of this sub class.

BOREI-II_3d.jpg (577.8 KiB) Viewed 212 times

[Nikel]

Ongoing russian navy exercise, «Iyulskiy shtorm»(July Storm). All the fleets participating, except the Black Sea that is hiding somewhere. Some videos.


Project 1232.2 ZUBR-class LCAC Mordoviya and Yevgeny Kocheshkov. Baltic Sea. Laying mines, manually? This loadout is not available in the db.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... 5Gaw7P.mp4


Project 949A Antey/Oscar II-class SSGN K-266 «Orel». Barents Sea. Surprised to see all is analog. But the crew must be happy to be there and not in a trench.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... Gkt3HC.mp4


Project 1155 Udaloy-class destroyer Admiral Levchenko. AK-100, AK-630M, 3K95 "Kinzhal".

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... 2xjfVX.mp4


Slava-class cruiser «Marshal Ustinov», the Udaloy-class destroyer «Admiral Levchenko», the Grisha-class corvettes «Snezhnogorsk» and «Yunga». Barents Sea.

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... xoufJ7.mp4

[Nikel]

Footages of a Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet nearly crashing during a demonstration at Gijón Air Festival yesterday

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... BijJh_.mp4

https://video-s.twimg.com/amplify_video ... Rgm2Ma.mp4