Greece Approves Acquisition of VICTA Diver Delivery Units and V-BAT Drones

On June 11, 2026, the Special Permanent Committee on Armament Programs and Contracts of the Hellenic Parliament approved eight defense procurement programs worth more than €1 billion for the Hellenic Armed Forces. Among them are programs for the acquisition of ten VICTA Diver Delivery Units (DDUs) from British company SubSea Craft (SSC), with six craft intended for the Special Warfare Command (SWC) of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) and four for the Underwater Demolition Command (UDC) of the Hellenic Navy. The approved programs also include the acquisition of ten V-BAT Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) from US company Shield AI. Four systems, comprising eight aircraft and their associated mission payloads, will be delivered to the Hellenic Navy. My story for Naval News, here.

Bulgarian shipbuilder reveals new Medium USV concept

During the International Defence Equipment and Services Exhibition HEMUS 2026, held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from 3–6 June 2026, the European shipbuilder MTG-Dolphin officially presented its Proteus 36 MLC concept. The 37-metre Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV), also available in manned option, attracted significant interest from international delegations, defence industry representatives, major equipment and sensor suppliers and naval experts. Designed for modern Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) and contested AntiAccess/Area Denial (A2/AD) environments, the Proteus 36 MLC delivers the combat capability of a conventional corvette within a highly efficient high-speed 160-ton modular platform equipped initially with 3D radar, fire control radar and 30mm Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and open deck for a number of 20 feet mission modules. My story for Naval News, here.

France’s Second FDI Frigate Launched by Naval Group

French shipbuilder Naval Group on May 16 conducted the “technical launch” of the second Amiral Ronarc’h-class FDI frigate for the French Navy, Amiral Louzeau (D661). A Naval News cameraman was on site to document this major milestone for the program. The official launch ceremony, attended by French government and naval officials, is scheduled to take place tomorrow, May 19, 2026. My story for Naval News, here.

Romania Justifies Warship Acquisition Through SAFE Over Damen’s Offer

In a May 12, 2026 press release, the Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that Damen’s proposal did not meet the programme’s technical requirements, responding to recent media comparisons with the SAFE acquisition of two Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessels  (MMPV 90) from Rheinmetall. The article also outlines the procurement timeline for the Romanian Naval Forces, which shifted from the GOWIND design to OPV 2600, then the Hisar-class OPV, and finally the MMPV 90. My story for Naval News, here.

Ecuador Commissions Its Largest Naval Vessel: BAE Jambeli

On May 7, 2026, the Ecuadorian Navy (Armada del Ecuador) formally commissioned BAE Jambelí (MP-56) during a ceremony at Puerto Bolívar, marking the introduction of one of the country’s most capable offshore patrol vessels (OPV) and the largest ship currently in the fleet. Previously operated by the Korean Coast Guard as KCG-3001, the lead vessel of the Tae Pyung Yang-class, the ship departed the Republic of Korea on January 2 for a 62-day transoceanic voyage to Ecuador which ended in May 5 when it arrived in Ecuadorian waters. My story for Naval News, here.