US Navy – Page 10 – The Defense Post

Feb- 2026 -

12 February

Air

US Naval Research Office Taps Parallel Flight, Alpha for Heavy-Fuel UAS

California-based Parallel Flight Technologies and Spanish firm Alpha Unmanned Systems have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop engine solutions for autonomous aviation under a US Office of Naval Research program.

12 February

Americas

Rendering of an autonomous ship labeled USV 6009 underway at sea, featuring a sleek hull design and containerized payload modules on deck.

Ethan M. Encarnacion

US Navy’s New Autonomous Ship Can Sail 10,000 Nautical Miles Without a Crew

The US Navy is taking a leap into the autonomous future with its newest naval asset: a 190-foot ship designed to operate for months without a crew.

12 February

Arms

Bea Castañeda

An Inside Look at the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM)

This guide explains how the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile fits into modern layered air defense architectures across allied navies.

12 February

Americas

A V-BAT unmanned aerial system launches aboard Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD-50), Feb. 9, 2024. The V-BAT provides the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable (MEU(SOC)) the capability to increase maritime awareness through utilization of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th MEU(SOC) is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rafael Brambila-Pelayo)

Christine Casimiro

US Navy Seeks Runway-Independent Maritime and Expeditionary Strike Drone

The US Navy is seeking a runway-independent maritime drone capable of long-range strikes to counter increasingly capable anti-ship threats.

11 February

Americas

Rojoef Manuel

US Navy Rolls Out New ‘Fighting Instructions’ to Reshape Fleet

The US Navy has released new “Fighting Instructions” that set a service-wide framework for combat, preparations, management, and equipment as global competition intensifies.

11 February

Americas

Ethan M. Encarnacion

New ‘Drone Killer’ Ammo Gives US Navy Rifles a Shotgun Punch vs. UAVs

The US Navy has turned its rifles into drone-killing weapons with a new ammunition that delivers shotgun-style takedowns without collateral damage.

6 February

Sea

An artist rendering of a Columbia-class nuclear submarine breaching the surface. The top half of the submarine can be seen above the water surrounding it.

Bea Castañeda

Stealth, Power, Deterrence: Inside the Columbia-Class Submarine

Dive into the Columbia-class submarine, the US Navy’s next-generation ballistic missile platform set to replace the aging Ohio-class.

6 February

Americas

A modern U.S. Navy destroyer moored at port, showing its superstructure, sensors, and deck-mounted Mk 38 weapon system used for close-in surface defense.

Ethan M. Encarnacion

US Navy’s MK 38 Close-In Weapon System Gets First Caliber Upgrade in 30 Years

The US Navy’s MK 38 close-in weapon system is being reborn for a fourth time, receiving its first-ever caliber increase in over three decades.

6 February

Americas

Christine Casimiro

US Navy’s John F. Kennedy Aircraft Carrier Completes Builder’s Sea Trials

The US Navy’s future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers, has completed builder’s sea trials.

5 February

Arms