India's New Anti-Submarine Warship Joins Navy, the third such ship in 12 months

Good news!

(245) 'Munir & Xi, You're Being Hunted...': India's New Anti-Submarine Warship Joins Navy | Vantage | 4K - YouTube

IDF's UNTRACEABLE New SECRET WEAPON to Counter Iran's Nuclear Threat? The new INS Drakon submarine

Good news!

BREAKING: IDF's UNTRACEABLE New SECRET WEAPON to Counter Iran's Nuclear Threat? | TBN Israel - YouTube

Is China building the world’s first unmanned submarine mothership?

Amazing stuff!

"... The mothership could allow the PRC to deploy unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) much farther from its shores or as part of naval task forces. Spatial intelligence firm Vantor captured satellite imagery of a new 205-meter ship under construction in Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard.

US naval analysts assessed that the ship will be the world’s first drone submarine mothership. The ship resembles an amphibious landing ship with a well-deck that opens underwater. The ship has 12 “jack-up” arms that can raise and lower the submarines from a built-in hangar into the water. US submarine expert H.I. Sutton assessed that the mothership is large enough to carry up to four of the PRC’s extra extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs), 35-45-meter-long UUVs that are the world’s only known full-size unmanned submarines. ..."

China & Taiwan Update, September 18, 2026 | American Enterprise Institute - AEI

Germany delivers Israel’s biggest-ever submarine, the biggest submarine ever built in Germany since WW II

There is a certain irony to this headline! E.g. why does Germany not need large submarines for its navy?

"Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has delivered to the Israel Navy the IMS Drakon submarine - the most expensive submarine ever received by Israel, German website ‘Marine Forum’ reports. The delivery had originally been scheduled for 2025 but was delayed.

IMS Drakon is the sixth submarine procured by Israel from TKMS for its 7th fleet and the biggest built in Germany since the Second World War. Its cost is estimated at €550 million ($634 million). ...

According to international media reports, the IMS Drakon is over 70 meters long. The submarine’s size allows it to carry a larger crew as well as a wider range of equipment and weapons. Its weight exceeds 2,000 tons, making it the largest and most powerful submarine in the Middle East. According to a report by "Der Spiegel," the IMS Tanin and IMS Rahav submarines can stay underwater for up to 18 days and reach a speed of 25 knots, which is about 46.3 kilometers per hour.

Looking ahead, three more Dakar-class submarines are expected to arrive in Israel starting in 2031, at a rate of one every 18 months, replacing the Dolphin, Leviathan and Tekuma submarines, which entered service in 1999 and 2000. ..."

Germany delivers Israel’s biggest-ever submarine - Globes "The IMS Drakon is the biggest submarine built in Germany since the Second World War."

Source

For several years China mapped ocean floors as it prepares for submarine warfare with US

Hopefully, civilian use of these maps will eventually be possible!

Officially, China used equipment from a New Zealand company for this purpose.

Caveat: I did not read the entire, very long article below.

"... In tracing this effort, Reuters examined Chinese government and university records, including journal articles and scientific studies, and analyzed more than five years of movement by 42 research vessels active in the Pacific, Indian or Arctic oceans using a ship-tracking platform built by New Zealand company Starboard Maritime Intelligence.

While the research has civilian purposes – some of the surveying covers fishing grounds or areas where China has mineral prospecting contracts – it also serves a military one, according to nine naval-warfare experts who reviewed Reuters’ findings. ..."

China maps ocean floor as it prepares for submarine warfare with US

With Sweden, Baltic Sea now a ‘lake full of NATO submarines’

Headline of the day! 

Putin the Terrible may not like it! However, Putin the Terrible and invader is responsible that Sweden and Finland became NATO members after being neutral countries throughout the Cold War and beyond.

With Sweden, Baltic Sea now a ‘lake full of NATO submarines’ - Breaking Defense "Sweden’s entry into NATO has dramatically shifted the formerly non-military aligned nation’s naval doctrine: no longer just defending its own shores, the Swedish navy now guards the alliance’s eastern flank."

US will share tech to let South Korea build nuclear submarine: Trump

Good news! This will drive the Dear Leader of North Korea mad! 😊

"Trump said the country would build its nuclear-powered submarine in the Philly Shipyard, which was bought last year by South Korea’s Hanwha Group."

"The United States will share closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, President Donald Trump said on social media Thursday after meeting with the country’s president.

President Lee Jae Myung stressed to Trump in their Wednesday meeting that the goal was to modernize the alliance with the U.S., noting plans to increase military spending to reduce the financial burden on America."

US will share tech to let South Korea build nuclear submarine: Trump

President Donald Trump shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during a ceremony at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Wednesday. Replica Golden Crown

Royal Navy tests uncrewed robotic submarine in remote operation from 10,000 miles away

Amazing stuff!

"... Under a two-year test program, Excalibur will study how such submarines can be employed in anti-submarine warfare, seabed warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. ..."

Royal Navy tests robotic submarine in remote operation "The prototype Royal Navy robotic submarine XV-Excalibur has provided a glimpse of the fleet of the future by patrolling the waters at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth, England while controlled from a command center in Australia 10,000 miles (16,000 km) away."

AUKUS exercise sees Royal Navy uncrewed submarine controlled from across the world (original news release) "The Royal Navy successfully tested the ability to communicate with Experimental Vessel (XV) Excalibur, the Royal Navy’s Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV), while submerged on the other side of the world."

XV-Excalibur meeting the public in May 2025

US Navy one of just three Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine will be out 5 years due to ‘poor seamanship’

Damaged in 2021 and still in repair!

US Navy makes history with unmanned underwater vehicle

Recommendable!

The New, Secret Cocaine Superhighway Under the Atlantic

Very recommendable!

Australia’s warships hunt submarines in high-stakes defense drill

Very recommendable! According to Google AI search about 35% of all soldiers in the Australian navy are women. I was surprised how many female soldiers showed up in this short video. Bravo gender equality!

Is the time of manned navy submarines over?

Is it a reasonable speculation about the obsolescence of navy submarines going forward! Most likely yes in the age of drone warfare!

Possibly soon, autonomous, maritime drones can monitor any ocean at any depth for submarines. Other autonomous, maritime drones can follow manned submarines and destroy them when necessary.

This development also questions any current nuclear deterrence strategy based on ballistic missiles launched from submarines with nuclear weapons.

Such drones do not need oxygen, food supplies, nor lavatories!

Major technical challenges:

• How to receive signals from those autonomous maritime drones
• How to send a signal to those maritime drones to destroy a navy submarine

How India’s New Nuclear Submarine Base Challenges China’s Naval Plans

Recommendable!

A new Cold War: Pentagon confirms a 'new class' of Chinese nuclear sub sank pierside

We are back in another Cold War! How will it end this time! Younger generations should be very concerned!

The rivalry between the new superpowers China and India intensifies!

"The Pentagon has confirmed the submarine that sank pierside at a Wuhan shipyard is a “new class” of nuclear vessels being developed by the Chinese navy. ...

The submarine’s sinking was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, which credited Tom Shugart, a former US Navy submariner and currently an associate at the Center for a New American Security, a DC think tank, with spotting unusual activity at the shipyard in satellite imagery. ...

The majority of China’s current submarine fleet is non-nuclear powered, but is known to operate at least six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and six nuclear-powered attack submarines, according to the Congressional Research Service ..."

Pentagon confirms a 'new class' of Chinese nuclear sub sank pierside - Breaking Defense "The analyst credited with initially spotting the sub said its location signals a "significant expansion" of China's capacity for nuclear submarine production."

U.S. Navy to commission first sub designed for both men and women sailors

What does this cost the taxpayer? What will actually be changed?

Unfortunately, the article does not say how many female soldiers currently serve on submarines. According to Google Search: "As of August 2024, 730 women are serving on submarines in the US Navy, including officers and sailors. They are assigned to 19 nuclear-powered attack boats and 19 ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines. The U.S. Navy's submarine force has about 22,000 active duty personnel."

What about transgender people?

"The Navy is slated to commission its very first Virginia-class submarine designed for a fully gender-integrated crew on Saturday.

A submarine designed and built for both genders has been a long time coming. The New Jersey is entering the fleet roughly 14 years after then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates ended the ban on women serving on subs in 2010.

Female officers did not join the submarine force until 2011, and such roles only opened up to enlisted sailors in 2015. ..."

Navy to commission first sub designed for both men and women sailors

First submarine fully integrated for coed crews to join U.S. Navy fleet next week

Close quarters for these women and men! Nine months later, providing for the next generation of sailors! 😊

Are there any U.S. Navy submarines staffed only by females?

The Beatles: "... And we lived beneath the waves In our yellow submarine ..."

"The first submarine fully integrated for mixed gender crews will join the Navy fleet next week during a commissioning ceremony in its namesake state of New Jersey. ..."

First submarine fully integrated for coed crews to join Navy fleet next week | Stars and Stripes

India set to commission second nuclear submarine INS Arighat

Good news! India, a rising superpower!

Israeli unmanned submarine seen deployed against Iran

David and Goliath all over again?

This submarine seems huge given that it is supposedly unmanned! Is this just a decoy photo?

Israeli unmanned sub seen deployed against Iran - Globes The BlueWhale, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries' Elta unit with German company Atlas Electronik, will be part of the effort to combat Iran's expanding naval capabilities.

Canadian Submarines to Bolster Arctic Security, Government Steps Up Defence with 12 new submarines

Good news! As the ice melts, the Arctic may become a major shipping route in the near future.