Combat Fleets

The Luohe is China’s first Jiangkai III–class (Type 054B) frigate.

China’s Jiangkai III–Class Frigate Takes The Stage

Early in 2025, China commissioned the Luohe, first of a new class of Type 054B multipurpose frigates.

Eric Wertheim

March 2025

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Proteus protects critical underwater infrastructure and serves as a mothership for remotely operated and autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles.

Defending the Seabed: The British Auxiliary Proteus

The United Kingdom’s multirole ocean surveillance ship Proteus has served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) since late 2023.

Eric Wertheim

February 2025

The Italian patrol ship Raimondo Montecuccoli in the Light-Plus configuration.

Configuration Control: Italy’s Paolo Thaon di Revel–class Patrol Ships

The innovative and flexible Italian Paolo Thaon di Revel–class patrol ships are more than just multipurpose warships—they are multiconfigurational.

Eric Wertheim

January 2025

The Orekhovo-Zuyevo is the seventh Buyan-M (Project 21631) missile corvette and the tenth overall unit of the Buyan program to enter Russian service.

Russia’s Buyan Naval Corvette Program

This program includes three original Buyan gunboats and 12 follow-on Buyan-M–class missile corvettes.

Eric Wertheim

December 2024

On 25 September 2024, the Sazanami, the fourth ship of the Takanami class, became the first JMSDF warship to sail through the Taiwan Strait.

Japan’s Takanami-class Destroyers: Making Waves In the Indo-Pacific

The Sazanami joins a growing number of warships from international navies conducting freedom-of-navigation voyages to dispute Chinese claims of sovereignty and jurisdiction.

Eric Wertheim

November 2024

The frigate Istanbul, pictured on Turkish Armed Forces Day on 30 August 2024.

MILGEM Evolution: The Istanbul-class Turkish National Frigate

Turkey’s new Istanbul-class frigates are the most advanced ships yet to stem from the 20-year-old MILGEM National Ship program.

Eric Wertheim

October 2024

The Hainan is the first Type 075 amphibious assault ship.

China’s Amphibious Apex: Type 075 Assault Ships

China’s Yushen-class (Type 075) amphibious assault ships epitomize the rapid expansion of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) expeditionary capabilities.

Eric Wertheim

August 2024

The Dauntless, Singapore’s seventh littoral mission vessel, entered service in 2020.

Singapore’s Littoral Solution

Not to be confused with the U.S. Navy’s Independence-variant littoral combat ships, Singapore’s LMVs were locally designed, with significant assistance from the Swedish firm Saab.

Eric Wertheim

July 2024

The final Dolphin II–class submarine, the Drakon, pictured here in August 2023, features an elongated sail, potentially containing a vertical launch system.

Dolphin-class Submarines: Israel’s Undersea Arsenal

Shrouded in secrecy, the Dolphin- and Dolphin II–class submarines are the primary naval assault power of the Israeli Defense Force.

Eric Wertheim

June 2024

The Marado is pictured here with two Super Lynx and three Seahawk helicopters on the flight deck.

South Korea’s Dokdo-class Amphibious Warfare Helicopter Carriers

These two “big-deck” amphibious assault ships are the largest and among the most flexible surface ships in the South Korean Navy.

Eric Wertheim

April 2024

Combat Fleets

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