A Spanish yard has launched two warships including one for a Middle Eastern navy while two European countries have pledged support for Argentina's purchase of new submarines. A UK defence firm has proposed one of its designs for the US Navy's frigate procurement programme. Lastly, an Israeli builder has been selected for the construction and delivery of a new naval patrol vessel for Cyprus.
France and Germany have each offered to finance in full Argentina's acquisition of three submarines, the head of the country's Joint Staff has confirmed.
The Argentine Navy has technically evaluated the Naval Group's Scorpène Evolved and the Type 209NG offered by TKMS.
"Whichever of the two options we choose, they are among the best submarines in the world today," said Admiral Marcelo Dalle Nogare, Argentine newspaper Clarín has reported.
Navy chief Admiral Juan Carlos Romay submitted an assessment to the Ministry of Defence after engaging with both companies. The ministry has since forwarded it to the executive, which will make the final decision.
UK-based defence firm the Babcock International Group has held preliminary discussions with Pentagon officials over recent months and is preparing to offer one of its warship designs to fulfil a US Navy frigate requirement.
The company is due to submit an expression of interest before the end of October. The prospective bid remains at an early stage.
"Of course we're interested,” Sir Nick Hine, Babcock's Chief Growth Officer and Chief Executive Marine, told The Telegraph. “We have a world class frigate, close links to the US and US industry. It would be insane for us not to respond.”
The newspaper identified Huntington Ingalls Industries as a possible joint bidder. A proposal may entail the transfer of intellectual property and designs, allowing the ships to be built by American workers in the US.
Israel and Cyprus signed an agreement on Monday, October 26, for a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Cyprus Naval Command and for systems upgrades aboard the service's existing OPV Commodore Andreas Ioannides.
The new ship will be built by Israel Shipyards and fitted with Rafael naval systems. Commodore Andreas Ioannides was also built by Israel Shipyards.
"The new OPV, alongside the upgraded OPV Ioannides, will support expanded patrol, surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions," the Israeli ministry said
Israeli business daily Globes reported a value of €150 million for the package. Cypriot newspaper Phileleftheros reported earlier that the new ship would be a second Saar 62-class vessel and that delivery was expected by mid-2028 at the latest.
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia launched a new corvette for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) at its facilities in the Bay of Cádiz on Sunday, October 25.
The futute Neom is the seventh corvette built by Navantia for the RSNF and the second of three vessels in a follow-on batch ordered by the Saudi Ministry of Defence in December 2024. Five earlier ships were built between 2019 and 2024.
The corvette's keel was laid at San Fernando in May. Her launch follows that of the first follow-on ship, Al-Madinah, in June. The keel of the third ship was laid in July.
Navantia will deliver Al-Madinah in Spain. Neom and the third vessel will instead be sent to Saudi Arabia, where the combat system will be installed, integrated and tested, as it was for the fourth and fifth ships of the original contract.
The Spanish Navy and shipbuilder Navantia are jointly defining an integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) variant of the F110 frigate, Navantia said on Friday, October 23.
The ships would complement the five F110 or Bonifaz-class frigates currently under construction. The work follows Spanish Navy requirements for future capabilities set out in its “Armada 2050” strategy document, which was presented in Madrid in December 2024.
According to Navantia, the variant would be able to counter aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles simultaneously. The variant is intended to perform area air defence, escort high value assets, and coordinate air defence within a naval task group.
The design would also offer increased speed and endurance and be suitable for integration into NATO and European Union task groups.