The undersea arms race is heating up. Today saw TKMS AG AG & Co. KGaA (TKMS) and Navantia S.A., SME (Navantia) sign a second memorandum of understanding, propelling their strategic submarine partnership forward. This collaboration, first announced in December 2025, now aims to establish a joint collaboration framework by the end of this year, promising additional value for customers through complementary expertise and expanded industrial capacity.
Underwater Arms Race Accelerates
This latest development comes amidst a surge in underwater technology advancements. Ukrainian-operated Dutch Ruta Block 1 cruise missiles have entered combat use, with evidence emerging just yesterday. Meanwhile, Ultra Maritime successfully demonstrated its Sea Spear deployable sonar at the U.S. Navy Lanternfish exercise, collaborating with Anduril for undersea technology deployment.
Strategic Moves in Maritime Technologies
Today’s stories highlight several strategic moves in maritime technologies:
Dutch MoD selects OPTICS11 for new ‘ASW in a box’ capability, marking a major expansion of OptiArray product line and underscoring the demand for advanced anti-submarine sensing technology. Malaysia moves closer to procuring VL MICA missiles for its Littoral Combat Ships, demonstrating the increasing adoption of long-range weapon systems by navies worldwide. LBA Systems debuts Astore Levante at Farnborough, with deliveries to Italy slated for later this year. Based on Baykar’s Bayraktar TB3, this unmanned aviation system targets the European naval market.
Geopolitical Shifts and Long-term Trends
Thirty days of data reveal several geopolitical shifts and long-term trends:
Drones dominate discussions, with 25 mentions in the past month. Today alone saw two stories on maritime drone technologies. AI and Autonomous systems remain hot topics, with a combined 37 mentions over the past 30 days. This aligns with the growing adoption of autonomous systems across defense sectors. Cruise missiles, with eight mentions in the last month and one today, reflect the increasing importance of long-range weaponry.
What Else Moved
NATO-Indo-Pacific relations remain stable despite the absence of partner leaders at the recent chiefs of defense meeting. Northrop Grumman agreed to ramp up B-21 Raider production, potentially leading to a larger fleet size than initially planned. Malaysia issued a Letter of Acceptance to MBDA France for VL MICA missiles, complementing its Maharaja Lela-class Littoral Combat Ships.
Forward Look
As the underwater arms race intensifies, watch for:
Further developments in TKMS-Navantia collaboration and its impact on global submarine production. Advancements in underwater technologies, particularly AI-driven systems and autonomous platforms. Geopolitical implications of increased long-range weapon adoption, notably cruise missiles and anti-ship missile defense.