Defense News in Brief: U.S. and Partner Nations conduct SINKEX during RIMPAC 26

Source: United States Navy

Ships and aircraft participating in exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 conducted a planned, live-fire sinking exercise (SINKEX) and sank decommissioned USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), July 12, 2026, and decommissioned USS Peleliu (LHA 5), July 17. Mobile Bay and Peleliu were sunk in waters 15,000 feet deep, more than 50 nautical miles off the northern coast of the island of Kauai.

Defense News in Brief: Pacific Partnership 2026, HMAS Choules Arrive in Indonesia

Source: United States Navy

SIBOLGA, Indonesia – Pacific Partnership 2026 (PP26) mission personnel arrived in Sibolga, Indonesia, aboard the Royal Australian Navy Bay-class landing ship dock HMAS Choules (LSD 100) on July 20, 2026, marking the second mission stop of the U.S. Navy’s largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific.

Defense News in Brief: Medal of Honor Recipient Royce Williams Returns to Pensacola to Welcome Navy’s Newest Student Naval Aviators

Source: United States Navy

The oldest living Medal of Honor recipient returned July 15 to the base where he earned his wings of gold, joining Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) to congratulate 29 student naval aviators who completed Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation (NIFE) training, the first milestone on the path to those same wings.

Defense News in Brief: AI in Action — NPS Marine Develops “Odyssey” to Manage Complex Projects, Tackle Workload

Source: United States Navy

When Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) computer science student U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kyle Hicks heard a fellow research team member vent about the difficulty of coordinating the complex, interconnected efforts of their project, he didn’t blink an eye. Rather, through his own initiative, Hicks built an artificial intelligence (AI) powered program management tool he coined “Odyssey” to help manage the overwhelming workload.

Defense News in Brief: U.S. Navy Announces Award of Vessel Construction Manager Contract to Accelerate Medium Landing Ship Acquisition

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy has awarded a $2.2 billion contract to TOTE Services LLC for Vessel Construction Management to oversee the acquisition of the new Medium Landing Ships (LSM). This contract will maximize commercial practices to accelerate delivery, improve cost discipline, and expand the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base. The first LSM is anticipated for delivery in fall of 2029.