Defense News in Brief: President Trump Announces New Battleship

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, announced their intent to construct a new class of American-designed battleships that will be the most lethal surface combatant ever constructed. The future USS Defiant (BBG 1) will be the first Trump class battleship and will be an unambiguous statement of American commitment to maritime superiority with capability to distribute more firepower across the fleet than any other class of ship, for any Navy, in history.

Defense News in Brief: Navy Announces New Small Surface Combatant

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Navy announced today its plan to introduce a new class of smaller combatant ships, the FF(X), as a critical component of the Navy’s fleet of the future. The FF(X) will be a smaller, more agile surface combatant designed to complement the fleet’s larger, multi-mission warships and enhance operational flexibility around the globe.

Defense News in Brief: Navy Launches Improvement Projects for Sailors Living in Barracks

Source: United States Navy

Washington, D.C. (Dec. 18, 2025) – Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is enhancing the safety, comfort, and cleanliness of barracks across the Navy Shore Enterprise with $375 million of Barracks Task Force funding. Driven by the Secretary of War (SECWAR) Barracks Task Force initiative and “Sailors First” principle, these investments will improve the well-being of Sailors living in barracks throughout the Navy’s Unaccompanied Housing (UH) program.

Defense News in Brief: U.S. Navy, ASEAN members conclude AUMX 20

Source: United States Navy

BATAM, Indonesia — U.S. Navy Sailors from Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) and Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, rejoined service members from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ashore in Batam, after concluding the ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise (AUMX) sea phase in the Singapore Strait, Dec. 13.

Defense News in Brief: NPS Launches New Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Focused on Warfighter Needs

Source: United States Navy

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has launched a brand new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) degree that will confer the advanced knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to develop, assess, and deploy AI for the U.S. Navy, joint forces and allied militaries. Graduates through the new program will be prepared to lead AI integration within their communities and across the U.S. Department of War (DOW).

Defense News in Brief: Rapidly Developed Counter-Drone Prototype Succeeds at NATO’s Bold Machina

Source: United States Navy

A new, innovative detection system for countering uncrewed aerial systems (c-UAS) conducted its first field tests at sea during the Bold Machina (BOMA) exercise in the Netherlands this September. Rapidly developed by a small team led by officer-scholars from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), the c-UAS system deployed aboard a Dutch Navy fast raiding, interception, and special forces craft (FRISC).