The Alfa 4000 is by the way on of the four contenders for the Swedish frigate programme - the other three being FDI, Type 31, and Saab's homegrown Luleå-proposal.

Guess Colby's star might be on the wane. Not the worst development, if accurate.

"Meanwhile, Nikkei Asia has learned that the Pentagon has shifted oversight of the AUKUS defense pact to (...) the assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs."

"Either all these other administration officials and senior foreign officials are deliberately misleading us, or we have a problem coming from this office at the Pentagon, and that problem needs to be cleared up," (Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker said)

"The photo reveals that Northrop has already built a demonstrator, perhaps gaining a step on Lockheed’s rival design, which is not scheduled to reach first flight until 2027."

f I had to emphasise one aspect on this year's Indo Pacific Maritime Exposition, its the point about drones and means to operate them (ie C2). I remain a strong sceptic on drone Wunderwaffen. But if we are going to go down that road, we need a robust C2 regime to drive them.

I don't have skin in the game, and frankly don't care who's going to get money out of it. But one thing I consistently advocate for, and have communicated also at Indopac, is that drones are meaningless, if you do not know how to integrate them into your command & control regime.

Based on the NZDF press release.
www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre...