Interview

Naval News steps aboard the Spanish Navy’s first-in-class F-110 frigate, Bonifaz (F-111), joined by F-110 Program Director Rafael Seijo for an exclusive tour of the next-generation anti-submarine warfare combatant.

Recorded in May, the walkthrough covers the vessel’s first deployment of a naval digital twin, Lockheed Martin’s SPY-7 radar on a low-observable integrated mast, and a CODELAG propulsion plant with reserve power margins for future directed-energy weapons. The tour also highlights the 170-square-meter multi-mission space for uncrewed systems, acoustic stealth mounts in the machinery room, and the stern ASW suite with the Thales CAPTAS-4 compact sonar and Nixie countermeasures. It concludes on the bridge, reviewing the ship’s primary striking power, including ESSM, Naval Strike Missiles, and the Leonardo 5-inch main gun.

Sources: Naval News (YouTube)

Dhruva Jaishankar and Tanvi Madan join the ChinaPower Podcast to discuss the current state of China-India relations and whether recent developments signal a thaw between the two countries. The conversation examines the drivers behind renewed engagement, lingering economic and security tensions, and the implications for India’s ties with the United States and the Quad. Jaishankar is Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation America; Madan is a senior fellow in the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

South Africa’s local government elections carry national stakes, coming as the country’s first nationwide electoral test since the ANC lost its parliamentary majority and entered a coalition government. The episode of Into Africa examines how voters are weighing frustration over public services, coalition instability, and confidence in democratic institutions.

Host Oge Onubogu is joined by Daryl Swanepoel and Gemima Barlow to discuss electoral integrity, public trust, and whether greater political competition can improve governance. The conversation also covers how disinformation is reshaping the electoral landscape and why these municipal contests matter beyond South Africa’s borders.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

Max Bergmann and Dan Byman discuss Russia’s stepped-up sabotage, drone incursions, and cyberattacks in Europe, and warnings that Moscow could test NATO’s Article 5 resolve by striking European states with drones or missiles. The conversation covers what Russia is trying to achieve, how European states can respond, and what to expect from the United States.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

Host Seth Jones speaks with Lieutenant General (Ret.) Curtis Buzzard, former commander of Security Assistance Group–Ukraine and NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, about what more than four years of war in Ukraine reveal about the changing character of combat. Drawing on over 30 trips into the country, Buzzard examines Ukraine’s rapid cycle of battlefield innovation in drones and deep strike and the role of the Delta battle management system. He also weighs whether the U.S. military should create a dedicated branch for unmanned systems and assesses whether the United States is learning lessons from the conflict as fast and as closely as its adversaries.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

Russia’s Cosmos 2612 has conducted unusual maneuvers that could bring it very close to a U.S.-registered commercial satellite operated by ICEYE, which supports Ukraine, according to commercial tracking data. The CSIS Aerospace Security Project hosts a virtual discussion featuring Greg Gillinger, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Development at Integrity ISR, and Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project. Moderated by Kari Bingen, Director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project, the conversation explores what the tracking data reveal, potential risks to the ICEYE satellite, and options for deterring and responding to hostile actions in space.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

CSIS’s Australia Chair has developed an interactive tool, Security Influence in the Pacific: Who’s Competing—and Where?, to map the region’s security arrangements with Australia, New Zealand, the United States, China, and Taiwan. Dr. Charles Edel, Senior Adviser and Australia Chair, Kathryn Paik, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, and John Augé, Program Manager, examine the changing security environment and introduce the tool.

Sources: CSIS (YouTube)

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to employees at Riverside Machine and Engineering during an Arsenal of Freedom tour stop in Eau Claire, Wis., on Oct. 20, 2026.

Sources: DoD News (YouTube)

The Navy’s plan to modernize its four public shipyards, once estimated at $21 billion over 20 years, could now exceed $200 billion with projects stretching beyond 2080. These yards perform much of the heavy maintenance keeping America’s nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers operational.

A Government Accountability Office report details rising costs, aging infrastructure, and gaps in the information Congress receives about the program’s progress and risks. The video breaks down how the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program became a multigenerational undertaking and what it means for a fleet already stretched thin.

Sources: Task & Purpose (YouTube)

Patria OPTIME is a sustainment service concept covering maintenance, MRO, supply chain, lifecycle and training products and services, aimed at optimising fleet performance across the entire lifecycle. ILIAS is the digital defence platform that connects these sustainment activities — maintenance, supply, training, deployments and operations — into one synchronised system.

Together, the two provide a single source of truth with real-time visibility, coordinated workflows and data-driven decision-making across land, sea and air. ILIAS brings service delivery, data and execution into one operational picture, supporting optimised availability, operational control and mission readiness.

Sources: Shephard Media (YouTube)