The Watch

Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense (DEFENSA), which oversees Mexico’s Army and Air Force, and the California National Guard have entered a new alliance under the State Partnership Program (SPP), an initiative that builds military and civil cooperation between U.S. states and foreign governments. The state of California announced the collaboration on December 4, 2025, after U.S. military and DEFENSA leaders had signed a letter of intent on October 28. The SPP pairs a U.S. state or territory’s National Guard with a partner nation’s military, security forces or government organization to enhance long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Mexico’s Maj. Gen. Javier Sandoval…

The Mexican government has deployed 690 Soldiers, including 90 special forces members, to Chihuahua state after an attack at a private horse racing track killed seven men and wounded several others on November 15, 2025. “Chihuahua will not give a millimeter to crime,” Chihuahua State Public Safety Secretary Gilberto Loya Chávez said. Races at the Santa Teresa track in Parral, Mexico, were being broadcast live on social media networks, so dozens of videos captured the moment when the shooting began and panic broke out, the Proceso magazine website reported. Hundreds of spectators ran for cover. A turf war between rival…

A combat helicopter brigade stationed in Georgia has been training to augment its existing Apache Black Hawk and Chinook assets with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designed to enhance security and force protection when combat helicopter crews are ferrying troops, supplies and firepower into battle. The 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 3rd Infantry Division, recently demonstrated innovative techniques to rapidly integrate UAS technology into battlefield planning. The Russia-Ukraine war provides a clear example of how UAS, also known as drones, have transformed 21st-century warfare. Both Russia and Ukraine have deployed drones to attack troops, infrastructure and military assets, often evading traditional…

The Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia (MNB-LVA) conducted Exercise Resolute Warrior 25 across central and eastern Latvia in November, demonstrating its ability to project combat power, maintain command and control, and operate in urban and rural settings. “This collaboration reinforces the unity between our forces and stands as a visible symbol of collective defense,” said Canadian Col. Kristopher Reeves, the MNB-LVA commander. Resolute Warrior, an annual multinational training event, was held November 1-10, 2025, under Canada’s leadership as the framework nation. It marked the brigade’s largest deployment ever beyond the Ādaži Military Base. About 2,400 troops were deployed, including the MNB-LVA, national…

Top government officials from Canada, Finland and the United States met in Washington, D.C., in November 2025 to discuss further collaboration to build icebreakers and bolster the U.S. and NATO defense posture in the Arctic, a region that is increasingly contested by the Chinese Communist Party and Russia. U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kristen Hillman and Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto signed a joint statement of intent, which is the latest development in the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE), a 2024 trilateral agreement among the three nations. “Today, we marked a major…

The Danish military’s Arctic commander and a newly published report from a leading think tank have issued similar warnings: Russia will pivot to the Arctic after its war in Ukraine ends. Escalating rhetoric, ominous military activity and Moscow’s increasing geopolitical emphasis on the High North have concerned NATO’s Nordic members, all of whom have rapidly increased defense spending since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. “My expectation is that when the war in Ukraine is over, Russia will devote its efforts to arming itself in the Arctic,” Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, commander of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, said in an interview published in…

The United States Army is deploying four surveillance and reconnaissance systems that were produced in-house to further secure the 3,145-kilometer southern border from illegal activity, including narcotics smuggling, the Army’s intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors (IEW&S) office said in December 2025. “Obviously, real-world operations are occurring down there. We have some capabilities down there that are helping with persistent surveillance, long-range detection and data integration,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Chaney, head of the Army’s IEW&S office, according to DefenseScoop, a military affairs website. The reconnaissance and surveillance systems have different roles and can be deployed on the ground and in…

Canada announced a major integration of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in December 2025, creating a Joint Forces Command to increase cohesiveness and interoperability across air, land and sea. The new command will coordinate doctrine and force development and streamline resources in health care and other logistical needs shared by the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). “The establishment of the Canadian Joint Forces Command (CJFC) marks a significant step forward in modernizing our military. … This new command will allow the Canadian Armed Forces to be better integrated, agile, and ready…

Twenty members of the Haitian National Police-Coast Guard have completed two weeks of intensive capacity-building programs facilitated by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). It was the kickoff of a new regional initiative supported by international partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Organization of American States (OAS) and Canada. The programs included UNODC small-boat law enforcement training and an OAS cargo and container rummage course, with financial support provided by the government of Canada. The programs reflect The Bahamas’ commitment to advancing sustainable, Haitian-led solutions to security issues and underscore the urgency of strengthening…

California National Guard (CalGuard) counternarcotic teams helped seize more than 1.2 million fentanyl pills in October, the highest monthly total to date in 2025, state data shows. The pills have an estimated street value of $6.45 million. The seizures are part of the state’s expanded drug enforcement efforts, backed by a $30 million state investment to bolster CalGuard’s role in drug interdiction and support programs targeting high-intensity drug trafficking areas. This year, CalGuard members, along with partner agencies, have seized more than 2,345 kilograms of fentanyl — more than 3 million pills — worth nearly $43 million. Since they started drug…