The United Kingdom and Norway led a weekslong military operation to foil a Russian plot to survey undersea cables in the North Atlantic, U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey said on April 9, 2026, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of using the distraction of Middle East conflict to escalate its malign activity against Europe. “To President Putin, I say, we see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences,” Healey said. The defense secretary said a Royal Navy frigate, aircraft and hundreds of…
The Watch
In a maritime operation that began in the Pacific Ocean off Michoacán state, Mexico, agents of the Secretariat of the Navy (MARINA), in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, seized a vessel loaded with about 265 kilograms of cocaine worth about $3.25 million. The interdiction on April 8, 2026, prevented more than 530,000 doses of the drug from reaching the street, a MARINA news release said. The operation began after maritime monitoring located the small vessel with an outboard motor about 66 nautical miles northwest of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, and the seizure culminated when…
Norway has unveiled a plan to spend an additional $11.8 billion on its military over the next decade “to ensure the effective development of our defense capabilities in these more dangerous times,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on March 27, 2026. The increase puts the country on track to meet NATO’s military spending target of 3.5% of gross domestic product by 2035. Just two years after the Norwegian Parliament approved a record defense plan of about $170.5 billion over the next 12 years, an updated and expanded version has now been presented, totaling $182.3 billion. “Since we first presented…
Herschel Walker, United States ambassador to The Bahamas, paid a courtesy call in March to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) headquarters in Nassau, a week after he visited there to hand over critical logistic equipment donated by the U.S. He met with Commander of the Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey and other members of the RBDF executive leadership on March 19. They discussed shared security interests, cooperation initiatives and opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations. The visits reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the nations, especially in maritime security and domain awareness, regional stability, and defense collaboration. Commodore Moxey thanked…
A contingent of Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) troops returned home in March 2026 after completing their tour as part of an ongoing U.N. mission in Haiti, the third such RBDF deployment since 2024. The RBDF members were ferried home on United States Department of War aircraft and welcomed on arrival by Bahamian Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe, U.S. Embassy Chargé D’ Affaires to The Bahamas Kimberly Furnish, and the RBDF’s commander, Commodore Floyd Moxey, according to the Nassau Guardian, a Bahamian newspaper. “The journey has not been an easy one for all of you and for those who…
A United States interagency task force has funneled more than $500 million this year into efforts to counter unmanned aerial systems, according to the Department of War (DOW). Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF 401), formed less than a year ago, took the lead in coordinating efforts to better track, identify and disable drones as North America prepares for the FIFA World Cup tournament in summer. The task force aims to reduce illegal activities along the southern border between Mexico and the U.S. and advance the nation’s Arctic defense capabilities to defend against enemy drones. “This decisive action demonstrates JIATF 401’s…
Although it doesn’t have an army and is relatively small, Iceland is a pivotal player in Arctic defense policy. NATO base and port privileges ensure that alliance members have access to the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom Gap (GIUK Gap), a probable route for Russian nuclear submarines in a conflict. The growing importance of Arctic defense has been noted in Reykjavík, where the government reaffirmed this year that NATO membership and the country’s bilateral relationship with the United States are foundational pillars of Iceland’s foreign policy. A panel of Parliament members convened in March 2025 to discuss the country’s defense posture as tensions…
Polar-hardened drones that can operate in all domains are indispensable for NATO’s future Arctic deterrence, according to a report from the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). A fleet of airborne and maritime uncrewed autonomous systems (UAS) designed to operate in the region’s extreme environment would allow the alliance to more closely watch Russian military operations in the region, the report said. In addition to small drones, uncrewed aircraft such as the United States Air Force’s remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper, which has proven itself in an intelligence-collection role, could be adapted to fill any surveillance gaps over the vast Arctic,…
The United States Department of War (DOW) has announced three agreements with major defense manufacturers to rapidly accelerate production and delivery of missile systems and critical parts. The deals with Lockheed Martin, Honeywell Aerospace and BAE Systems will allow the companies to surge production of missiles and components, including ballistic interceptors, advanced infrared sensors and devices that enhance missile maneuverability and targeting. “Through this agreement, we are actively building the Arsenal of Freedom with speed and urgency,” Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, said in a DOW news release March 25, 2026. “By empowering industry to…
Maj. Gen. Juan José Gómez Ruiz was sworn in as the new commander of the Mexican Army after the retirement of Maj. Gen. Francisco Jesús Leana Ojeda, the Secretariat of National Defense announced April 1, 2026. President Claudia Sheinbaum approved Maj. Gen. Gómez Ruiz’s appointment as commander. Maj. Gen. Arturo Coronel Flores, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the National Defense, administered the oath of office and led the oath of allegiance to the flag at Military Camp No. 1-A in Mexico City. Maj. Gen. Gómez Ruiz will supervise administration and development of the Mexican Army, as well…