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…
The Watch
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…
Arctic experts applauded recent efforts by the United States to bolster its presence in the High North but said that challenges remain to stymie efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Russia to increase their military leverage in the region. The expert testimony came in March 2026 before a joint meeting of two congressional subcommittees of the House Homeland Security Committee. “The Arctic region is within homeland defense,” said Heather Conley, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank, according to Stars and Stripes, a U.S. military newspaper. “It’s part of our integrated defense…
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Regiment will be expanded as part of a broader shift in the British Overseas Territory’s security strategy, the TCI government announced in March 2026. Premier Charles Washington Misick announced the expansion during his March 18 State of the State address as part of a larger overhaul of TCI’s security posture, including strengthening the Royal TCI Police Force and the Border Force to tackle illegal migration and gang violence. The changes will bolster the regiment’s ability to contribute to regional stability, Misick said. The TCI Regiment was created in 2020 and consists of six full-time…
The commander of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) told Congress in March 2026 that the execution of his mission — greatly expanded in the past year — reflects strong interagency and international partnerships. The command also has quickly developed and deployed new technologies and tactics to protect the U.S. homeland and the nation’s North American, Caribbean, and Arctic allies and partners. “Over the last year, USNORTHCOM and NORAD have transformed the commands and how they operate, taking on critical new missions, standing up new functional units … welcoming new components, and…