Two cargo airplanes of the DHL package delivery company sit on the tarmac at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany, in October 2024. Investigators suspect Russian sabotage was behind the fire originating from a package at the DHL airport center in July. AFP/GETTY IMAGES THE WATCH STAFF The United States has stepped up security and counter terrorism measures for commercial cargo planes bound for North America after Russian operatives placed incendiary devices on two cargo planes in Europe in an apparent attempt to determine if similar sabotage could be carried out on flights to the United States, Western security officials told…
The Watch
A Finnish border guard and his dog patrol the Finnish-Russian border near Hoilola village, Finland, in June 2024. REUTERS THE WATCH STAFF Finland’s Coast Guard has detected an increase in the jamming of satellite positions in the Gulf of Finland, causing ships to veer off course, endangering lives and cargo. The GPS jamming tactics likely are being deployed by ships trying to avoid detection while violating international sanctions placed on Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Finnish Coast Guard has had to warn vessels in danger of running aground because of jammed GPS signals. The activity has increased…
NATO Military Committee Chairman Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer told an Arctic Council audience in October 2024 that the threat to the region from Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to grow. AFP/GETTY IMAGES THE WATCH STAFF The chair of NATO’s Military Committee issued yet another warning in October 2024 about the increasing threat posed to Arctic stability by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia. Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, in his third visit to the Arctic Council, held this year in Reykjavik, said his message, sadly, is becoming a mantra. “My message remains unchanged. There is…
A Navy officer walks on a deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, near Split, Croatia, in 2022. The Truman participated in the Strike Warrior 2024 exercise off Norway with the carrier HMS Prince of Wales. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE WATCH STAFF The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) teamed up with the British carrier HMS Prince of Wales in a training exercise off Norway in October to support the NATO ally in the face of Russian aggression. The carriers, accompanied by multiple warships and support vessels, trained with the Norwegian Armed Forces in an…
The Mexican Navy has seized a record amount of drugs at sea in recent months, including more than 15,000 kilograms during the first weeks of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s term. SEMAR THE WATCH STAFF Since the beginning of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration in October 2024, the Mexican Navy has seized 15,361 kilograms of drugs at sea, according to a news release from the Secretariat of the Navy. The latest bust occurred off the coast of Acapulco when a go-fast vessel, a type of speedboat commonly used for drug smuggling, was spotted ferrying 3,600 kilograms of cocaine. Sheinbaum’s administration has promised…
An F/A-18 Hornet prepares for takeoff from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) off the coast of Norway. Photo from Facebook/USS Harry S. Truman. FACEBOOK THE WATCH STAFF In mid-November 2024, a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier was operating in the Arctic for only the third time since the end of the Cold War. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) strike group was participating in exercises with Norway and other NATO allies inside the Arctic Circle, a shift from its expected Middle East mission. “NATO might not have an Arctic Strategy, but the repeat appearance of…
Participants of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s Urban Search and Rescue training course practice safe extraction of a victim in a natural disaster. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE THE WATCH STAFF Members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Disaster Risk Management Unit, led by Capt. Sonia Miller, completed an intensive Urban Search and Rescue training course October 21-25, 2024. The in-depth program, run by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provided vital lessons in urban disaster response for RBDF personnel and other participants from the Caribbean region. In addition to the Bahamas, represented countries included Barbados, Jamaica, and…
Military personnel operate near the border between Finland, Norway and Sweden during exercise Cold Response in March 2024. Participants from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and United States took park. Norway and Sweden have increased defense spending significantly since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. AFP/GETTY IMAGES THE WATCH STAFF Norway and Sweden announced another set of large defense spending increases in October 2024, signaling a deep commitment to defending NATO’s northern flank. The increased money for advanced weaponry and additional troops, both countries said, will help them deter any Russian…
More than 400 Canadian Armed Forces members trained with nine allied nations in October 2024 in an exercise designed to counter explosive threats. CANADIAN ARMED FORCES THE WATCH STAFF More than 400 members of the Canadian Army alongside service members from nine partner nations participated in Ardent Defender 2024, an exercise designed to strengthen the operational capacity to counter explosive threats, dispose of them and prevent future incidents. New technologies were introduced during the 11th iteration of the exercise, which is held annually around Canada. This year’s event took place in October at the 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown…
Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) leaders and U.S. officials negotiate a formal accord for the Bahamas to adopt the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) initiative, promising to increase gender inclusivity and leadership diversity in the RBDF. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE THE WATCH STAFF The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) held a formal signing of the North American Defence Framework (NADF) to Advance Women, Peace and Security Agenda with U.S. officials in October 2024, strengthening the partnership between the nations and codifying the values of gender inclusivity and diversity into the RBDF’s core mission. RBDF Commodore Raymond E. King signed the…