The screen at an October 2023 news conference at the National Bureau of Investigation in Vantaa, Finland, shows the Finnish Border Guard’s photo of Hong Kong-registered cargo ship Newnew Polar Bear, which is suspected of damaging the BaltiConnector gas line by dragging its anchor. AFP/GETTY IMAGES THE WATCH STAFF Six NATO allies that border the increasingly strategic North Sea signed an agreement in April 2024 to coordinate defense and security measures after a series of underseas communication and gas pipelines were cut in recent months. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom will now jointly protect infrastructure…
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An Air National Guard C-130 out of Reno, Nevada, drops retardant on the Beckwourth Complex Fire on July 9, 2021, near Frenchman Lake in northern California. U.S. AIR FORCE THE WATCH STAFF U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is best known for its mission to defend the homeland from foreign adversaries, but another important mission for the command is Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA). As the summer wildfire season approaches, USNORTHCOM plays an important supporting role in protecting homeland infrastructure, natural resources and human lives. As the volatility and range of wildfires increase across the country — especially in the West…
A Royal Canadian Navy Arctic Offshore Patrol Vehicle patrols the icy Arctic waters. ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY THE WATCH STAFF Canada conducted a major exercise with its Pacific Fleet in which one of its newest vessels, HMCS Max Bernays, an Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV), participated. The exercise strengthens the readiness of the closest U.S. ally to protect the western approaches to the North American homelands. The task group exercise began April 22, 2024, and extended through May 3, 2024, in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, which lies near the Pacific Northwest border of the U.S, the Salish Sea and…
Royal Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Blaise Frawley, deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, hosts the celebration of NORAD’s 66th Anniversary in the atrium of the headquarters on Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, on May 10, 2024. JHOMIL BANSIL/U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THE WATCH STAFF The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) marked its 66th anniversary in May 2024 with a ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The decision by Canada and the United States to form a binational air defense in 1958 ushered in a new era of bilateral partnership in pursuit of…
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force recently commemorated the May 10, 1980, deaths of four Marines, who were killed after their patrol boat, the HMBS Flamingo, was attacked by Cuban warplanes. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE THE WATCH STAFF May 10th marked the 44th anniversary of the tragic 1980 sinking of the HMBS Flamingo – a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) patrol vessel – by the Cuban military, which killed four Bahamian Marines and galvanized the RBDF to develop into the capable, resilient force it is today. The unprovoked attack on the Flamingo by Cuban MiGs, which occurred after the patrol boat…
Barbados Defence Force Lt. Ramon Blackman assists his teammate, Ordinary Seaman Jada Worrell, during the Women, Peace, and Security Team Building Challenge at Paragon Base in Christ Church, Barbados, on May 11, 2024. SGT. JOSHUA TAECKENS/U.S. ARMY THE WATCH STAFF For nearly 40 years, the annual Tradewinds exercise has brought together dozens of regional allied and partner nations to improve the interoperability of their forces, build trust between command staffs and to strengthen ties and security in the Caribbean. This year, the exercise, which ran from May 4 to May 16, 2024, was hosted by Barbados, and its top-ranking military…
Royal Bahamas Defence Force Capt. Glenn McPhee congratulates the 10 graduates of a March 2024 advanced reconnaissance training program. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE THE WATCH STAFF The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) recently held its second annual reconnaissance training, completing the seven-week exercise with immigration officers to promote better coordination and interoperability among Bahamian national security forces. Interdicting and deterring illegal drug and migrant trafficking remain high priorities for the RBDF, and specialized training advances that mission. The course trained participants to “conduct amphibious and ground reconnaissance, direct-action missions, and effectively control supporting arms to provide critical military intelligence in…
Snipers train in the Arctic Edge exercise in 2022. Adapting military tactics in the harsh environment is a priority for the U.S. military. U.S. ARMY THE WATCH STAFF The Arctic presents challenges that don’t exist anywhere else in the world: extreme cold, wind, snow and ice and unpredictable weather patterns. Not to mention an almost complete lack of infrastructure. But the rapidly changing risk environment has made it expedient to train U.S. troops in all types of roles for a potential conflict in the region. Maintaining a military presence and capability in the Arctic is a high priority for the…
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force in April 2024 welcomed U.S. Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, who is the principal advisor to U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command on all enlisted matters. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE THE WATCH STAFF The senior enlisted leader at United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) visited the Bahamas in April 2024 to exchange ideas and strategies as the partnership between the U.S. and the Bahamas continues to deepen. Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, along with representatives from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and officials from USNORTHCOM, made the trip to “foster collaboration and…
A member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, emerges from a snow shelter demonstration near Resolute Bay in preparation for Operation Nunalivut. CANADIAN ARMED FORCES THE WATCH STAFF Faced with what leaders characterize as an increasingly unstable and threatening security environment, Canada proposes to spend $5.9 billion on a five-year defense plan that focuses on the defense of its Arctic territory. Themed “Our North, Strong and Free,” the plan calls for nearly $53 billion over the next 20 years with major investments in weapons systems, war and reconnaissance planes, Arctic patrol vehicles and upgrades in housing and other support…