Canada boosts defense spending to address an evolving threat environment THE WATCH Staff When Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Canada’s new defense policy, analysts widely agreed the commitment to better training, improved troop support and new, modern equipment and weaponry are needed if the Canadian Armed Forces are to transition successfully into a force ready for future challenges. Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the Defence Staff, said it was a “great day to be in uniform.” The plan, named Strong, Secure, Engaged, calls for an increase in defense spending of $13.8 billion Canadian (U.S. $10.8 billion) to $32.7 billion…
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Nations are cooperating in the Arctic, but increasing militarization could put peace at risk THE WATCH Staff Receding sea ice is ushering in a new resource race in the Arctic. Nations are maneuvering for control of the region, which holds rich deposits of oil, gas and minerals that are becoming newly accessible as the polar ice cap melts at an increasingly rapid rate. The melting ice, which is disappearing at about twice the pace of other spots on the planet, could also open shorter shipping routes between Western Europe and East Asia and expand commercial fishing and tourism opportunities. Some believe…
Command defends against potential threats from the sea NORAD MARITIME TEAM The end of the Cold War did not diminish the importance of the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) aerospace warning and control role, and the events of 9/11 focused leaders on potential threats that resulted in adding maritime warning to NORAD’s responsibility. The complexity of maritime security and the defense of North America stems from the numerous threat vectors encompassing millions of square miles of ocean. The challenge to the security and defense of Canada and the United States is global. Achieving maritime domain awareness is crucial, and…
From fierce hurricanes to deadly quakes, USNORTHCOM rises to the challenge THE WATCH Staff For many North Americans, the summer of 2017 was one better forgotten. Lightning-quick wildfires scorched more than 8 million acres of the American homeland — from the wilderness of Wyoming to the wine region of California. Deadly hurricanes battered Florida, Puerto Rico and Texas, leaving thousands homeless and without water or power. Add to that three deadly earthquakes in Mexico in a little more than two weeks, and the business of providing disaster relief proved logistically daunting. That job — responding to each disaster by supporting…
Agence France-Presse The Czech Republic announced it will increase the size of its Armed Forces by 30 percent after the government approved raising defense spending. Then-Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky said the number of people in the Armed Forces would rise from about 23,000 to 30,000 “within the next five to seven years.” “The Czech Army is currently among the smallest in Europe in relation to its population,” he said. The Czech Republic has a population of 10.5 million. “The list of wanted professions is very wide,” he said. “We need drivers as much as we need surgeons and pilots.” In…
Agence France-Presse Cyber-savvy Estonia is taking a step forward in global technology, with the small Baltic state opening the world’s first data embassy in Luxembourg early in 2018. The heavily protected server room contains important Estonian e-government records, so the NATO and eurozone member can access them even when systems are inoperative at home. “Data security and cyber security are generally crucial from the perspective of both people’s confidence and the functioning of services,” Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas said in June 2017. Ratas released the statement after signing an agreement with his Luxembourg counterpart, Xavier Bettel, on housing Estonian…
The Associated Press Romania’s defense minister said in July 2017 that the country intends to buy Patriot missiles worth U.S. $3.9 billion from the United States. Then-Defense Minister Adrian Tutuianu estimated Romania would begin paying for the missiles after Parliament passed a law to allow the acquisition. The U.S. State Department approved the sale, saying it would help to “improve the security of a NATO ally … that is an important force for political stability and economic progress within Europe.” The State Department said the missile system would strengthen Romania’s homeland defense and deter regional threats, increase the defensive capabilities…
Agence France-Presse Libya’s United Nations-backed prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, has appealed to Italy to send ships into Libyan territorial waters to combat human trafficking. Sarraj sent a letter requesting that “the Italian government provide the technical support of Italian naval units in the joint struggle in Libyan waters against human traffickers.” Then-Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the Ministry of Defense was considering the request, and “the options will be discussed with the Libyan authorities and the Italian Parliament.” Should Italy respond positively, “as I believe is necessary, it could be a very important development in the fight against people…
Nepalese, U.S. partners share cold facts about high-altitude operations THE WATCH Staff When the doors finally opened after a 2½-hour air mission, 128 paratroopers braced for the jump of their lives.They were jumping from an altitude of about 400 meters into an Arctic no man’s land — a place called Deadhorse, Alaska — wearing more than 90 kilograms of kit that included snowshoes, weapons and supplies. “As the paratroopers exit, it’s [minus 76 Celsius] for 2 1/2 seconds until their chute opens,” said Maj. Gen. Bryan Owens, then commanding general of U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK). “Once their chute opens, it’s…
Joint forces view multi-domain battle as key to future success THE WATCH Staff Global proliferation of advanced military technology has eroded to some degree the advantage the U.S. and its military partners have held for decades, allowing adversaries to threaten use of the air, sea, land, space and cyberspace domains. U.S. commanders and their allies and partners, however, envision a different battlefield. It’s a battlefield where navies protect land forces and armies sink ships. It’s a battlefield concept that invokes every operating domain potentially all at once. The name for this technological and philosophical leap into 21st century warfighting is…