NATO Member Canada's Foreign Minister Unveils Arctic Foreign Policy - plus Minister of National Defence Weighs In

According to Global Affairs Canada,the Arctic is experiencing major changes.The shifting geopolitical landscape,evolving security threats and accelerating climate change are impacting the Arctic in unique ways and highlight the need for strong Canadian leadership to respond to the changing reality in the region.That is why the Honourabla Melanie Joly,PC MP,Minister of Foreign Affairs,on O6 DEC 2024 announced the launch of Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy (AFP).The AFP is the culmination of months of extensive engagement with territorial and provincial governments and Inuit,First Nations and Metis.The AFP was also informed by consultations with the Kingdom of Denmark;Finland;Iceland;Norway;Sweden;and the United States,Canada's like-minded Arctic Partners.The AFP is also a comprehensive diplomatic strategy for Canada's engagement in and on the Arctic.It provides expanded presence and partnerships to address current needs and the flexibility to adapt to future challenges.This approach complements the 2019 Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF),and it will allow Canada to continue to safeguard its sovereignty,advance national interests and promote a stable,prosperous and secure Arctic based on a shared vision of the region's future.The AFP is comprised of four foreign policy pillars:asserting Canada's sovereignty;advancing Canada's interests through pragmatic diplomacy;leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges;and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy.Said Foreign Minsiter Joly:We are in a tough world.Competiton is growing across the globe,and the Arctic is not immune.Many countries,including non-Arctic states,aspire for a greater role in Arctic affairs.The evolving security and evolving security and political realities in the region mean we need a new approach to advance our national interests...Canada will open new consulates in Alaska and Greenland,appoint an Arctic ambassador (an Indigenous person),and continue its boundary negotiations with the United States over the Beaufort Sea.The 37 page document also warns of Russian activity in the Arctic,including modernisation of its Arctic infrastructure and military capabilities.The Canadian Forces station in Alert,Ellesmere Island,is closer to Russia's air force base at Nagurskoye,Russia than Iqaluit (capital of Nunavut Territory) is to Ottawa,or Toronto is to Winnipeg.*Said Foreign Minister Joly:It is clear that Russia has no red lines.The Arctic is no longer a low-tension region.*According to the Honourable William Sterling Blair,PC,COM,MP,Minister of National Defence,in the document Our North,Strong and Free:Here at home,Canadians are depending more on the Canadian Armed Forces-our Regular and Reserved Forces and our Canadian Rangers...We are seeing greater Russian activity in our air approaches,and a growing number of Chinese vessels and surveillance platforms are mapping and collecting data about the region.Meanwhile,states are rapidly building up their military capabilities that impact our security in the Arctic-including submarines,long-range aircraft and hypersonic missiles that move faster and are harder to detect.As the Arctic becomes more accessible to foreign actors,we need to ensure our military has the tools to assert our sovereignty and protect Canada's interests.*At the same time,Canada's interests do not stop at our border.Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine is an attack on the system of international rules and institutions that enable thr security and prosperity of Canada and Canadians;we must remain steadfast in our support of Ukraine.Furthermore,an increasingly assertive China challenges the international order in the Indo-Pacific.Canada must maintain a reliable,persistent military presence to uphold the global rules that underpin our prosperity and sovereignty.*Today we are confronted with a complex,generational challenge.The world is at an inflection point.Democracy,free trade and the rules and values that underpin them are increasingly being challenged by authoritarian states.In parallel,the character of conflict is changing as technonology evolves rapidly.Ultimately,our closest values of democracy,freedom,peace and fairness-which Canadians have fought and died to defend-are being challenged...In 2017,we released Strong,Secure,Engaged-Canada's defence policy,to ensure long-term,predictable,stable funding to National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).Seven years on,Canada's defence strategy remains in an upward trajectory,consistent with our commitment to meet NATO's Defence Investment Pladge.We are aqcuiring new fighter jets (Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs) and Maritime Patrol Aircraft,and new built-in Canada Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels have been delivered to Canadian Sailors.In 2022,we invested 38.6 billion to modernise our contribution to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).*NORAD is the only bi-national military command in the world,ensuring areospace warning and control and maritime warning for the United States and Canada.*Lockheed Martin (LMT)

The Sun:NATO jets and bombers take to skies for nuclear drills sending clear message to Russia and Iran - YouTube

Panavia Tornado,Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter,Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)*Panavia GmBH is a mutinational company formed by Great Britain,Germany and Italy for the production of the Panavia Tornado Multi-role Combat Aircraft.

NATO Exercise Steadfast Noon Begins in the Face of Russian Nuclear Sabre-Rattling

According to AP,NATO will launch its annual nuclear drills on 14 OCT 2024 and they will last about two weeks.The exercise has been held in October or November each year for the last ten years.Boeing nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress Strategic Bombers along with other Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) are participating this year:Panavia Tornado;Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;and F-15E Strike Eagle.NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the drills,saying:In an uncertain world,it is vital that we test our defence so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready and is able to respond to any threat.*France will not participate as it is not a part of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group.*NATO members belonging to the U.S. nuclear-sharing programme are:Belgium,Germany,Italy,Netherlands and Turkey.These have facilities for storing the Boeing B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter.According to commercial documents,Great Britain is looking to rejoin the nuclear-sharing programme with the development of the needed facilities at RAF Lakenheath,England in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The U.S. Air Force 701st Nuclear Support Squadron looks after the B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons.*The Neatherlands stores approximately 15 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Vokel Air Base;while Belgium stores 22 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Kleine Brogel Air Base.U.S. Air Force Security Forces provide security for the nuclear sites.*Despite Russian threats,NATO has seen no change in Russia's nuclear posture.Rutte said that giving into any threat:would set a precedant that using military force allows a country to get what it wants,and we cannot do that.*Angus Lapley,NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy said the drills are aimed at proving the Alliance has the ability to counter any threat against its 32 member nations,is credible and that:any adversary would need to take extremely seriously indeed.*Lapley said that:Moscow is introducing lots of novel systems and putting more emphasis on investment in short and intermediate range weapons systems.It has recently been talking an awful lot about nuclear doctrine and how that may or may not be evolving...a pretty clear attempt to influence us.*The major manoeuvres will take place over the UK;the North Sea off the Scottish coast;Belgium and the Netherlands.*The nuclear-sharing programme is a dual key arrangement,meaning nothing can be done without the consent of both the U.S. and the host nation.*The drills will involve every step in the U.S. nuclear-sharing prgramme:retrieving a simulated weapon from the underground storage vault;transporting it to the surface on an elevator;and mounting it on or in a Dual Capable Aircraft.*Daniel Bunch,Chief of Nuclear Operations at NATO Headquarters in Brussels,said while the drills will involve several types of military aircraft,a lot of it goes on behind the scenes:Under Staedfast Noon,we seek to stress the overall system,put people in tough positions,high operations tempos.The challenge of coordinating things:literally down to the minute when we would put a weapon onto the target is a very complex activity.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

USAF, Highway landing. F-35A fighters during military exercises in Finland,NATO - YouTube - MIL 3010

This is practise for operating in austere conditions.It simulates high intensity warfighting.Not only can the U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter land on highways-it can also take off from them and be refueled on them.For its part,the Finnish Air Force operates the Boeing F/A-18 C-D Hornet fighter until the F-35A can be phased in.Such drills build confidence between NATO Allies,improving interoperability in the Arctic Region.These f-35As are from RAF Lakenheath,England,where Great Britain is reconstituting its Boeing B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon deterrent facilities in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine,commercial documents indicate.These drills seem to have taken place in the summer.*Lockheed Martin (LMT),Boeing (BA)

US Air Force, NATO. Powerful F-35A Lightning II and F-15E Strike Eagle on exercises in Spain - YouTube

2 OCT 2022-Los Llanos Air Force Base,Spain*Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters and Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles,both of which are nuclear capable,on drills in Spain.Tactical Leadership Exercise (TLP) is to improve the performance of Allied air forces by developing the leadership;mission planning;tactical flying;and debriefing skills of participating NATO air crews.*Text by MIL3010 and edited by Andrew Taylor*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Pacific Perspective:Exercise Pitch Black 24 | Hot Shots Week Three 🔥🎥 - YouTube

Exercise Pitch Black 24,led by the Royal Australian Air Force,runs from 12 July-2 August 2024.It features the Eurofighter Typhoon;Italian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI Flanker fighter;Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle;Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor;and the Dassault Aviation French Mirage fighter.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT),Dassault Aviation SA (OTCM:DUAVF)

LIVE US AIR FORCE F-15 & F-35 ACTION 48TH FIGHTER WING • RAF LAKENHEATH ENGLAND 21.06.24 - YouTube

The aircraft are the nuclear-capable U.S. Air Force 48th Fighter Wing Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle fighter.The base's nuclear storage mission ws terminated in 2008 in the belief that the Cold War was over.Yet the first Russian invasion of Ukraine with little green men in 2014 and the second full-on war against Ukraine launched in February 2022 has caused NATO to revive the nuclear storage mission.Documents show a large underground surety dormitory for storing the Boeing B61-12 nuclear bomb is under construction,along with ballistic-sheathed shelters for Air Force Security Forces.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)*The B61-12 has an adjustable range of missions,from tactical nuclear to thermonuclear kilotonnes.*The UK will neither confirm nor deny the project.

Defence Updates: Counter-UAS, Collaborative Combat Aircraft, and the F-35 Program - Avionics International

Defense Updates: Counter-UAS, Collaborative Combat Aircraft, and the F-35 Program - Avionics International: A developmental test team flew the Technology Refresh-3 configuration of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter for the first time on Jan. 6. Lockheed Martin (LMT),Northrop Grumman (NOC),Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

Steadying the Eastern Flank:F-35s Posted to Estonia,Romania

On 24 February 2022,six US Air Force F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters were forward deployed to air bases in the Baltic and Black Sea Regions.The Lockheed Martin warplanes are from the 34th Fighter Squadron out of Spangdahlem Air Base,Germany.They will provide enhanced Air Policing (eAP) capability to this sensitive line so near to Russia.eAP gives NATO a way to adapt to crises and scale up defensive missions as the security situation evolves.Some of the F-35s will be based Amari Air Base,Estonia to integrate with Belgian F-16 Fighting Falcons.The other JSFs will operate out of Fetesti Air Base,Romania to integrate with Romanian F-16s.Said General Jeff Harrigian,chief of NATO Allied Air Command and Commander,U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa: Our forces bring advanced capabilities to confront a full spectrum of threats to our Alliance.Our ability to move aircraft anywhere at a moment's notice assures our Allies and promotes balanced defense across the Alliance.* F-35s,with their unique capabilities for communications,command and control,and lethality,provide the combined joint force leaders flexibility for power projection and assertion of warfighting Air Dominance in the highly contested environments of the Regions.Since Russia illegally annexed Crimea and instigated a separatist movement among Russian speakers in the Donbas Region of Eastern Ukraine in 2014,NATO'S eAP has helped secure regional stability and foster Ally assurance to counter destabilising influences. The F-35's advanced Electronic Warfare capabilities enable pilots to locate and track enemy forces;jam their radars;and disrupt their attacks with unparalleled effect,thus outpacing key adversaries,according to Lockheed Martin.* Lockheed Martin (LMT)