LIVE: MI6 chief speaks at the British embassy in Paris - YouTube - 3O NOV 2024 - Reuters

NATO Secretary General doorstep statement at the EU Foreign Affairs Council,19 NOV 2024

1,000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine

NATO Secretary General at the European Political Community, 07 NOV 2024

North Korean troops are fighting in Kursk Oblast against the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Pelosi-Dalai Lama visit will ‘add to the tension’ with China says Adm. Stavridis - YouTube - NBC News

NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell interviews Admiral James Stavridis,former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

NATO Secretary General press conference at Foreign Ministers Meeting, Prague,Czechia CZ 31 MAY 2024 -YouTube

Decisions: 1.Greater NATO role in equipment and training; 2.Alliance commits to multiyear financial pledge for Ukraine; 3.We discussed Ukraine's path to NATO membership and Ukraine's future in NATO.

Fmr. Top NATO official pens letter to Biden warning of threats from authoritarian powers - MSNBC - YouTube

with Johnathan Capehart*Note:The Senate approved by a large bipartisan majority the 95 billion dollar foreign aid bill for Ukraine,Israel,Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific on 23 April 2023 and President Biden will sign it on 24 April 2024.

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, O3 APR 2024

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan,O7 FEB 2024

North Korean parade showed off record number of ICBMs, analysts say - Stars and Stripes

North Korean parade showed off record number of ICBMs, analysts say: North Korea held the event marking the 75th anniversary of its army’s founding at the main parade grounds in Pyongyang, where it showcased roughly 15 intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Operation NOBLE DEFENDER:Defending North America's Approaches - intercepting cruise missiles

From 12-14 September 2022,Operation NOBLE DEFENDER (OND) was executed by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Alaska and the Northwest Territories.Mainly carried out over sparsely populated Arctic and Pacific areas at high altitude,there was little chance of the public noticing the drills.Areas traversed include Inuvik,Yellowknife,St.Lawrence Island,King Salmon,Ketchikan and west of Vancouver.OND was intended to validate NORAD'S ability to defend Canada and the US from every avenue of approach,demonstrating the capability to integrate with defence and security partners for a holistic,360-degree defence of the continent.* OND,a recurring series of drills,tested the ability to rapidly deploy military assets and carry out tactics,techniques and procedures in the designated areas.It demonstrated NORAD'S ability to quickly deter,defend and,if necessary,defeat adversaries of North America such as Russia,China and North Korea.Defensive manoeuvres were practised along the Northern and Western approaches to North America by all three NORAD Regions:Alaska NORAD Region (ANR);Canadian NORAD Region (CANR);and Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR).OND drew on military personnel and equipment support from Portland,Oregon;Cold Lake,Alberta;Colorado Springs,Colorado;Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base,Alaska.* On 14 September,US Air Force F-15C Eagle fighters from the Oregon Air National Guard's 142d Wing took off from Portland ANG Base.There the operation exhibited the ability to launch at short notice from dispersed air and maritime locations to defend Northern approaches in multiple regions across all domains,displaying resiliance in the face of multiple and complex threats.During the drills,CONR also coordinated and conducted joint operations with the US Navy while concurrently launching jets from various locations across the US Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico.This phase of OND featured manoeuvres for defending the Southern approach to the US from simulated cruise missile threats.F-15C Eagles took off from Muniz ANG Base in Carolina,Puerto Rico.The OND addressed both current and evolving threats to North American defence and security.* An F-15E Strike Eagle can actually launch a cruise missile,the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER),from a center pylon.This type of launch was simulated over the highly strategic Baltic Sea Region in 2021.* To shoot down a cruise missile,you have to know the missile's course and speed so you can intercept and destroy it.A heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile can destroy a cruise missile.So can an aircraft's cannon.As long as an aircraft has look-down-shoot-down capability,it can destroy a cruise missile,but it is very difficult to execute such a mission against the terrain-following,low-IR emission cruise missiles.

Pacific Perspective:North Korea Tests New Threat to Allied Forces

On 11-12 September 2021,North Korea sucessfully tested a new long-range cruise missile.The missiles flew a figure 8 pattern and crashed into the sea after about a two-hour flight.The state news agency article appered on page 2 and included photos.Pyongyang claims the missiles can hit targets more than 930 miles away,putting US and South Korean troops well within range of the new weapon.North Korea is allowed to develop such jet-powered missiles by the UN,which only forbids the hostile regime of Kim Jong Un to conduct ballistic missile development. The missile has been in development for two years,and South Korea believes the story about it was credible.As for South Korea,it recently tested a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The North Korean cruise missile,which is possibly nuclear capable,was depicted launching from a truck.It could pose a complex threat to Allied Forces,enabling the North to conduct an attack on them from all directions with a mix of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as substantial artillery assets. The US has about 28,000 troops in South Korea and conducts periodic wargames with South Korean forces.

Pentagon Responds to Query From Congressmen on a Korean War II - airstrikes not enough

On 27 October 2017,Rear Admiral Michael J. Dumont,US Navy,responded to a letter from Representatives Ted Lieu (D-California) and Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona),who asked the Department of Defense to scope out a possible armed conflict with North Korea for them.They were particularly interested in the expected casualty assessment and the prevention of North Korean retaliation.
RADM Dumont replied that:
We have not seen any change in the offensive posture of North Korea's forces,something we watch very carefully.We remain postured to respond in the event of a provocation or conflict,and we have taken all appropriate measures to protect our Allies,the ROK and Japan,and US Forces in those countries.As military professionals,we prepare for all contingencies and continually review our posture and coalition efforts to deter and respond,if necessary,using the full range of military capabilities.*
Calculating even the roughest "best-or worst-case casualty estimates " for any conventional or nuclear attack is challenging.We continually evaluate what actions North Korea might take,and its capability to attack the ROK,Japan or Guam,and in particular Seoul,with long-range artillery,rockets,and ballistic missiles.In addition to being the capital and the ROK's most densely populated city,Seoul is also just 35 miles from the demilitarized zone.Given Seoul's vulnerability,casualty estimates will vary significantly depending upon the nature,intensity,and duration of a North Korean attack.
Further complicating casualty estimates,is the ability of our ROK-US Alliance Forces to respond to a North Korean attack with counter-battery fire and coalition airstrikes,missions for which we train constantly.We can help mitigate the number of casualties and reduce the duration of  a North Korean attack by maintaining the readiness of our forces and our ability to respond rapidly and decisively.*
The only way to "locate and destroy-with complete certainty-all components of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs" is through a ground invasion.A classified briefing is the best venue for a detailed discussion of our capabilities to counter North Korea's ability to respond and to eliminate North Korea's nuclear weapons located in deeply buried,underground facilities.We would be happy to join the Intelligence Community to address these issues in a classified briefing,RADM Dumont offered.*
President Donald Trump is currently traveling through East Asia to meet with South Korean and Japanese leaders,as well as President Xi Jinping of China,on the North Korea crisis.

US,Australia Launch Major Exercise at a Time Of Heightened Regional Tension

Even as North Korea was launching its first ICBM experts deem capable of striking the US mainland and Canada on Independence Day,4 July 2017,the US and Australia were getting their largest joint exercise,Talisman Sabre 2017,off the proverbial launch pad.The drills,a major effort to train their forces in planning and conducting Combined Joint Task Force operations to improve the combat readiness and interoperability between the respective forces,are held every two years,the Australian Department of Defence said.*
TS17 is focused on mid-intensity high-end warfighting.This seventh iteration of the event will involve more than 33,000 US and Australian troops.It will consist of force preparation activities;amphibious landings;parachuting;land force manoeuvres;urban operations;air operations;maritime operations;and coordinated firing of live ammunition and explosive ordnance from both small arms and artillery,as well as naval vessels and aircraft,ADOD continued.*
Most of TS17's field training will occur in Shoalwater Bay Training Area,near Rockhampton,Central Queensland.Other sites include Mt.Bundy Training Area south of Darwin,Northern Territory,as well as Darwin itself,Townsville,Brisbane and Canberra in Australia;and Hawaii,Indiana,Virginia and Washington in the US.The drills began in late June and run through late July.*
Admiral Harry B. Harris,Commander,US Pacific Command,recently noted at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Brisbane that the North Korean threat covers the entire Indo-Asia-Pacific Region since its missiles point in every direction:
North Korea made this clear when it threatened Australia with a nuclear strike just a couple of months ago.*
Other APAC regional threats concerning the US and Australia that were cited by ADM Harris are China's growing militarisation of the South China Sea and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant's  alarming expansion into the Philippines.ADM Harris summarised  the current exercise thusly:
TS17 is a realistic,high-end and challenging exercise that provides endless opportunities for our nations to innovatively prepare for our shared regional and global security challenges.*
New Zealand is also sending a contingent to the drills.

North Korea Threatens Japan with Latest Missile Test - US,South Korea respond with B-1Bs,fighter jets and aircraft carriers

On 29 May 2017,Memorial Day in the US,North Korea launched its third ballistic missile test in less than three weeks and its twelfth of the year.The missile was fired at 0539 hours locval time from near Wonsan,Kanguan Province,on North Korea's east coast.It traveled 248 miles to a point in Japan's exclusive economic zone,a place with heavy commercial ship and aircraft traffic that is within 200 miles of the Japanese coast.*
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said:
It is a severe threat to the peace and stability of not only the Korean Penninsula,but also the international community.Since our government took office,North Korea has been frequently and repeatedly conducting provocation in such a manner.*
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff added:
North Korea's continuous provocative actions will cause its own isolation and it will be facing strong punishment from our own military.*
Defence experts say the number and pace of the missile tests mean North Korea is accelerating reaching its goal of developing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the mainland US.*
For his part,Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that:
We can never tolerate North Korea's repeated provocations violating repeated warnings from the international community.We have lodged a firm protest against North Korea as we have agreed at the G7 Summit that North Korea is the priority of the international community.In order to deter North Korea,we will take concrete action together with the US.We will maintain high vigilance in coordination with South Korea and we will take all possible measures to secure the safety of the people of Japan.*
In the event,South Korea revealed that,at about 1030 hours,two US Air Force B-1B Lancer strategic bombers arrived over the East Sea some five hours after the missile test.The swept-wing bombers flew about 80 kilometers east of Gangueng,a city near the Military Demarcation Line that defines the border between North and South Korea.Warplanes from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and South Korean F-15K fighter jets joined in the responsive drill.North Korea described it as a nuclear bomb-dropping exercise,but:
Such military provocations of the US imperialists is a dangerous reckless racket for bringing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war.*
Indeed,the KNCA official North Korean news agency disclosed that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had recently watched the test of a new type of anti-aircraft guided weapon system organised by the Academy of National Defense Science.This weapon system,whose operational capacity has been thoroughly verified,should be mass-produced to be deployed all over the country.It will completely destroy the enemy's wild dream to command the air,boasting of air supremacy and weapon almighty.*
Besides the Carl Vinson,the US has the carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Western Pacific as well.What is more,it is reportedly sending the carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68 ) to join them.Three carriers in one region is almost unheard of for the US Navy.

US Marines Add More Combat Aircraft to Their Rotation in Australia

Having brought their personnel numbers in Australia up from an initial 200 in 2012 to 1250 in 2016,and planning to double this to 2500 by 2020,the US Marines are now more than tripling the number of combat aircraft accompanying their troops from four in 2016 up to 13 in 2017.This year,the complement of aircraft will include:
four MV-22 Ospreys,whose long range and speed make them ideal for Asia-Pacific island-hopping;
five AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters;
and four UH-1Y Venom helicopters.
This Aviation Combat Element will be hosted at RAAF Darwin.It is being described by the Marines as being more diverse and capable than previous deployments.All of the aircraft will be drawn from units in Hawaii.The next six-month rotation begins in April 2017,with most of the Marines coming from 3rd Battalion,4th Marine Regiment,out of Camp Pendleton,California. *
The US has used Australia as a base for many decades and in many different respects,explains Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne,whether it's cyber security information gathering,the Marines in Darwin and the Air Force.Australia has real capability in maintaining and sustaining our aircraft and American aircraft.The Americans know that if they send their aircraft to Australia and they need to be maintained or sustained in some particular way,it can be done here.*
In October,the US and Australia reached a cost-sharing agreement for the 25-year long pact that will improve the Northern Territory infrastructure and pay for ongoing costs,settling a squabble over just how the Marine Corps rotations will be funded.The rotational programme furthers the US aim of rebalancing its forces to the Asia-Pacific,while bolstering Australia's defence against a growing menace from China and North Korea.*
When the Marines reach 2500 troops,they will have a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force with all of its aircraft,vehicles and other equipment in Australia's remote Northern Territory.The pact for this rotational force was signed in 2011 by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former President Barack Obama.*
Overall,the Marines are in the process of redistributing their forces to four major Forward Areas of Operation:Japan;Guam;Hawaii;and Australia.This is their part of the new US strategy of rebalancing the military to the Asia-Pacific region.

UK to Keep Nuclear Deterrent,Build New Ballistic Missile Submarines

The British House of Commons voted yesterday to preserve the UK's independent nuclear deterrent and take the necessary steps required to maintain its current posture by replacing the Vanguard-class submarine with four of the new Successor-class ballistic missile submarines.The Conservatives,led by new Prime Minister Theresa May,secured a strong majority vote of 472-117 to approve the motion.The UK will now proceed with the building of the new Trident II D5 missile submarines by the BAE Systems Barrow shipyard at a cost of 31 billion dollars with a contingency of an extra 10 billion over 35 years.It is one of the largest expenditures in the history of the UK,besides also being a project of great complexity and scale,involving hundreds of subcontractors in addition to prime BAE.*
Two parliamentary Strategic Defence and Security Reviews approved the Successor programme in 2010 and 2015.For her part,Mrs.May said it would be sheer madness to contemplate even for a moment giving up Britain's independent nuclear deterrent.We cannot abandon our ultimate safeguard out of misplaced idealism.That would be a reckless gamble,a gamble that would enfeeble our allies and embolden our enemies.The nuclear threat has not gone away.If anything,it has increased,the new Prime Minster pointed out,citing a newly assertive Russia and countries such as North Korea who are seeking nuclear weapons.We will not leave NATO and our European allies behind,Mrs.May promised.*
Construction of the Successor-class is to begin in late 2016,with the first of the four vessels entering service in 2028.A minimum of four submarines is required to sustain the continuous at sea deterrence (CASD) posture which Britain has today,according to the formula of,at any given time,one armed submarine being on patrol;one in maintenance;and two in port or on training manoeuvres.All UK ballistic missile and nuclear powered submarines are based at HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane,Scotland,which is 25 miles/40 kilometers west of Glasgow.The base is secured by Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines.*
As a crucial element of their special relationship,the US and UK now coordinate both nuclear strategy and hardware.Both countries endorsed the Trident II D5 Service Life Extension Programme that extends the life of the missiles out to 2042.Both will also be installing a common 12-missile compartment in the Royal Navy Successor-class and the US Navy SSBN-X successor to the Ohio-class submarine.*
BAE Systems PLC (London:BA/),BAE Systems PLC ADR (OTC:BAESY)

Prepared for National Emergency,US Stages Series of Pointed Warnings To North Korea

Beginning in January,the US has been staging a series of warnings to North Korea and other potential nuclear adversaries following North Korea's recent underground nuclear weapon detonation and long-range missile test flight-supposedly to launch a satellite,but believed by the US to have been an intercontinental ballistic missile test.In January,a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress heavy bomber was flown on a deterrence mission over South Korea,escorted by 2 fighter jets.The B-52 can deliver a substantial number of nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and other precision strike nuclear and conventional payloads.*
This was followed on 17 February by a flight of 4 US Air Force F-22 Raptor advanced technology fighter jets that had been launched from Japan over South Korea,escorted by 4 South Korean F-15K Slam Eagles and 4 US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons.The aircraft landed at Osan Air Base near Seoul,South Korea,where there was a red carpet ceremony of unity between the US and South Korean Airmen.*
In February,there were 2 Minuteman III ICBM test launches in one week from Vandenberg Air Force Base,California.US Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing,Minot Air Force Base,North Dakota and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron,Offutt Air Force Base,Nebraska,launched an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM with a test re-entry vehicle from Vandenberg.Most significantly,the launch was controlled from a US Strategic Command Boeing E-4B Nightwatch flying command post,a designated national emergency aircraft.The missile flew about 4200 miles to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The flight test program demonstrates one part of the operational capability of the ICBM weapon system,said 576th FLTS commander Colonel Craig Ramsey.But perhaps most importantly,this visible message of national security serves to assure our partners and dissuade potential aggressors,COL Ramsey added.*
On 25 February,a second unarmed Minuteman was launched from Vandenberg by the more conventional ground control method.*
On 7 March,around 17,000 US troops and more than 300,000 South Korean forces began their annual spring exercise to practice defending against a North Korean attack.The drills will last through April and have been described as the largest ever in the series.*
North Korea is known to be developing the KN08 mobile ICBM that will threaten the entire US,and to already have one of them that is operational.*
Boeing (BA)

Busy Monday:General Dunford,President Obama Address National Security Challenges

To be more effective against ISIL,we need better HUMINT and vetting of Syrian opposition groups,Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford,USMC,told the Center for a New American Security in Washington,DC on 14 December.We're going to focus on getting after ISIL's military capabilities,control of terrain and ability to export operations,while being very mindful of the complex situation that we're in.A number of things on the ground are developing positive opportunities.Moving forward,we're looking to increase the tempo and the opportunities for our partners.*
We continue to face enduring challenges of extremism in South Asia as well.The continued threat of al-Qaida requires us to keep counterterror partners for some time to come.The Ghani administration in Afghanistan is fully supportive of what we're doing.I think we have common objectives,but this summer highlighted that the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces have a ways to go.A critical part is the continuing commitment of the international community.The Warsaw Summmit in July is to reinforce commitment to the Afghan campaign,both financially and militarily,through 2020.*
It isn't just ISIL;we have a number of challenges from states as well.Russia has made significant investments in its military capabilities.They introduced new ballistic missiles and submarines this year.
We closely watch China's military capabilities and behaviour in the South China Sea.They have a large conventional capability,a growing navy and increasingly sophisticated air force.In the South China Sea,China is destabilising right now.As Admiral Harris of US Pacific Command said,The Great Wall of Sand is being developed by China in the South China Sea,referring to China's rapid island-building effort in the disputed waters.
North Korea is developing its ballistic missile and cyber capability.*
Earlier in the day,GEN Dunford stood with President Barack Obama when he spoke at the Pentagon,where the President had made a rare visit to get a briefing on the anti-ISIL Operation Inherent Resolve and meet with his National Security Council.Mr.Obama pointed out that the US and its armed forces are:
1.hunting down and taking out ISIL leaders;
2.training and equipping indigenous anti-ISIL ground forces in Iraq and Syria;
3.stopping ISIL's recruiting,financing and propaganda;and
4.negotiating an end to the Syrian civil war.
The President said he had ordered new actions with more firepower into the anti-ISIL campaign this fall,even before the ISIL attacks on Paris and the ISIL-inspired San Bernardino attack.More Special Operations Forces actions are well underway.
ISIL is dug in in urban areas and use human shields to protect themselves,so we have to be smart.We are routing ISIL out with nearly 7,000 airstrikes to date.We're taking out ISIL leaders and commanders one-by-one.If we haven't gotten you yet,you are next,the President warned.We're going out after ISIL from downtown Raqqa,Syria to Libya.In many places,they've lost the freedom to manoeuver.Since this summer,ISIL has not mounted a single successful offensive operation and has lost territory in both Iraq and Syria.In Iraq alone,ISIL has lost 40% of its territory in populated areas;while in Syria,it has lost thousands of square miles.
Immediately following his presentation,Mr.Obama sent Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to the Middle East to meet with coalition partners and secure more contributions to Operation Inherent Resolve.

US Air Force Briefing - new bomber,tanker,F-22s for Europe

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh briefed reporters at the Pentagon Monday on the major programmes and issues the US Air Force is dealing with.The new long-range strike bomber,reportedly designated the B-3,will be intended to replace the B-52H and B-1B aircraft starting in the mid-2020's and over the next 25 years,GEN Welsh said.The B-52's going to try to make 100 years,but we really should take a look at that.We're at the point today where we don't have enough planes to keep our air crews trained.We have four types of planes that are over 50 years old.*
Secretary James spoke about the new air refueling tanker,the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus,which is based on the 767 airliner.Its first Air Force flight has been delayed by a month because an incorrect fuel substitute was placed in the fueling boom.It was already flown briefly by Boeing in December 2014.Boeing still believes it will deliver 18 aircraft by August 2017,Ms.James said.The margin in the schedule is all but gone.Would there be any operational impacts?It's a disappointing delay,but any cost overruns will not be borne by the government.*
As to whether the US could effectively respond to an Iranian crisis,GEN Welsh said our job is to be ready.I'm confident that the US military would be able to complete any mission that was assigned.
On North Korea having a missile that can strike the US,we know where North Korea is going toward.I think it's something we have to watch.They may have a missile capable of reaching the West coast.Certainly they have a missile capable of reaching Hawaii or US facilities in the Pacific,and that's our main concern.Whether they can deliver a payload with them,that's something beyond my understanding.*
The impending deployment of F-22 Raptors to Europe in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine was addressed by Secretary James.The timing and basing details are classified.The F-22 is part of the European Reassurance Initiative.It's an air-to-air capability.We need to be able to interoperate with the Eurofighter,for example,and that's what this training is for.*
We will get to F-35A initial operational capability next year,GEN Welsh promised.The new Gen 3 helmet has just been delivered.It is much more than a helmet.It is a workspace,providing situational awareness of the battlespace.All the people flying the F-35 since I've been here,the three years,say I want to use it.It's pretty incredible,amd they're very adaptable.
In Iraq and Syria,dynamic targeting,or an aircraft loitering until it is assigened a target,is not a new approach.We don't want to drop bombs indiscriminately.If we can't get the targeting done,we bring the aircraft home and they try again in the next sortie.*
Talks with Turkey are ongoing about a second Turkish air base,apart from Incirlik,being used in search and rescue operations for the anti-ISIL air campaign,Operation Inherent Resolve,Ms.James added.
The seven Air Force jobs that women cannot yet qualify for are currently being evaluated.These are difficult jobs,mostly in the special operations forces,and based on the reports I'm getting,I'm optimistic.We in the Air Force lead the services in the number of jobs women can qualify for,Secretary James pointed out.*
Boeing(BA)

Threats To North America:US Northcom and NORAD Commander

Admiral William Gortney,US Navy,commander US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command,appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday,12 March,to submit the Command's fiscal 2016 budget request.Included with the request was an assessment of current and future threats to the continent.ADM Gortney said what is most concerning to him is the seams that exist between Northcom,Southern Command and Pacific Command;between US interagency partners and the combatant commands;between the US and partner nations;and seams within those nations.In these seams,people are moving drugs and money.They're moving products for profit through the seams.We need to close these seams,because if someone wants to do something that will cause great damage to the nation,that is where they will come.*
2.Homegrown violent extremists are using an effective and sophisticated social media campaign to stir up distrust and incite harm to American citizens.*
3.A cyber attack could directly affect critical infrastructure that I rely on to defend the nation,and that we rely on for our nation to operate.I see that as a significant threat.A cyber attack in Ottawa would take out the Northeast quadrant of our air defence sector.It would effectively be a mission kill.So it would not only affect my abiity to do my mission;more importantly,we as a nation rely on this same infrastructure to operate-whether it's banking,rail,aviation,power or movement of water.All of these things have critical infrastructure that we must have,and they need to be hardened against an adversary.Northcom is responsible for defending known networks and helping lead federal agencies in the aftermath of a cyber attack.
4.Russian heavy bombers flew more out of area patrols in 2014 than in any year since the Cold War.We have also witnessed improved interoperability between Russian long-range aviation and other elements of the Russian military,including air and maritime intelligence collection platforms positioned to monitor NORAD responses.Such patrols serve a training function for Russian air crews,but some are clearly intended to underscore Moscow's global reach and communicate displeasure with Western policies,especially those involving Ukraine.Russia is also progressing toward its gosl of developing long-range,conventionally armed cruise missiles with increasing stand-off launch distances on its heavy bombers,submarines and surface combatants.Should these trends continue,NORAD will face increased risk in our ability to defend North America against Russian air,maritime and cruise missile threats.
5.North Korea has successfully test-detonated three nuclear devices,and through its space program has demonstrated many of the technologies required for an ICBM that could target the continental United States.North Korean military parades have showcased the new KN08 road-mobile ICBM.When deployed,the system will complicate the US ability to provide warning and defend against an attack.
6.Iran has likewise committed considerable resources to enhancing its ballistic missile capabilities,and has already placed another satellite into orbit this year,usinga new booster that could serve as a demonstrator for ICBM technologies.
7.Sequestration poses the likeliest and most dangerous threat.It leads to a hollow force,slowing development of the US technological advantage that makes it possible to outpace future threats.It also affects missile defence,putting on hold the long-range discrimination radar;improvements to the advanced kill vehicle;and the multi-object kill vehicle of the US Ballistic Missile Defense System.It would hinder the United States' ability to outpace the growing proliferation of ballistic missiles.
7.The Arctic requires advocacy and partnerships from within and outside the Northcom area of responsibility as the region grows in importance to our national security over the next few decades.