Royal Marine Commandos are pictured during a Green Ops exercise conducted over a two day period in various areas around Woodbury Common and Tregantle Ranges in Devon. UK MoD Photo
PENTAGON — The U.S. Department of Defense is lauding the British government’s decision to maintain its defense spending to meet NATO suggested targets. Read More
An undated photo of three Royal Netherlands Navy Walrus-class submarines.
The Netherlands plans to allow women to serve aboard the country’s attack submarines, Royal Netherlands Navy top submariner, said this week. Read More
Russian Mistral Vladivostok under construction on April 22, 2014. U.S. Naval Institute Combat Fleets of the World Photo
France is set to pay Russia $1.2 billion to settle the lingering dispute over two amphibious warships in a deal that went sour over the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine, according to French and Russian media reports. Read More
Russian sailors in French port of Saint-Nazaire via Reuters
The 400 sailors trained to operate the Mistral-class amphibious warship Vladivostok left the French port of Saint-Nazaire on Thursday, according to a video posted by a Saint-Nazaire city official. Read More
A two-seater CF-18 flies over the Parc des Laurentides en route to Valcartier firing range in 2012. Natonal Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Photo
The following is the recently released 2014 report from the Canadian military on the country’s quest to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18 Hornet fighters. Read More
Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok via Reuters
Russia has given the French government a choice, either deliver the two promised Mistral-class amphibious warships to the Russian Navy or refund the purchase price of the $1.53 billion program, a Russian foreign policy official told reporters on Monday. Read More
Russian Mistral Vladivostok under construction on April 22, 2014. U.S. Naval Institute Combat Fleets of the World Photo
The French government is suspending a deal to deliver two Mistral-class warships to the Russian Navy “until further notice” citing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to a Tuesday statement from the office of President François Hollande. Read More
Russia’s proposal from 2012 to expand ten bases on Russia’s Arctic borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for Russia to expand its military presence in the Arctic following Canadian plans to claim dominion of the North Pole. Read More
A Toronto man has been charged with attempting to sell classified information on Canadian naval shipbuilding to China, according to a Sunday release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Read More
HMCS Windsor transits from the U.K. to her home port in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2001. Canadian Navy Photo
Canada’s Victoria-class submarine fleet has been controversial since its inception. Most recently, a report by Michael Byers and Stewart Webb argues that the time has come to either phase out the program or commit to a robust discussion of how to replace the fleet. Critics cite a disappointing history of expensive repairs, time lost, and a catastrophic fire. Supporters insist that the boats provide important capabilities. And navy planners have sought to get the ball rolling on acquiring new subs sometime after 2020. Debate over the current fleet and its potential replacement should include all of those elements, but focus on how they align with one another, on whether submarines provide the right capabilities at the right price to serve Canada’s national interests. Read More
