Russian President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is engaged in “an existential struggle” with the West, not only in Ukraine and other close-by former Soviet states, but particularly to undermine NATO in the Baltic nations, a leading expert on Russia and Eurasia said Tuesday at the Heritage Foundation. Read More
Iskander mobile ballistic missile systems (NATO Reporting name: SS-26 Stone) during a practice parade in Moscow in 2010. via Wikipedia
PENTAGON — Since Russia has taken control of the Crimean region of Ukraine, it has moved a significant number of anti-air and anti-surface missile systems onto the peninsula that could hit targets in most of the Black Sea region, the supreme commander of NATO and U.S. European Command (EUCOM) told reporters in a Wednesday afternoon briefing. Read More
US Air Force F-22 Raptor escorting a Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear bomber in 2011. US Air Force Photo
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – While Russian military aircraft have stepped up their activity everywhere from the North Sea to the Baltic to the Black Sea in the last year they have also been spotted more frequently closer to the U.S. territory in the Arctic, the head of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work on Sept. 30, 2014. DoD Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Pentagon’s number two civilian said the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget submission will reverse a five year trend in reduced U.S. defense spending and gave hints to key investments in military technology the Defense Department will include in the submission. Read More
The following is the Congressional Research Service report, A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense—Issues for Congress released on Dec. 31, 2014. Read More
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts, and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2014. Read More
USS Ross pierside in Istanbul, Turkey. US Navy Photo
The guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG-71) has departed Istanbul bound for its homeport after completing operations in the Black Sea, Navy officials told USNI News on Thursday. Read More
Three U.S. Navy sailors assigned to guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG-71) were allegedly assaulted by Turkish youth during liberty in Istanbul on Wednesday, the service confirmed following a release of the video on the Internet. Read More
Russian Mistral Vladivostok under construction on April 22, 2014. U.S. Naval Institute Combat Fleets of the World Photo
A Wednesday tweet from Russia’s outspoken deputy prime minister — setting the date for France’s delivery of a Mistral-class amphibious warship to Russia — has raised questions over the final fate of the two-ship $1.53 billion deal. Read More
Russian Mistral Vladivostok under construction on April 22, 2014. U.S. Naval Institute Combat Fleets of the World Photo
Despite strong language from the French President François Hollande, Russia has not received formal notification from France suspending or cancelling the $1.53 billion deal for two Mistral-class amphibious warship deal, Russian officials said on Tuesday. Read More
