The Pentagon on Monday announced a new strategy to increase its presence in the Arctic region, which is becoming more militarily contested as climate change causes sea ice to melt and open new passages.
The Defense Department, pushing to counter Russia and China in the Arctic, has outlined a new effort that includes a multipronged approach: investing in more icebreakers, training forces for the Arctic, investing in regional bases and developing advanced technology for the Arctic. Arctic. based missions, such as aircraft and communications infrastructure.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, in announcing the new strategy on Monday, said “this new Arctic strategy is an important step toward ensuring the Arctic remains stable and secure, now and in the future.”
“Strategic can quickly become tactical, ensuring our troops have the training, equipment and operational procedures for the unique Arctic environment, [which] it could be the difference between mission success and failure,” Hicks said at a news conference. “It is imperative that the joint force is equipped and trained with what it needs to operate in the Arctic.”
The Department of Defense’s Arctic strategy for 2024, put together in a 28-page report, comes just weeks after the U.S. announced the Icebreaker Collaborative Effort, a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year pact with Finland and Canada to build more icebreaker ships that can navigate in the region.
The US has long been concerned that it is falling behind Russia and China in the Arctic, especially as Beijing and Moscow conduct joint patrols and exercises in the region. Russia has about 40 icebreakers, according to the Pentagon, while the U.S. Coast Guard has just two in operation, which are expected to reach the end of their useful life soon.
Although the Western NATO security alliance includes seven of the eight Arctic states, Russia has the most regional territory and the most developed military presence, according to the Pentagon. Russia also continues to invest heavily in the Arctic and renovate its facilities.
China has only three icebreakers and is not an Arctic state. But it often conducts research there that the US says is military-related, and Beijing seeks to promote the Arctic as a shared space while gaining access to the region through investment.
Hicks said it was “very noticeable and concerning” regarding Chinese and Russian activity in the Arctic.
The Defense Department’s plan focuses on a strategy to improve sensors, intelligence and information sharing; collaborate with allies and partners to strengthen the U.S. presence; and launch more training and exercises in the Arctic to accustom troops to the cold and deploy new technologies designed for the icy region.
This includes modernizing the radar and sensor network under the command of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and investing in satellites to provide Arctic coverage.
The Pentagon also intends to invest in Arctic-specific manned aircraft and drones, along with investments in cold-weather equipment and technology to allow troops to deploy in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Iris Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Arctic and global resilience, whose team crafted the new strategy, said she was looking at the “art of the possible” when it comes to building new drones and aircraft, including research and development.
Ferguson said that while there have been other Arctic strategies in the past, the new plan is narrowing it down to specific capabilities, such as communications infrastructure and equipment needs.
She added that it will “give some prioritization to providing resources in the region” and “will provide the necessary capabilities for our joint force to operate effectively.”
“There has been a slow evolution, not only in what these strategies say, but also in how the department is approaching their implementation,” she said. “Slowly, as time went on, there was a greater awakening in the department, not only about our homeland defense needs…but also about the fact that we can’t just show up and operate there. .”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
