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Pentagon Expands Military Capabilities in Arctic

Pentagon Expands Military Capabilities in Arctic
Pentagon Expands Military Capabilities in Arctic

The US Department of Defense is stepping up its military capabilities for increased activities in the Arctic Sea region, a Government Accountability Office report stated.

“DoD has taken actions, along with interagency partners, to address some near-term capabilities needed in the Arctic, such as maritime domain awareness and communications,” the report said, released on Friday, Sputnik reported.

The report outlines the increased military deployments in terms of their missions capabilities.

“DoD continues to monitor the security environment in the region and is tracking indicators that could change its threat assessment and affect [its] future role,” the report said.

The GAO noted that the Defense Department’s Implementation Plan to the National Strategy for the Arctic Region created a framework and identified activities to address many of the needed capabilities.

“As the lead agency for Arctic sea ice forecasting, the Defense Department has established an interagency team to focus on improved sea ice modeling,” the report stated.

GAO explained that the US Navy’s Arctic Roadmap document includes “an implementation plan and timeline for operations and training, facilities, equipment and maritime domain awareness, among other capabilities.”

Moreover, the US Northern Command is updating the Commander’s Estimate for the Arctic with “near, mid and long-term goals,” the report noted.

The Northern Command is also “conducting studies of various Arctic mission areas, such as maritime homeland defense and undersea surveillance, to identify future capability needs.”

 

Financialtribune.com