The Arctic could turn into a problem for the United States, a former U.S. military commander has warned.
U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said Thursday, March 14 that the U.S. is falling behind Russia in the icy area, Knewz.com has learned.
According to Business Insider, Russia has a much larger fleet in the Arctic — approximately 40 ships — compared to one for the U.S.
“We do appreciate that the Coast Guard is procuring more icebreakers, but even with those, we will be severely outnumbered,” Guillot said during a U.S. Committee on Armed Services hearing. “That does limit our freedom of maneuver in that region.”
Icebreaker ships are designed with a strong hull and greater power to force their way through thick ice blocking waterways.
The U.S.’s only in-use existing heavy icebreaker is the USCGC Polar Star. The U.S. also has medium-sized icebreaker Healy and another that hasn’t been used in years.
Sen. Angus King, Ind.-Maine, expressed concern over the “gap” the U.S. faces in comparison to Russia, one of its top global adversaries.
King compared the situation to “not having a road where you need to get.”
Further troubling is the partnership between Russia and China in the Arctic.
As Knewz.com reported on February 8, the two countries, which have strengthened ties since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago, have collaborated in developing the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and infrastructure for energy exploration, processing and transportation.
According to a new report by Strider Technologies Inc., Russia — which previously attempted to limit the People’s Republic of China’s role in the Arctic — is now leaning on Beijing-owned companies and private investment in order to develop the energy-rich region.
“While previous research has predominantly focused on Russia’s military presence in the Arctic, our findings reveal a strategic pivot by Russia, marked by decreased government spending and a remarkable policy shift to include the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and private sector investment to maintain its Arctic dominance,” said Eric Levesque, co-founder and chief operating officer of Strider.
“For years, Russia has sought to limit the PRC’s involvement in the Arctic. This pivot underscores the diplomatic and economic isolation Moscow is experiencing in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine and growing reliance on the PRC for its economic development and security goals.
“However, Russia’s adept use of cross-border partnerships and private sector engagement in Arctic development demonstrates a more effective approach than that of its Western counterparts, staying true to its historical reliance on private enterprises to bolster state initiatives.”
The report states that cooperation in the Arctic is a “clear example” of the “no limits” partnership announced by Russia and China prior to the former’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia opened up the Arctic to the PRC like never before. In return, the PRC has established a major foothold in the region by providing the investment and support Russia needs to further develop the Arctic while waging war in Ukraine,” the report states.
According to the report, between January 2022 and June 2023, 234 Chinese-owned companies registered to operate in Russian-controlled Arctic territory. That represents an 87-percent increase in registrations compared to the two full years from 2020-2021.
The post Russia’s Arctic Fleet Outpaces U.S. by 40 to 1, Air Force General Warns appeared first on Knewz.
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Author: David Wetzel
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