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Under the Trump Administration, U.S. policy in the Balkans had some important successes, notably, the accessions of Montenegro (2017) and North Macedonia (2020) to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as the 2020 signing of economic normalization agreements between Kosovo and Serbia.
Progress should not give way to complacency, however. The Western Balkans remain home to unfinished business. The region warrants continued focused attention, particularly considering Chinese and Russian efforts to capitalize on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to burnish their influence in the Western Balkans.
Constructive engagement from the Biden Administration in the Balkans, for instance, by expanding the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), continuing support for Kosovo’s recognition as an independent country, and aiding reforms that will unleash prosperity would build on recent momentum and best minimize the risk that any nefarious outside influences can derail the
8 Thirty-three West Virginia National Guardsmen, Defense Information Systems Agency employees, Illinois National Guardsmen, and West Virginia University students partnered with Polish allies to compete in the world’s largest international cyber defense exercise run virtually by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia the week of April 12-16th.
Locked Shields is a unique cyber defense exercise, offering the most complex technical live-fire challenge in the world, with more than 1,200 experts from nearly 30 nations participating.
There were 22 friendly defense Blue Teams competing in Locked Shields to defend a fictional country. The Blue Team that the West Virginia National Guard – Defense Information Systems Agency Mission Assurance – Cyber members were a part of was a joint team led by Poland, and included additional National Guard members supporting the event both in the exercise and real-world capacities.
US Air Force
The US Air Force is seeking upgrades to its fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones as its mission shifts from anti-extremist operations to dealing with near-peer adversaries like Russia and China. Through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s MQ-9 Program Office, the increased capabilities will be installed in both new Reapers and those already in service.
Since it first flew in February 2001, the capabilities of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper in its many variants have been improved, allowing it to take on more ambitious missions. Currently, it is operated by the United States and six other countries, and has seen action in many theaters around the world, but it s in danger of soon becoming irrelevant.
Officials in attendance were Capt. Cameron Chen, commodore, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68, and Command Master Chief Larry Sharpe, Croatian Rear Admiral Damir Dojkic Chief of Staff; Deputy Commander of Croatian Navy and Croatian MCPON Boris Skokic.
This construction project, to be carried out on the Croatian Naval Base at Lora, will enable further training of Croatian Armed Forces personnel in the ongoing efforts to clear and render safe the over 400 square kilometers of land mine fields in Croatia and the over 3,000 underwater mine contacts in Croatian territorial waters.
“This training center will greatly enhance the [United States European Command] EUCOM Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) training by expanding the breadth and depth of our cooperation to ensure that others can walk the earth in safety,” said Mr. Mark Veneris, EUCOM J9 department, Humanitarian Mine Action Program Manager.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s MQ-9 Program Office is moving forward with several fleet enhancement capabilities aimed at increasing the MQ-9 Reaper’s effectiveness against near-peer adversary threats. ,