The Caporal Kaeble V.C. is the second of nine mid-shore ships being built for the coast guard at the Halifax shipyard at a cost of $198 million. (CBC)

Government to consider arming coast guard vessels
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/11/13/ns-mackay-arming-coast-guard.html

Ministers Shea And Mackay Present the CCGS Caporal Kaeble V.C.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/npress-communique/2012/mar09-eng.htm

Feds admit surveillance satellite project delayed two years
http://o.canada.com/2012/11/09/feds-admit-surveillance-satellite-project-delayed-two-years/

Nordic Nations Pool Tactical Airlifters Including C-130J
http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/11/08/nordic-nations-pool-tactical-airlifters-including-c-130j/

New RCAF head says he can see drones patrolling the Arctic and the coastline, also calls F-35 ‘airplane of the future.’
http://www.embassynews.ca/news/2012/10/30/drones-can-be-%E2%80%98very-useful%E2%80%99-but-present-safety-concerns-air-force-chief/42760

War games underway in Sweden’s Far North
http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/home/sweden/105-society/2614-war-games-underway-in-swedens-far-north

The world wants Canada’s backyard
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/03/the-world-wants-canadas-backyard-kent

13 November 2012
Dundern, Saskatchewan

A Light Armoured Vehicle fires the 25mm cannon during a night shoot in the Dundern training area on 13 November 2012.

The 1 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry conduct several Turret Operators course throughout the year, the course is essential in order to train new gunners and is required before taking the Crew Commanders course.Photo by: Master Corporal James Ross

The Northern Fleet’s naval infantry earlier this autumn conducted Russia’s first ever amphibious landing on the Arctic archipelago of the New Siberian Islands.

Canada consults the industry on in-service support for National Defence’s Arctic offshore patrol ships and joint support ships
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=703799&crtr.tp1D=1

Canadian Forces SAR Personnel Receive Gallantry Award
http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/10/23/canadian-forces-sar-personnel-receive-gallantry-award/

Communication Breakdown Between Police and Citizens in Canadian Arctic
http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/home/canada/45-society/2527-include-communities-in-crime-prevention-says-arctic-canadian-politician

Finland to join patrols of Icelandic airspace
http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/home/finland/55-geopolitics/2554-finland-to-join-patrols-of-icelandic-airspace

Swedish air force to defend Iceland
http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/home/sweden/103-geopolitics/2541-swedish-air-force-to-defend-iceland

Icelandic air patrolling stirs reactions
http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/component/content/article/73-geopolitics/2558-icelandic-air-patrolling-stirs-reactions

Russian Navy landing operation in the Arctic
http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/navy-landing-operation-arctic-25-10

This photo from DCNS of France show’s one of the Norwegian Navy’s six Skjold-class Fast Patrol Boats. DCNS has won a four-year contract to support the boats. The last vessel will be delivered in 2013.

Editor’s note:

Wouldn’t it be nice to see these flying a Canadian flag and patrolling our Arctic waters in the spring, summer and fall?

Synopsis

In 1968, John Walker, a sixteen year old, with 35mm camera in hand, boards a ship in Montreal on its way to Resolute Bay, in the High Arctic. It has been his childhood dream to visit the north – his imagination inspired by films and “Eskimo” art brought into his home. What he doesn’t realize is that the global radicalism of 1968 was also the beginning of a re-imagining of the Arctic by a group of radical “Eskimos”.

They began their political movement by challenging the use of the foreign word Eskimo. They were Inuit and they had a dream – the governance of their territory, the creation of Nunavut.

We join Oo Aqpik, a modern Inuk woman, and John Walker, a filmmaker, on a ship heading from Greenland to Resolute Bay. The film unfolds as Oo introduces us to some of the visionary “Defenders” of Nunavut. As she investigates the recent history of her people and searches for answers to Canada’s sovereignty in the north from an Inuit point of view, she unveils some of the darker side of this history, as well as finding hope and inspiration from the generation before her that fought for change.

Check out their website: http://www.arcticdefenders.ca/

The Arc’teryx LEAF Naga Hoody is a versatile three-season-plus piece that works as a base-, mid- or non waterproof outer-layer. It began as a base layer project for Canadian SOF.

Supposedly developed as a base layer project for Canadian Special Forces, the Naga Hoody made from dense Polartec Power Stretch fleece and designed specifically for wear beneath body armor in very cool to frigid environments.

Editors Comment: This would be a great piece of kit for the Canadian Rangers if it was made in bright CR Red.

Read the Kit Review at GEAR SCOUT

Very cool video! A CC-138 Twin Otter from 440 (Transport) Squadron lands on the Dempster Highway west of Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T. during Operation NANOOK 2012

As you are aware, few companies are manufacturing camouflaged skis. In fact, when it comes to skis, you’re going to want to balance cost and performance. Defense Logistics Support, Inc Mil-Wraps has developed a new camouflage package for your skis so that you can fix the camo issue once you’ve gotten your skis.

The High Altitude Warfare School was established by the Indian Army to train its personnel on High Altitude warfare, counter intelligence and survival. This course is mainly offered to the Indian Army personnel posted in Siachen Glacier.

The training imparted consisted mainly of skiing techniques, mountain lore and patrolling on skis. On 8 April 1962, the School was designated a Category A Training Establishment and renamed High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS).

The training instills confidence and stamina, besides defrosting the fear of the unknown. The men are taught to integrate with the environment so that they can guard the Himalayan frontiers effectively.

Role of HAWS

- To function as the Army nodal instructional facility for specialized training and dissemination of approved doctrines in mountain, high altitude and snow warfare.
- Centre for developmental inputs of mountain, snow and high altitude warfare.

The Indian Army is among the most experienced in mountain warfare having fought numerous conflicts in the Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir while maintaining one of the largest active contingents of mountain warfare forces in the world, giving the Indian Army some of the most extensive and well developed Mountain Warfare capabilities.