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Moins d’accidents, moins de morts : les voies rapides restent plus sûres que le reste du réseau routier, la vitesse étant d’ailleurs en cause dans moins d’un accident mortel sur cinq. Mais l’usage des stupéfiants devient une préoccupation majeure.

Summary and Key Points: Some Russian commentators, fueled by nationalist rhetoric, have continued to suggest that Alaska should be returned to Russia, despite the fact that the territory was legally purchased by the United States in 1867.

-This notion has resurfaced recently, with propagandist Olga Skabeyeva and Russian lawmakers like Oleg Matveychev calling for Alaska's return. However, these claims are entirely baseless, as Alaska was sold to the U.S. for $7.2 million in a legitimate transaction.

-The deal, initially criticized in the U.S. as "Seward's Folly," proved valuable after the discovery of gold and later, oil. American officials, including Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy, have dismissed these Russian claims with strong opposition.

Russian Commentators Can't Accept that Moscow Will Never Get Alaska Back

There is a common misconception that the United States was largely "stolen" from indigenous people. It's actually quite complicated because while it is true that someone was there before the European and later American settlers arrived, the U.S. was largely purchased.

Much of the land west of the Mississippi River was acquired from France as the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and while it didn't include parts of what was then Spanish-America, the United States did later pay Mexico for the territory obtained after the Mexican-American War (1846-48). Additional land in what is today Arizona and New Mexico was acquired via the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. The United States also bought the Danish West Indies in 1917, with the islands now today the U.S. Virgin Islands.

All this is important to note, because few (if anyone) in Paris or Copenhagen ever called for the land back – and while there have been calls from some Mexicans who have suggested the Treaty of Guadalupe be annulled, no one takes it the least bit seriously.

Yet, in Moscow, there remain critics who seriously believe Alaska should be returned to Russia, along with other territory that was once controlled by the Czars. The latest was propagandist Olga Skabeyeva, who on Sunday's broadcast of the Russia-1 news program 60 Minutes described the 49th American state as "our Alaska" while discussing the recent joint Russian-Chinese deployment of bombers with the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Skabeyeva must have missed the memo that Russian North America as it was known was sold to the United States in 1867. This wasn't the first time that Russian pundits on state TV have suggested that Alaska and other historic lands should be returned to Moscow's control.

Russian Lawmakers Have Called for Alaska's Return

It was two years ago that Oleg Matveychev, a member of the Russian Duma, called for reparations from the United States that included the return of Alaska as well as a historic settlement in California. Both Alaska and Fort Ross in California were once part of the Russian Empire in the late 18th and 19th centuries before being sold to the United States.

Matveychev's argument was clearly in line with that of Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, who had attempted to justify Russia's domination over Ukraine by suggesting the land was once controlled by Moscow.

Of course, any suggestion of a return of Alaska to Russia is entirely without merit. The 49th State wasn't acquired by the United States via conquest or even annexation. It was sold by Russia to the United States for $7.2 million – roughly two cents per acre – in March 1867. It gave the United States 375 million more acres of land, and was the third-largest land deal in history, after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase from France – the second-largest land deal – provided an additional 512 million additional acres.

For the record, the largest "land deal" was really a treaty without money changing lands. The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas essentially split the lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal, then the world's largest superpowers. Spain seems to have gotten the better deal, gaining control of much of modern-day Latin America – but Portugal was granted lands in Africa and the Far East.

Russia Was Also an Eager Seller of Alaska

As for the sale of Alaska, the deal had taken some time to work out, and Russia could only be described at the time as an "eager seller."

Fearing another war with Great Britain, Russia first approached the United States about selling the territory during the administration of President James Buchanan, but negotiations were stalled by the outbreak of the Civil War. Russia feared if war came with Britain it would be unable to defend the distant territory, which bordered British Columbia, and it also sought to bolster its struggling finances.

The deal was closed after the American Civil War, but many Americans thought it was a wasteful investment.

Critics of the deal called it "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox" as the Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.

Those opposed saw it as little more than a frozen tundra that offered few prospects for settlers. It should be remembered that at the time the "American frontier" was still ripe with opportunity, and few saw a need for land that most would never venture to.

That sentiment changed when gold was discovered in 1898, and today Alaska is a major provider of domestic oil. It is clear that Russia may have negotiated a bad deal (at least for them) in selling the territory, which could explain why they want it back. Yet, even the suggestion of Russian claims over Alaska has been met with strong words from U.S. lawmakers.

"Good luck with that! Not if we have something to say about it. We have hundreds of thousands of armed Alaskans and military members that will see it differently," tweeted Alaska's Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) in 2022 when Matveychev's claims were first made.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

All images are Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock. 

The Lancet’s latest worldwide report on dementia prevention, intervention and care finds that around 45% of cases of dementia are potentially preventable through addressing 14 risk factors.

Noyb sued the Hamburg data protection authority on 1 August in a bid to overturn its recent decision that German newspaper Der Spiegel "pay or okay" model was lawful.

Summary and Key Points: The Seawolf-class submarines are among the most advanced and formidable in the U.S. Navy, designed during the Cold War to counter Soviet submarine threats.

-These submarines are equipped with pump-jet propulsors, allowing them to operate quietly at high speeds, with a flank speed of 25 knots (35 mph).

-The Seawolf class excels in stealth, making it nearly undetectable by enemy sonar, and it is armed with advanced weapons systems.

-However, only three of these submarines were ever built due to budget constraints. The recent accident involving the USS Connecticut has left the U.S. Navy with just two operational -Seawolf-class submarines, highlighting the limited availability of these critical assets.

The Seawolf-class Submarines are Wicked Fast

America’s Seawolf-class submarines are some of the most advanced subs in the world. They were built to counter the advancing Soviet submarine threat during the last decade of the Cold War. 

While all submarines are meant for covert, undersea warfare, some are better at the covert part than others. The Seawolf class is the best of all. 

Not only can it stealthily deliver special forces operators to a distant target, but it can quietly tap into undersea communications cables.

These subs come equipped with a feature known as a pump-jet propulsor, which uses a ducted propeller to generate thrust. This design allows for quieter operation and higher speeds compared to traditional propeller systems on lesser classes of submarine.

Flank Speed for Seawolf-Class Submarine 

Seawolf-class submarines can travel at 25 knots (around 35 miles per hour) using what is known as “flank speed.” This speed setting on the Seawolf-class submarine refers to the maximum power setting for the propulsion system. 

While at flank speed, the Seawolf class can quickly respond to threats, evade enemy vessels, and carry out missions including intelligence-gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

In addition to their high speed, Seawolf-class submarines are designed to be extremely quiet, making them difficult to detect by enemy sonar systems. This combination of speed and stealth makes the Seawolf-class sub a unique and frightening foe in the underwater domain.

Seawolf-class submarines have a submerged displacement of 9,137 tons (12,139 tons for USS Jimmy Carter, which is a specialized variant of the Seawolf-class), and a length of approximately 353 feet. They are equipped with advanced sonar systems, such as the AN/BSY-2, which is considered one of the most advanced sonar systems in the world. 

Seawolf-class submarines have eight 26.5-inch torpedo tubes, which can be used to launch a variety of weapons including Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and Mk 48 guided torpedoes. 

When Three Just Aren’t Enough

Sadly, there are only three submarines in the Seawolf class. 

Originally, the Navy envisioned a fleet of 29. Budgetary constraints, technical complications, and the lack of a near-peer rival at the time of their development kept the numbers low and left the submarines overworked. 

A Crisis at Sea: the Connecticut Tragedy 

One of these submarines, USS Connecticut, crashed into an undersea mountain while on a mission off the coast of Hainan Island in the South China Sea. 

The submarine tore up its front and had to go limping back to port, where it will remain under repair until at least next September. Given the state of American shipyards, it could well be out of commission even longer.

Thus, the U.S. Navy now has only two of these essential subs at its disposal, all as the world system spins wildly out-of-control. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. All photos are of various submarine styles. 

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Summary and Key Points: The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has long been a source of disappointment for Russian naval strategists, plagued by a series of mechanical issues, most notably its inefficient and environmentally harmful mazut-fueled propulsion system.

-The carrier, often seen belching thick black smoke and leaving oil slicks in its wake, has been undergoing a refit since 2018, with efforts focused on upgrading its outdated engines. Despite these efforts, the carrier remains docked in Murmansk, with experts doubting it will ever return to active service.

-The Admiral Kuznetsov symbolizes the struggles of a post-Soviet Russia trying to maintain a legacy warship amid dwindling resources and strategic miscalculations.

The Admiral Kuznetsov Spews Black Smoke

Russia’s only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, continues to disappoint Russian naval strategists. It was last seen at sea in 2018, being towed by a tugboat. Since that time, it has been at the shipyards for a refit. But most experts think the refit will fail to make the carrier worthwhile. 

The Russian Navy knows Admiral Kuznetsov is a wasting asset. Yet Moscow continues to throw money at it. 

One of the key changes during the refit reportedly involves the ship’s propulsion system. 

Kuznetsov uses gas turbines rather than nuclear power. A gas turbine usually runs on lighter, cleaner fuels. Instead, the Russians purposely designed Admiral Kuznetsov to utilize a dirty, cheap fuel source known as mazut. 

What is Mazut?

Mazut has a high sulfur content that is known for billowing black smoke emissions. This is one of the dirtiest fuels in the world. It is a significant pollutant and causes grave harm to the respiratory systems of people who breathe it, including the sailors aboard Admiral Kuznetsov.

Particulates spewed from Admiral Kuznetsov’s mazut-fueled gas turbine propulsion system include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other, lesser-known pollutants. 

Admiral Kuznetsov’s mazut-fueled engines also pollute the surrounding sea. The carrier was known for leaving large oil slicks in its wake that would linger and poison the surrounding aquatic environment for months after its transit. 

The Barents Observer noted in 2020 that Admiral Kuznetsov’s “engines were old, and the black smoke was caused by incomplete combustion of [mazut] and engine lubricant.”

A Strategic Vulnerability for Russia 

Having a large, billowing, easily identifiable smoke plume trailing your warship and leaving oil slicks in its wake is probably not the most strategically sound thing to do. With Moscow being so obviously committed to maintaining Admiral Kuznetsov against all reason, the Russians understand they need to address this obvious vulnerability. 

That is why, according to TASS, Russia included “replacements of the main boilers, turbo-gear units, gas turbine, diesel generators, and the propeller auxiliary systems.” 

Whether these changes will work or not remains to be seen. The propulsion system upgrades were supposed to be completed in 2020, with Moscow intending to test the warship by 2022. 

Obviously, this never happened. Admiral Kuznetsov remains ensconced at the Naval Yard No. 35 slip in Murmansk. 

A Hot Mess for the Russian Navy

Because the warship was a product of the late-stage Soviet Union, it sat incomplete for many years after the USSR collapsed. By the time it was finally completed, it was a hodgepodge of barely compatible systems. 

The quality of the craftsmanship for the different phases of development also varied, since some of the ship was built when the Soviets had money and resources, and other parts of the carrier were finished under the auspices of budget-limited post-Soviet Russia.

It's no surprise, then, that the ship’s engine ran on such a cheap, inefficient, and dirty fuel as mazut. What’s more surprising is that the Russians waited decades to address the propulsion system woes. 

The Russians seem to have waited too long. The integrity of the entire warship had been so badly compromised that it is highly unlikely she will hit the high seas ever again. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. All photos are of various submarine styles. 

From the Vault

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Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Air Force continues to rely on its aging B-1B Lancer bombers, even pulling retired airframes from the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for active service.

-Recently, the Air Force reactivated a B-1B, nicknamed Lancelot, to replace a damaged bomber, demonstrating the ongoing importance of the platform despite its age.

-The B-1B is being upgraded with new capabilities, such as the ability to carry the 5,000-pound GBU-72/B bunker-buster bomb, which will enhance its lethality.

Boneyard Resurrection: Why the Air Force is Reviving B-1B Bombers

As the Air Force faces delays in the B-21 Raider program, reactivating and modernizing B-1Bs helps bridge the gap in the service’s bomber fleet.

The U.S. Air Force’s B-1B bomber first flew several decades ago. Considering its age, it seems strange that the service continues to pull some of these airframes from the boneyard for operation. 

This spring, the service revealed that one of these Lancer bombers, nicknamed Lancelot, would replace another B-1 whose engine exploded during routine maintenance in 2022. Instead of spending to refurbish the wrecked bomber, the Air Force decided it would make more sense to activate one of its retired counterparts from the 309th Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. 

The B-1B may be an aging platform, but the service continues to upgrade it. Lancelot will probably be modernized soon.

Just last month, images of a B-1B bomber carrying a new bunker-buster bomb circulated on social media. According to The Aviationist, the bomber was spotted flying over the Mojave desert with a 5,000-pound GBU-72/B. Photographer Ian Recchio was photographing aircraft and reptiles in the area when he was made aware of a B-1 approaching the area. 

“On this day, although I could not confirm definitively it was the Edwards B-1, it appeared while refueling on a KC-135 which is not so common to see, so of course I fired off a few frames,” Recchio said. “Both aircraft continued to circle the area for about 2 hours, and I took a few more opportunities to capture images.”

The GBU-72 will certainly elevate the B-1 bomber’s lethality if made operational. This modification, along with several others that have been introduced to the platform over the years, helps the aircraft keep pace with emerging threats. 

Considering the Air Force’s dwindling bomber fleet, the more B-1s snatched up from the boneyard and put back in the air, the better.

An Overview of the B-1B Lancer

In the years immediately after the Second World War, U.S. officials recognized the need for a new, modern bomber able to match the payload of the Air Force’s B-52 Stratofortress and the top speed of the B-58 Hustler. 

The resulting Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program, later renamed the B-1A, would blossom into the legendary aircraft still revered today. North American Rockwell’s bomber prototype was selected as the new B-1A. The model featured large variable sweep-wings to increase lift during takeoff and landing – similar to the North American XB-70 and General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark.

The B-1B bomber variant was approved by the Reagan administration in the early 1980s to counter the Soviet Union’s advancing aerial fleet. The upgraded bomber was equipped with an increased payload, as well as advanced sensors and radars. Over the years, the Lancer underwent several more upgrades. Last year, the B-1B received a modernized Identification Friend or Foe system, updated mass data storage, a new defensive avionics system, and Link 16 tactical data communications capability.

Pulling Lancers From the Boneyard

While the Air Force does field newer bombers, the service’s total fleet numbers are dangerously low. Even the upcoming B-21 stealth bomber program is expected to face some delays, a concerning prospect considering the uptick in geopolitical instability around the globe. For now, resurrecting B-1 bombers from the boneyard could help alleviate the service’s bomber gap until the Raider is ready.

About the Author: Maya Carlin, Defense Expert 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

All images are Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock. 

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $19.2 million modification for the acquisition of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Configuration 3.1 Part A Ground Modernization equipment to support the US government. The THAAD Configuration 3.1 Part A, and associated labor and equipment, will be procured under a firm-fixed-price contract line item. Expected completion date is January 1, 2027. Fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024 U.S. government procurement funds in the amount of $19,161,388 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Japan will sell Patriot missiles to the US to help replenish its stocks following Ukraine deliveries. A handful of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles will be sold to the $19 million, Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) announced on Sunday. The missile sale’s official quantity has not been disclosed. However, it is likely to be around 10, Nikkei revealed, citing a former Pentagon official. Middle East & Africa The United States sanctioned five people and seven companies in China and Iran on Tuesday, accusing them of aiding Tehran’s ballistic missile and drone programs. The sanctions targeted individuals and companies in China, Hong Kong, and Iran involved in procuring key components for “subordinates” of […]

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