The Naval Brief: Emergency contact list; Waiting for funding; Russian warships; and more...

Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future. 

Checking in. The Navy wants sailors and their families living in 11 European countries near Ukraine and Russia to check in and make sure their contact information is up to date, Defense One reports. The database of contacts can be used in case of an evacuation, but the Navy says these steps to ensure the database is accurate is not an indication of some future event.

Budget woes. The Defense Department’s budget nightmare continues as it waits for Congress to approve its 2022 money while also waiting on the White House to submit its spending proposal for next fiscal year, Defense One reports. It could be early spring before the Pentagon sees either come to pass.

Russians in the Black Sea. Three Russian warships have made their way into the Black Sea and are capable of moving tanks and troops ashore, USNI News reports. They are part of a larger group of ships making their way from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea as tensions with Ukraine grow.

Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Feb. 12, 1950, U.S. 6th Fleet was established. Headquartered in Naples, Italy, the fleet covers the Atlantic Ocean into the high north, the Mediterranean Sea, and waters around the African continent.

From Defense One

The $76 Billion Cost of a Yearlong Continuing Resolution // Arnold Punaro

Inflation is making 2022 a terrible year to lack a budget. Congress must act.

New Operating System Aims to Speed AI to the Battlefield // Brandi Vincent

The project is part of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center's 8-month-old AI and Data Accelerator.

Germany, US Agree To Condemn Russian Violence in Ukraine // Jacqueline Feldscher

Biden shot down speculation that there were cracks in the longtime partnership with Berlin.