The regular navy force is made up of about 8,000 sailors, according to Commodore Steve Waddell, but they're currently 10 per cent short of that.

Premier Stephen McNeil's government is closely watching any decisions from Ottawa on the budget for the next phase of the shipbuilding contracts.

Military members in the nation's capital are being asked not to wear their uniforms traveling to and from their places of work, a directive that is being criticized by a Halifax foreign policy expert.