By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
The final bids are being submitted Friday by various consortiums for the Canadian Surface Combatant program.
The bids going in Friday involve the finalized portions of the bids on designs (the technical design bids were originally submitted in November but today marks the deadline for responses that deal with any questions the federal government may have had/changes needed to be made) as well as proposals for the financial elements for the project.
The new ships will be the backbone of the future Royal Canadian Navy.
The groups bidding include:
-Lockheed Martin Canada, who will be the prime on the team that includes BAE Systems, CAE, L3 Technologies, MDA, and Ultra Electronics. The team is offering the BAE Type 26 warship for the Canadian program. The proposal will include Lockheed Martin Canada’s combat management system, CMS 330, which is currently on board the modernized Halifax-class frigates. A scaled down version of the system will be used on the Royal Canadian Navy’s new Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship fleet. The United Kingdom is acquiring 8 of the Type 26 ships. Australia has also identified the Type 26 as the design for its future warship.
Gary Fudge, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary and Mission Systems told Defence Watch that the group’s bid was submitted earlier this week. He noted that the Type 26 would be excellent in an anti-submarine warfare role as it is designed to be extremely quiet. The vessel also has room to future modernization, unlike older designs, he added. The Lockheed Martin team, which is making $17 billion in value proposition commitments to Canada, will commit to spending billions in innovation across Canada’s priority areas, including $2 billion in supplier development and $2 billion in research and development, and $200 million in advanced manufacturing, the company noted.
-Alion Science and Technology, along with its subsidiary Alion Canada, submitted their proposal based on the Dutch De Zeven Provinciën Air Defence and Command (LCF) frigate. “Our solution delivers an effective, affordable, production-ready 21st century naval capability to meet Canada’s defence needs,” Bruce Samuelsen, Chief Operating Officer for Alion, said last year while promoting the firm’s bid. The De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate is a proven NATO vessel, built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, with more than 10 years of operational excellence, the company added.
Alion’s combat system solution is based on the world-class capabilities of ATLAS-Elektronik and Hensoldt Sensors. ATLAS brings an open architecture Combat Management System that readily accepts new and evolving technologies, the firm noted. Hensoldt’s capability and experience in developing and fielding state-of-the art radars was central to meeting the unique Canadian requirements with a fielded, non-developmental radar, the Alion team added in an earlier news release. Other key suppliers include L3 Technologies Canada, Raytheon Canada Limited, DRS Technologies Canada Limited (DRS TCL) and Rheinmetall Canada Inc.
-Navantia of Spain is leading a team that includes Saab Australia and CEA Technologies. Its proposal is based on the F-105 frigate design, a ship in service with the Spanish navy. The design has also already been exported to Norway and Australia. Saab, which would provide the combat management system, has support on the CSC program from Lockheed Martin (Moorestown, New Jersey), General Dynamic Mission Systems – Canada, DRS Technologies Limited Canada, OSI Maritime Service and Rheinmetall Canada, according to Navantia.
The F-105 Anti-Submarine Warfare ship will incorporate Saab’s 9LV Combat Management Systems, elements of which are in service on over 240 platforms in 16 navies across the globe, including Canada’s own Halifax-class frigates, the company has said.
The budget for the Canadian Surface Combatant project is estimated by the federal government to be between $55 billion and $60 billion. That is a range but specific costs won’t be known until contacts are signed and more details worked out. Fifteen warships will be built.
Pat Finn, assistant deputy minister for materiel at the Department of National Defence, told Defence Watch he expects a winning bid to be selected by the end of this year.
After that negotiations would start and a contract is expected to be signed sometime early 2019. If an agreement can’t be reached then negotiations would begin with the group that came second in the competition.
About half of the cost of the surface combatant price-tag is for systems and equipment that will go on the 15 ships, according to federal documents obtained by Postmedia through the Access the Information law. “Approximately one-half of the CSC build cost is comprised of labour in the (Irving’s) Halifax yard and materials,” the documents added.
Jean-Denis Fréchette, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, estimated the CSC program would cost $61.82 billion. He also warned that every year the awarding of the contract is delayed beyond 2018, taxpayers will spend an extra $3 billion because of inflation.
Friday, July 20, 2018
CH-148 Cyclone Deploys on First International Deployment with HMCS Ville de Quebec
By BRETT BUNDALE, The Canadian Press
HALIFAX— Hundreds of people gathered on a jetty at Halifax’s naval base Wednesday to bid farewell to 240 military members aboard HMCS Ville de Quebec as it headed to the Mediterranean as part of Canada’s ongoing contribution to a NATO mission in central and eastern Europe.
Under pouring rain, family, friends and dignitaries waved goodbye as the warship sounded a fog horn and departed through a heavy mist in Halifax harbour.
Children in brightly-coloured rain boots waved Canadian flags and homemade signs, one saying, “Bye Mommy, see you later” while another said, “Bon Voyage Daddy.”
Couples shielded from the rain under large umbrellas hugged and kissed goodbye before the six-month mission.
“It’s overwhelming,” said Vanessa Picard, standing on the jetty with her two young children after her husband departed. She called the experience of watching him sail off “surreal.”
It’s a familiar scene here at HMC Dockyard Halifax, as the commanding officer of the warship noted.
“It’s really hard on families,” said Cmdr. Scott Robinson, adding he was leaving behind his wife and two young children. “I’m not the only one. It weighs on you.”
Several ships deploy from the east coast base every year, but the HMCS Ville de Quebec send off was a significant milestone for the Canadian military.
On board the frigate was a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter — the first international mission for the new twin-engine machine.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the state-of-the-art technology adds to the “tremendous capability” of the country’s armed forces and its contribution to Operation Reassurance.
The retired lieutenant-colonel also said it “sends a very strong message of deterrence” to countries like Russia, which he said is starting to go against “a rule-based order.”
Sajjan pointed to Russian actions under Vladimir Putin, such as the annexation of Crimea, its support for rebel forces in eastern Ukraine and Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria.
“It’s something that we will not stand for,” he told reporters following the warship’s departure. “This is one of the reasons why Canada will continue to step up not only as part of NATO, but as part of a coalition.”
He added that Canada “will not take threats lightly” and that the multinational, “fully combat ready” battle groups send a strong message.
Indeed, the commander of the HMCS Ville de Quebec said he expects to run training exercises with his crew to “keep our combat capability at a high level in case the government calls upon us to react to some sort of world event,” Robinson said.
“We want to maintain our proficiency as much as we can at the highest level in case the government of Canada calls on us to do something.”
Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Navy commander called it an “exciting moment” for the first-ever Cyclone helicopter to be sent on a mission.
Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd said Canada’s contribution to the NATO mission will help “enhance regional maritime security and stability.”
The Halifax-class warship HMCS Ville de Quebec is slated to relieve HMCS St. John’s, which returns to Halifax later this month after a six-month mission.
Today the first CH-148 Cyclone helicopter and aircrew embark aboard HMCS Ville de Québec for Op REASSURANCE, @CanadianForces support to #NATO defence and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.#RCAF #RCAFProud
The deployment of the Cyclone marks a major milestone for the 17-metre, 13,000-kilogram aircraft.
In January, the East Coast fleet of Sea Kings was retired after 54 years of service.
The Cyclone fleet will be tasked with surface and sub-surface surveillance, and search and rescue missions, while providing “tactical transport for national and international security efforts,” according to the military. Its aluminum and composite airframe is built with lightning-strike and high-intensity radio frequency pulse protection.
HALIFAX— Hundreds of people gathered on a jetty at Halifax’s naval base Wednesday to bid farewell to 240 military members aboard HMCS Ville de Quebec as it headed to the Mediterranean as part of Canada’s ongoing contribution to a NATO mission in central and eastern Europe.
Under pouring rain, family, friends and dignitaries waved goodbye as the warship sounded a fog horn and departed through a heavy mist in Halifax harbour.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/halifax/2018/07/18/hundreds-gather-as-hmcs-ville-de-quebec-departs-halifax-with-new-cyclone-helicopter-aboard/_1_hmcs_ville_de_quebec.jpg) |
| HMCS Ville de Quebec in Halifax last December. Hundreds of people gathered on a jetty at Halifax's naval base today to bid farewell to 240 military members aboard the vessel. (ANDREW VAUGHAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO) |
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/halifax/2018/07/18/hundreds-gather-as-hmcs-ville-de-quebec-departs-halifax-with-new-cyclone-helicopter-aboard/_2_hmcs.jpg) |
| An RCAF CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter flies past a luxury yacht in Halifax on Friday, July 13, 2018. It departed for its first international deployment with the frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec today. (ANDREW VAUGHAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS) |
Couples shielded from the rain under large umbrellas hugged and kissed goodbye before the six-month mission.
“It’s overwhelming,” said Vanessa Picard, standing on the jetty with her two young children after her husband departed. She called the experience of watching him sail off “surreal.”
It’s a familiar scene here at HMC Dockyard Halifax, as the commanding officer of the warship noted.
“It’s really hard on families,” said Cmdr. Scott Robinson, adding he was leaving behind his wife and two young children. “I’m not the only one. It weighs on you.”
Several ships deploy from the east coast base every year, but the HMCS Ville de Quebec send off was a significant milestone for the Canadian military.
On board the frigate was a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter — the first international mission for the new twin-engine machine.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the state-of-the-art technology adds to the “tremendous capability” of the country’s armed forces and its contribution to Operation Reassurance.
The retired lieutenant-colonel also said it “sends a very strong message of deterrence” to countries like Russia, which he said is starting to go against “a rule-based order.”
Sajjan pointed to Russian actions under Vladimir Putin, such as the annexation of Crimea, its support for rebel forces in eastern Ukraine and Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria.
“It’s something that we will not stand for,” he told reporters following the warship’s departure. “This is one of the reasons why Canada will continue to step up not only as part of NATO, but as part of a coalition.”
He added that Canada “will not take threats lightly” and that the multinational, “fully combat ready” battle groups send a strong message.
Indeed, the commander of the HMCS Ville de Quebec said he expects to run training exercises with his crew to “keep our combat capability at a high level in case the government calls upon us to react to some sort of world event,” Robinson said.
“We want to maintain our proficiency as much as we can at the highest level in case the government of Canada calls on us to do something.”
Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Navy commander called it an “exciting moment” for the first-ever Cyclone helicopter to be sent on a mission.
Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd said Canada’s contribution to the NATO mission will help “enhance regional maritime security and stability.”
The Halifax-class warship HMCS Ville de Quebec is slated to relieve HMCS St. John’s, which returns to Halifax later this month after a six-month mission.
Today the first CH-148 Cyclone helicopter and aircrew embark aboard HMCS Ville de Québec for Op REASSURANCE, @CanadianForces support to #NATO defence and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.#RCAF #RCAFProud
The deployment of the Cyclone marks a major milestone for the 17-metre, 13,000-kilogram aircraft.
In January, the East Coast fleet of Sea Kings was retired after 54 years of service.
The Cyclone fleet will be tasked with surface and sub-surface surveillance, and search and rescue missions, while providing “tactical transport for national and international security efforts,” according to the military. Its aluminum and composite airframe is built with lightning-strike and high-intensity radio frequency pulse protection.
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
TAPVs Well Suited for New Iraq Mission
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
Canadian military planners are currently going over options for the upcoming mission to Baghdad starting in the fall. The deployment includes a force protection group of about 125 personnel. They will provide on-site security for the NATO headquarters in the Iraqi capital city as well a mobile force protection group. The force will be outfitted with armoured vehicles for transportation, according to the Canadian government.
Defence Watch asked Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office if LAV-llls were going to be sent. But Byrne Furlong, Sajjan’s press secretary, said no final decision has been made yet on the type of armoured platform troops will use.
One Department of National Defence official suggested that armoured SUVs could be used since the patrols will largely be in Baghdad.
Which raises the question- what about using the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle?
The vehicle is highly mobile and provides a very high degree of protection for its crew, according to the Canadian Army. It is not as big as the LAV-lll and could be better suited for an urban environment.
Furlong said more information on the composition of the mission and equipment it will use will be released at a later date.
While security is tight in Baghdad, there still attacks. The United Nations reported that 19 people were killed and 18 injured in various attacks in the city in June. In January, suicide bombers killed 38 people and injured more than 105 others
Photos: Air Task Force Mali Arrive in Gao, Mali
Thanks to the Canadian Forces Combat Camera, the first images are surfacing from OP Presence, Canada's contribution to the UN mission in Mali.
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| Canada's contingent to the UN Mission in Mali includes a large Female presence. |
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| Canadian Forces members meet their German counterparts at Camp Castor, Gao, Mali. |
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| An RCAF CH-147 Chinook arrives at Camp Castor in Gao, Mali on July 15, 2018. Photo: MCpl Jennifer Kusche. Note the door gun MG in the Chinook for suppression during medevac or transport missions. |
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| A CH-146 Griffon with door gunner arrives at Camp Castor in Gao, Mali on July 15, 2018. Photo: MCpl Jennifer Kusche |
Monday, July 16, 2018
Sale of CAF Leopard 1 Tanks to Jordan Falls Through
By: David Akin, Global News
Canada has given up trying to find a buyer for its surplus army tanks after what appears to be a last ditch attempt to move them to Jordan fizzled out, Global News has learned.
Canada has about 50 surplus Leopard 1C2 battle tanks and 11 Leopard 1 armoured engineering vehicles left over from the original batch of about 127 Leopard 1s Canada purchased, beginning in 1978.
But the Canadian Army parked its Leopard 1s for good last year and has moved over completely to the more modern Leopard 2 tanks. The army has a fleet of 82 Leopard 2 battle tanks, spread throughout the country at CFB Edmonton, CFB Montreal, and CFB Gagetown near Fredericton, New Brunswick.
The surplus Leopard 1s are parked largely in the same locations.
Global News has learned there appears to have been a last-ditch attempt to move the Cold War-era tanks to Jordan.
On Feb. 20, 2018, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan received a briefing note titled “Provision of Leopard Tanks to JAF.” Defence industry sources believe “JAF” referred to “Jordan Armed Forces.”
The briefing note was referred to in another document obtained by Global News using federal access-to-information laws. Global News has not yet been able to obtain the full briefing note.
Canada had posted its notice of intent to sell the surplus Leopard 1 tanks in September 2015.
Neither Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan nor any officials with Jordan’s embassy in Canada would speak about the briefing note Sajjan received in February.
Other than Israel, Jordan is Canada’s most important ally in the Middle East and has received significant financial and other aid from Canada over decades.
If there was any interest in the Jordan option, it appears to have fizzled.
And now, the Department of National Defence has pretty much given up finding any buyer for the Cold War-era machines.
“No firm buyer was found and the Department is assessing alternate disposal options,” defence department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said in a statement e-mailed to Global News Friday.
The list of countries to whom Canada would have been prepared to sell the tanks is relatively small. Canada would not have moved the tanks to a country where the presence of new squadrons of tanks could have been destabilizing for the region.
“The marketplace for us to sell and basically keep within most of our policies to not abet countries that are, shall we say, problematic, is pretty limited,” said Rob Huebert, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Military and Strategic Analysis at the University of Calgary.
Huebert said even selling them to Jordan might have been a problem for Israel, Canada’s other ally in the region, which might have been made a little nervous if its eastern neighbour became even a little stronger militarily.
Other potential buyers might be human rights violators. The Trudeau government has already come under fire for honouring a commitment it inherited from the Harper government to allow the sale of armoured vehicles made in Canada to Saudi Arabia, a country which does not hold nearly the same respect for human rights that Canada does.
Le Bouthillier said 11 of the surplus tanks will be converted to artifacts, museum pieces that will be displayed outside armouries or other facilities to mark Canada’s military heritage.
No decisions have been made on what will happen to the rest of the surplus fleet. Several — perhaps all — could be used as targets for practicing gunners in the newer Leopard 2s.
“The last option would be to destroy the tanks,” Le Bouthillier said.
Canada has given up trying to find a buyer for its surplus army tanks after what appears to be a last ditch attempt to move them to Jordan fizzled out, Global News has learned.
Canada has about 50 surplus Leopard 1C2 battle tanks and 11 Leopard 1 armoured engineering vehicles left over from the original batch of about 127 Leopard 1s Canada purchased, beginning in 1978.
But the Canadian Army parked its Leopard 1s for good last year and has moved over completely to the more modern Leopard 2 tanks. The army has a fleet of 82 Leopard 2 battle tanks, spread throughout the country at CFB Edmonton, CFB Montreal, and CFB Gagetown near Fredericton, New Brunswick.
The surplus Leopard 1s are parked largely in the same locations.
Global News has learned there appears to have been a last-ditch attempt to move the Cold War-era tanks to Jordan.
On Feb. 20, 2018, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan received a briefing note titled “Provision of Leopard Tanks to JAF.” Defence industry sources believe “JAF” referred to “Jordan Armed Forces.”
The briefing note was referred to in another document obtained by Global News using federal access-to-information laws. Global News has not yet been able to obtain the full briefing note.
Canada had posted its notice of intent to sell the surplus Leopard 1 tanks in September 2015.
Neither Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan nor any officials with Jordan’s embassy in Canada would speak about the briefing note Sajjan received in February.
Other than Israel, Jordan is Canada’s most important ally in the Middle East and has received significant financial and other aid from Canada over decades.
If there was any interest in the Jordan option, it appears to have fizzled.
And now, the Department of National Defence has pretty much given up finding any buyer for the Cold War-era machines.
“No firm buyer was found and the Department is assessing alternate disposal options,” defence department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said in a statement e-mailed to Global News Friday.
The list of countries to whom Canada would have been prepared to sell the tanks is relatively small. Canada would not have moved the tanks to a country where the presence of new squadrons of tanks could have been destabilizing for the region.
“The marketplace for us to sell and basically keep within most of our policies to not abet countries that are, shall we say, problematic, is pretty limited,” said Rob Huebert, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Military and Strategic Analysis at the University of Calgary.
Huebert said even selling them to Jordan might have been a problem for Israel, Canada’s other ally in the region, which might have been made a little nervous if its eastern neighbour became even a little stronger militarily.
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| A crew from the Lord Strathcona’s Horses deck out their Leopard tank with Canadian flags to mark Canada Day on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at Canadian forward operating base Ma’sum Ghar, Afghanistan.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colin Perkel |
Le Bouthillier said 11 of the surplus tanks will be converted to artifacts, museum pieces that will be displayed outside armouries or other facilities to mark Canada’s military heritage.
No decisions have been made on what will happen to the rest of the surplus fleet. Several — perhaps all — could be used as targets for practicing gunners in the newer Leopard 2s.
“The last option would be to destroy the tanks,” Le Bouthillier said.
Eggleton: CAF Pulling Its Own Weight
By: Art Eggleton, Toronto Star - Opinions
As NATO leaders prepare for their upcoming summit in Brussels, U.S. President Donald Trump is complaining about Canada and other allies not spending enough on their military operations. This brings into play the goal from past summits of each country spending 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence.
There are two problems with this 2 per cent of GDP figure. First, meeting it would increase defence spending by approximately two thirds in Canada, and secondly, it is the wrong measurement for capabilities and contributions to NATO.
A two thirds defence expenditure hike would necessitate either substantial tax increases and/or significant reductions in other government programs and services, including social support measures. I consider that unrealistic and unacceptable.
GDP can go up or down, or it can be stagnant. If we have robust economic growth over the next decade, getting to 2 per cent will become even more expensive and challenging. If we unfortunately experience a recession, then our percentage of GDP for military expenditure can increase without spending a dollar more.
What sense does that make in terms of measuring capabilities and contributions? Also, only four of 29 NATO countries currently meet the 2 per cent goal. And the goal is not compulsory; or, as the Harper government said after the last summit in Wales, it is “aspirational.”
In my five years serving as Minister of National Defence in the Chrétien cabinet, I never came to appreciate that 2 per cent of GDP was the appropriate way to measure our contributions as a member of the alliance.
That was verified by NATO officials Simon Lunn and Nicholas Williams, who wrote: “the 2 per cent takes no account of the ebbs and flows of economic fortunes; is vulnerable to changing circumstances and domestic pressure, both in terms of the security requirements and the economic base; encourages creative accounting to satisfy targets; and provides zero guidance concerning precisely what capabilities are needed to counter the threats and challenges that NATO faces.”
If not 2 per cent of GDP then what?
We could, for example, measure per capita expenditures, in which case Canada ranks ninth out of 29 member states. Or a percentage of the federal government expenditures, in which case Canada ranks sixth. In either case, we rank above the NATO average if you exclude the United States, which is really in a league of its own, spending more than double on defence than all the other NATO countries combined.
Better still, shouldn’t we be measuring outputs and outcomes rather than input percentages? As Lunn and Williams suggest, the important measurement should be based on capabilities and contributions.
When it comes to capabilities, our Canadian Forces personnel are some of the best in the world. They are motivated, highly skilled and dedicated to their roles. Our allies around the world, including the U.S. military, recognize this.
We are no laggard when it comes to joint military exercises and contributing to multilateral missions. We don’t need all the equipment in the world — we work with our allies — but what’s important is the interoperability with them that strengthens the capabilities of our troops.
On the issue of equipment, NATO does want member countries to update their assets and the government has started to implement that request with budget increases this year and thereafter. This commitment is real investment in the equipment of our forces, one that is not tied to GDP but reflects actual military expenditures, and again contributes to capabilities.
When it comes to recent contributions, we have sent troops and equipment, along with our NATO allies, to operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and are currently leading a mission in Latvia. And now with the United Nations, they are headed to Mali.
It is these and other capabilities and contributions to the defining conflicts of our time that armed forces should be measured by — not something as flawed as a financial yardstick that is tied to GDP.
As NATO leaders prepare for their upcoming summit in Brussels, U.S. President Donald Trump is complaining about Canada and other allies not spending enough on their military operations. This brings into play the goal from past summits of each country spending 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence.
There are two problems with this 2 per cent of GDP figure. First, meeting it would increase defence spending by approximately two thirds in Canada, and secondly, it is the wrong measurement for capabilities and contributions to NATO.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/opinion/contributors/2018/07/11/canadian-forces-are-pulling-their-weight/lth112486133.jpg) |
| The UN Mali patch is shown on a Canadian forces member's uniform before boarding a plane at CFB Trenton on Thursday. The soldiers are heading to Mali for Operation Presence, the military operation to support the United Nations peace mission. (LARS HAGBERG / THE CANADIAN PRESS) |
GDP can go up or down, or it can be stagnant. If we have robust economic growth over the next decade, getting to 2 per cent will become even more expensive and challenging. If we unfortunately experience a recession, then our percentage of GDP for military expenditure can increase without spending a dollar more.
What sense does that make in terms of measuring capabilities and contributions? Also, only four of 29 NATO countries currently meet the 2 per cent goal. And the goal is not compulsory; or, as the Harper government said after the last summit in Wales, it is “aspirational.”
In my five years serving as Minister of National Defence in the Chrétien cabinet, I never came to appreciate that 2 per cent of GDP was the appropriate way to measure our contributions as a member of the alliance.
That was verified by NATO officials Simon Lunn and Nicholas Williams, who wrote: “the 2 per cent takes no account of the ebbs and flows of economic fortunes; is vulnerable to changing circumstances and domestic pressure, both in terms of the security requirements and the economic base; encourages creative accounting to satisfy targets; and provides zero guidance concerning precisely what capabilities are needed to counter the threats and challenges that NATO faces.”
If not 2 per cent of GDP then what?
We could, for example, measure per capita expenditures, in which case Canada ranks ninth out of 29 member states. Or a percentage of the federal government expenditures, in which case Canada ranks sixth. In either case, we rank above the NATO average if you exclude the United States, which is really in a league of its own, spending more than double on defence than all the other NATO countries combined.
Better still, shouldn’t we be measuring outputs and outcomes rather than input percentages? As Lunn and Williams suggest, the important measurement should be based on capabilities and contributions.
When it comes to capabilities, our Canadian Forces personnel are some of the best in the world. They are motivated, highly skilled and dedicated to their roles. Our allies around the world, including the U.S. military, recognize this.
We are no laggard when it comes to joint military exercises and contributing to multilateral missions. We don’t need all the equipment in the world — we work with our allies — but what’s important is the interoperability with them that strengthens the capabilities of our troops.
On the issue of equipment, NATO does want member countries to update their assets and the government has started to implement that request with budget increases this year and thereafter. This commitment is real investment in the equipment of our forces, one that is not tied to GDP but reflects actual military expenditures, and again contributes to capabilities.
When it comes to recent contributions, we have sent troops and equipment, along with our NATO allies, to operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and are currently leading a mission in Latvia. And now with the United Nations, they are headed to Mali.
It is these and other capabilities and contributions to the defining conflicts of our time that armed forces should be measured by — not something as flawed as a financial yardstick that is tied to GDP.
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Senator Art Eggleton is a member of the Canadian Senate from Toronto. He currently serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
New Iraq Mission Deploys Four Additional Griffon Helicopters
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
Canada’s ongoing Iraq mission has a maximum cap of around 850 personnel, according to Department of National Defence officials. There are only around 500 to 600 assigned to the mission currently. So the commitment announced this week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of 250 personnel will be new personnel heading from Canada to Iraq.
Canada’s ongoing Iraq mission has a maximum cap of around 850 personnel, according to Department of National Defence officials. There are only around 500 to 600 assigned to the mission currently. So the commitment announced this week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of 250 personnel will be new personnel heading from Canada to Iraq.
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| A Canadian Forces Griffon helicopter flies over a Internal Displaced persons camp near Erbil, Iraq, February 20, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz ORG XMIT: RYR112 |
The new mission will need up to four Griffon helicopters. That will be in addition to the four Griffons already based in Erbil in Northern Iraq.
“This is a new deployment of up to four helicopters, as requested by NATO,” Byrne Furlong, press secretary for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told Defence Watch.
“This detachment will be capable of transporting personnel and equipment around the NM-I Joint Operations Area,” she added. “These helicopters will be based out of the Taji Military Complex in order to best support of NATO in and around the Baghdad area.”
The heavily fortified complex is in a rural area, 27 kilometres north of Baghdad.
The helicopters will be in Iraq for the next 12 months.
Canadian special forces will remain in Iraq separate from the NATO mission, Furlong explained. “They will continue what they have been doing in the north in and around Mosul,” she added.
“This is a new deployment of up to four helicopters, as requested by NATO,” Byrne Furlong, press secretary for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told Defence Watch.
“This detachment will be capable of transporting personnel and equipment around the NM-I Joint Operations Area,” she added. “These helicopters will be based out of the Taji Military Complex in order to best support of NATO in and around the Baghdad area.”
The heavily fortified complex is in a rural area, 27 kilometres north of Baghdad.
The helicopters will be in Iraq for the next 12 months.
Canadian special forces will remain in Iraq separate from the NATO mission, Furlong explained. “They will continue what they have been doing in the north in and around Mosul,” she added.