Taylor: Kurdish Flag a Bulls-eye for Special Forces

By: Scott Taylor, Esprit de Corps Magazine 

Since Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) soldiers first deployed into Erbil in September 2014 they have been sporting the bright red, white and green striped flag of Kurdistan on their right sleeves. The CSOR commandos are in Erbil in an ‘advise-and-assist’ role for the Kurdish military forces containing the advances of Daesh.

The stated overall goal of Canada’s military intervention against Daesh — first applied by the Harper Conservatives and then echoed by the Trudeau Liberals — is the eventual restoration of a unified Iraq following the defeat of Daesh.

Of course, this is not the intention of the Kurdish fighters whom our brave Canadian commandos are training. The Kurds are fighting to establish an independent Kurdistan as symbolized by the Kurdish flags worn on their uniforms, affixed to their vehicles, and adorned on all of their outposts and government buildings. This is why it makes absolutely no sense for our soldiers to be wearing a symbol of a separatist state — one that is unrecognized by any other country in the world — while our politicians still talk of a unified Iraq.

Questions about Canadian soldiers wearing the Kurdish flag instead of the Iraqi flag on their uniforms were first raised a few weeks ago following Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance’s visit to Erbil. The only two media outlets with access to that junket were CTV News and the Toronto Star. The Kurdish flags on Canadian uniforms went unmentioned in the original news stories, but they were so glaringly obvious in the images and footage that pundits in Canada questioned the meaning of our soldiers wearing foreign flags in a complex, multi-factional conflict.

Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan at first tried to deflect the issue by reminding reporters that Canadian soldiers had worn the flag of Afghanistan on their sleeves during our decade-long intervention. It was journalists who then reminded the MND that Afghanistan is a recognized state and our soldiers were in that country to prop up the Kabul regime. In contrast, the Kurdish flag is a symbol of a separatist state attempting to break away from the central Iraq authority, which our foreign policy proclaims to support.

The flag issue would likely have faded into obscurity but for the fact that U.S. troops operating in Syria were spotted wearing Kurdish insignia. This caused a backlash in the U.S. and the Pentagon immediately issued orders to remove the foreign symbols. This precedent by the U.S. caused a problem for Canada, as it now makes us look even stupider for having boldly sported Kurdish flags for nearly two years.

In a clumsy attempt at damage control Major General Mike Rouleau, the commander of the Canadian Special Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) and, as such, the man responsible for our trainers in Kurdistan, reached out to the same two CTV and Toronto Star reporters with an exclusive ‘scoop.’ In light of the American forces’ removal of Kurdish badges, Rouleau explained that Canada may stop wearing the flag of Kurdistan. “We’ll re-examine that and we may well take them off too,” Rouleau was reported as saying.

As for Canadians wearing the controversial flags in the first place, Rouleau made some rather petulant comments. “I refuse to get involved in the politics of war. That’s not my job. I’m a general,” stated Rouleau. Referring to the Kurdistan flags directly, Rouleau claimed that “it is a recognized symbol worn by Iraqi security forces. People can debate it and kind of spin it anyway they want. For me, it’s nothing more than a symbol of solidarity.”

As a general, Rouleau should not so recklessly endanger his troops by sending them into the equivalent of a gangland turf war and having them wear one particular bike gang’s colours. The flag of Kurdistan is NOT in any way a symbol of Iraqi security forces; it is exactly the opposite as Kurdish fighters have clashed directly on numerous occasions with the Iraqi army.

The sooner our soldiers take those flags off their uniforms the better. And if our commanders still know so little about the regional complexities after nearly two years in theatre, they really should get the heck out of there.

HMCS Windsor recalled to Port following engine problems

By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch 

HMCS Windsor is expected to return to Halifax sometime on Monday, Royal Canadian Navy officers tell Defence Watch.

Canada’s only submarine currently at sea has to return to port to deal with mechanical problems.

After a week of sea training work-ups off the eastern seaboard, HMCS Windsor experienced a mechanical issue June 3 involving a component associated with one of the submarine’s two diesel engines, the Royal Canadian Navy says.

“What broke is a super-charger,” Navy Capt. Jamie Clarke, commander Canadian Submarine Force, told Defence Watch.

The sub has two engines and two super-chargers.

“What a super-charger does is that it blows air into the engine to make it more powerful,” Clarke explained. “With more air you can put in more fuel and you get more power and more efficiency.”

“As a matter of precaution that engine isn’t being used,” he added. “The submarine is returning to Halifax so the experts can look at it and fix it. The intention is to fix it as soon as possible and get back to sea.”

Clarke said the navy won’t have a timeline on the repairs until specialists can look at the system.

The sub was on its way to Norway for a NATO exercise. Once fixed, it will return to sea and continue to the exercise as planned.

“It’s unfortunate,” Clarke said of the mechanical issue. “We’re getting her fixed and will get her back to sea.”

“They (the crew) operate a complex machine in an unforgiving environment and they do it really well,” he added. “I’m incredibly proud of the team on board Windsor.”

Fleet Maintenance Facility personnel will conduct an inspection and repairs, the navy noted.

HMCS Windsor has sailed over 200 days over the past year conducting surveillance operations and other missions.

Engineers and technicians aboard HMCS Windsor have addressed the immediate issue and the submarine is able to continue sailing, the RCN noted.

The RCN’s other three submarines are in various stages of maintenance.

In February, Defence Watch reported that HMCS Windsor docked at the Norfolk naval base in Virginia after it ran into mechanical issues while at sea.

The submarine was heading towards Halifax when an issue emerged with its battery. Royal Canadian Navy officers ordered the sub to Norfolk.

The RCN noted the problem started when crew members found that a battery cell was leaking. The submarine’s battery is around five years old and has an expected lifespan of up to six years, according to the RCN.

The batteries were to be replaced by the end of the year.

In December 2012, a defect was identified with one of HMCS Windsor’s two diesel generators during sea trials, according to the RCN. These diesel generators are part of the main submarine battery-charging system.

Liberals to Purchase F/A-18 Super Hornet as Interim Replacement to CF-18

By: Lee Berthiaume, Ottawa Citizen 

The Liberal government is intent on buying Super Hornet fighter jets, according to multiple sources

Suggesting an urgent need to replace the CF-18 fleet due to difficulties in meeting NORAD and NATO requirements, and describing the purchase of Super Hornets as an interim measure, could allow the Liberals to make good on their promise not to buy the F-35 without sparking a legal battle.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet reportedly discussed the issue last week, and while no formal decision was taken, one top-level official said: “They have made up their minds and are working on the right narrative to support it."

Rather than a full replacement of the air force’s aging CF-18 fighter fleet, it’s believed the purchase will be labelled an interim measure to fill what Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has warned is a pending “gap” in Canada’s military capabilities.

The Liberals promised during the election campaign not to buy the F-35 to replace the CF-18s. But the government has been struggling with how to fulfil that promise for fear any attempt to exclude the stealth fighter from a competition will result in a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit, according to one senior Defence Department official.

The current fleet size makes it difficult to do everything NORAD and NATO require. There is precedent for purchasing Super Hornets on an interim basis; Australia bought 24 of the aircraft about five years ago for $2.5 billion, to replace antiquated F-111 jets until newer F-35s were ready.

Sajjan, who recently visited Australia, warned last month that Canada’s CF-18s “need to be replaced now. And the fact they have not been replaced means we are facing a capability gap in the years ahead.” He indicated the government planned to move quickly.

An official in Sajjan’s office reiterated that sense of urgency on Saturday, saying the Royal Canadian Air Force has been “risk-managing” its fighter jet fleet.

“The government is working very hard on this file as it must because today the Canadian Armed Forces are risk-managing a gap between our NATO and NORAD obligations, and the number of planes we can put in the air on any given day,” the official said. “That capability gap is expected to grow in the years ahead, and that’s an unacceptable situation.”

The official added that the issue is a “very high priority for the government to chart a way forward in the very near future.”

Liberal suggestions that Canada’s CF18s are on their last legs appear to have come out of nowhere, after the previous Conservative government announced in 2014 that it was upgrading the CF-18s so they could continue to operate through 2025. That $400-million initiative was intended to buy the government time to make the right decision on a replacement. Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute noted Canada originally bought 138 CF-18s, and is now down to fewer than 80 — all of which are aging.

“The current fleet size makes it difficult to do everything NORAD and NATO require,” he said.

But Perry noted that has been the case for years, including under the Conservatives. “This government seems to find the situation a lot more problematic than the last one did,” he said.

Suggesting there is an urgent need to replace the CF-18s, and then describing any purchase of Super Hornets as an interim measure could be one way for the Liberals to make good on their promise not to buy the F-35, without sparking a costly legal battle. The government could maintain that it still plans to hold a full competition to replace the CF-18s at a later, undetermined date.

There have long been suspicions that the Liberals have wanted to buy the Super Hornet. Aside from ruling out the F-35 during the election, officials have indicated that Canada all but has to buy an American-built plane, given the importance of joint continental defence with the U.S. That leaves the Super Hornet as the only alternative, given that the F-35’s other competitors — the Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Saab Gripen — are all European.

The official in Sajjan’s office described reports of the government’s intention to buy the Super Hornet as “speculative,” insisting no decision has been made.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have also refused to publicly rule out buying the F-35 since winning the election. It’s believed that’s because they have realized that the U.S. aerospace giant responsible for building the stealth fighter, Lockheed Martin, could hit the government with a massive lawsuit.

There is reason for such a worry. Last month, a federal trade tribunal sided with an American company that felt it was treated unfairly during a competition to provide new trucks for the army. The tribunal called for the company’s design to be retested, and if it would have won, for the government to pay compensation.

In that competition, the winning company was paid $834 million, and the loser stands to gain tens of millions of dollars, if not hundreds of millions, in compensation following the tribunal’s ruling. In the case of the F-35, that figure could easily reach the billions — all of which would be covered by taxpayers.

Industry representatives warned there could be a fight if the government does move to purchase the Super Hornet, even if it’s labelled an interim measure. But one Defence Department official said the government might be able to sidestep legal questions by citing urgent national security needs.

Kurds Eye Canada's Surplus Heavy Weapons

By: David Pugliese, National Post

The Kurds are pushing Canada to supply them with the heavy weapons they need to fight ISIL — as well as to defend themselves after they separate from Iraq.

Two CAF Husky's (Right and Centre) and a Buffalo (Left)

The Canadian military has a stockpile of armoured vehicles that could be of use to the Kurds but has yet to figure out whether to turn those over.

The military has in its surplus stocks three Husky armoured vehicles used in Afghanistan to help clear improvised explosive devices and one Buffalo vehicle used for similar operations, according to data compiled by the Canadian Forces. Also surplus are 181 Coyote wheeled armoured vehicles and 46 tracked light armoured vehicles. Some of those upgraded carriers were used in Afghanistan and received good reviews for how they protected troops.

The Canadian military also has a variety of graders, tractors and other heavy equipment in its surplus inventory, according to the data. Such equipment could be of use in moving barricades and other fortifications erected by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces.

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Canada also could provide the Kurds with small arms and anti-tank weapons.

The U.S. military already has outfitted such units with mortars, anti-tank weapons and armoured personnel carriers.

Department of National Defence spokesman Evan Koronewski said no donations have been made yet. “Planning is underway,” he said in an email.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in February that Canada would be providing the Kurds with lethal military equipment.

Sources said the announcement likely would be made by government ministers this summer.

But the issue of arming the Kurds, now being trained by Canadian special forces, is controversial.

Kurdish leaders acknowledge their intent is to create an independent state eventually. They argue it is their right to break away from Iraq, pointing to Quebec’s attempts to leave Canada as an example.

“Iraq is a failed state,” Masrour Barzani, head of intelligence for the Kurdish government and son of the region’s president, has said.

Kurdish leaders say they need access to heavy weapons so they can defend their fledging country when it emerges.

The Kurds’ push for independence and refusal to turn over parts of Iraq they have seized from ISIL has increased tensions with the Iraqis.

In late April, Canadian-supported Kurdish troops fought in a bloody battle with forces allied with Iraq’s government. Ten people were killed.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance has dismissed any concerns about tensions between the Iraqis and the Kurds. He suggested that whatever happens between various factions in Iraq after ISIL is defeated is an issue for the Iraqis to sort out.

But Peggy Mason, a former disarmament ambassador in then-prime minister Brian Mulroney’s government, said such a view is short-sighted and similar to the one Canada endorsed during the war to overthrow Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

It’s extraordinarily cavalier to say what comes next is Iraq’s problem

“It’s extraordinarily cavalier to say what comes next is Iraq’s problem,” said Mason, president of the Rideau Institute in Ottawa. “Our training of the (Kurdish) peshmerga is not helping if the end result is a stronger group to fight against the Iraqi government later on.”

The issue has been complicated by the insistence of Canadian special forces to wear the Kurdish flag — the symbol of an independent Kurdistan — on their uniforms.

“The Canadian Forces putting the (flags) on their uniforms tells the rest of Iraq that we don’t support the territorial integrity of your country,” said Denise Natali, a Middle East expert at the Institute for National Strategic Studies in Washington.

After two years of wearing the Kurdish flag on their uniforms, Canadian special forces are now considering whether it should be removed.

RCAF rolls out custom-painted CT-155 Hawk to honour 419 Squadron

By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch 

In honour of 419 “City of Kamloops” Squadron’s 75th Anniversary, the squadron unveiled their newly painted CT-155 Hawk during a ceremony yesterday at 4 Wing Cold Lake, according to the RCAF.

The paint scheme was designed by artist Jim Belliveau, and captures snapshots of the WWII history of this highly decorated unit, it noted. The aircraft is a CT-155 Hawk from the fleet of NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) Hawk trainers used to teach Fighter Lead-In Training in Cold Lake, Alberta, the current home of 419 Squadron.

The CT115217 Hawk Anniversary Edition from 419 Squadron lands as it made its entrance to 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on 01 June 2016.
Image by: Leading Seaman Lisa Sheppard, 4 Wing Imaging CK09-2016-0537-005

More details from the RCAF:

“The camouflage scheme is a stylized application of the classic WWII Bomber Command topside green and brown, combined with an all-black undersurface which masked the aircraft from below against the night sky when most wartime bombing operations occurred for the Allied effort. The call letters VR-W and the dedication of the aircraft on the nose (with yellow “W”) are rooted with the Wellington Bomber flown by Wing Commander John “Moose” Fulton, the first and beloved Commanding Officer of the Unit in 1941.

The Moose insignia on the nose and registration KB799 belong to the Lancaster era of 419 Squadron, and the oldest known “Moose” nose art for the Unit. The roundels on the wings are a stylized combination of old style Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) wartime markings with the addition of a Maple Leaf in the centre to link the wartime era markings to that of today, while the fin flash and side roundels are wartime RCAF.

As “City of Kamloops” squadron, 419 is also holding a reunion weekend July 8-10, 2016 in Kamloops, BC as part of their 75th Anniversary celebrations and to celebrate their relationship with the city. A revival of the “Moose” Fulton Club, history book release, Freedom of the City Parade, flypast and static aircraft display, will all take place over the weekend; culminating with a formal Gala Dinner Saturday night.

419 Squadron is a satellite unit of 15 Wing Moose Jaw, the centre of RCAF aircrew training and is comprised of 402 Squadron in Winnipeg, MB, 419 Squadron in Cold Lake, AB, 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Moose Jaw, SK, and 3 CFFTS in Portage la Prairie, MB.