Canadian Armed Forces Thread

[Gurn]

 https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/royal-canadian-navy-relieves-pacific-fleet-ship-commander-for-inappropriate-conduct/ar-AAZ3vAG?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=1f632c5286624482a021c1329c84c862

OTTAWA — The Royal Canadian Navy says it has relieved the commanding officer of a warship in the Pacific Fleet.

 

n a release Thursday night, the navy says it has lost confidence in the judgment of Lt.-Cmdr. David Dallin of HMCS Regina.

The navy says it took action after an incident that recently took place on another vessel during a naval training exercise.

Details of what happened were not released.

Commodore David Mazur, commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific, says in the release that the incident remains under investigation, but involved "inappropriate conduct."

The navy says Cmdr. Meghan Coates has now assumed command of HMCS Regina, a Halifax-class frigate based at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, B.C.

"The RCN expects all its members to exercise institutionally appropriate judgment at all times, especially when in clear leadership or command roles," the navy said in the release.

The navy says Dallin will serve in other roles within Maritime Forces Pacific at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt until the conclusion of the investigation.

[Gurn]

The plane arrives- a few weeks later than arranged, but at least it is Canada Day:

 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/restored-warplane-lands-in-okanagan-will-soon-be-on-display-in-kelowna/ar-AAZ3ifd?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=eddc2eb7f3bb41b59f33a77a21aeda41

A vintage plane from the Second World War will soon be on display in the Okanagan.

On Thursday, a de Havilland 98 Mosquito, with its distinct looks and engine noise, landed at Kelowna International Airport.

Sporting a wooden frame, the two-engine, two-seat bomber was acquired by the KF Aerospace Centre following a five-year restoration for its aviation museum that’s expected to open in late August.

According to KF Aeropsace, the plane made its debut in 1941 and primarily served as a night fighter, and was capable of reaching speeds of 640 km/h.

“Across European, Mediterranean, and Italian theatres of war the Mosquito proved to be exceptionally versatile,” said KF Aerospace.

“It served as a bomber, fighter, night-fighter, photo-reconnaissance plane, and even provided wartime cargo and passenger connections through enemy territory. A total of 7,781 aircraft were built.”

 

The plane flew from Vancouver to Kelowna on Thursday. It’s said to be one of 30 Mosquitos remaining worldwide, and one of only two that are currently airworthy.

“The Mossie was an incredibly potent aircraft. It could pack a similar bomb load as a B17 and fight in any theatre at any time of day or night, at high or low altitude,” said KF Aerospace project supervisor D’Arcy Barker.

“It was truly a multi-role aircraft, at home in seemingly any operation. That’s what made it so special. Without it, where would we be? Thankfully, we’ll never know.”

KF Aerospace says the plane’s original wooden frame is made from B.C. Sitka spruce, and that it was one of many Mosquitos operated by Spartan Air Services in the 1950s and 60s to conduct high-altitude aerial cartography missions across Canada.

“It tells an absolutely amazing Canadian story,” said KF Aerospace executive director, Paula Quinn. “The aircraft flew around the country for years, mapping out the northernmost reaches of the landscape in a way that was never before possible.”

KF Aerospace says the Mosquito will be part of a collection that includes a Hawker Tempest MK2, the Odyssey DC-3 and a Convair CV580 among others.

 

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/hair-colouring-face-tattoos-permitted-under-new-military-dress-rules/ar-AAZesWV?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=9f270e8df6874b04902024c3a93d6ec3

Members of Canada's military will soon be soldiering under much less strict dress rules as the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) introduces updated regulations on personal grooming.

Under the new rules — which were released Tuesday and go into effect in September — CAF will allow military personnel to, among other things, colour their hair and grow it to any length, and to sport face tattoos.

 

"The bottom line is, the Canadian Forces Dress Instructions are about fifty years old and so the policy as a whole was overdue for revision," says a Department of National Defence (DND) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page detailing the update.

"The appearance of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has not kept pace with the Canadian society which it serves."

Many of the new liberties are conditional. Unnatural hair colour, for example, is allowed "unless it inhibits an operational duty," the DND page says.

For example, bright coloured hair may have a negative operational impact during field operations or training. Leaders are invited to discuss with their members to find a simple, suitable accommodation, such as a scarf to cover the hair."

Restrictions on hair length are also out — hair can be grown to any length but it must be tied up if it extends beyond the shoulders. Hair also must not inhibit a CAF member's vision and must allow them to wear head coverings, such as berets.

Facial hair may also be grown to any length, so long as it's neatly groomed and symmetrical. Commanding officers will still have the right to order a member to shave or to not grow facial hair, depending on safety and operational requirements.

A backpack can now be slung over just one shoulder, so long as it's the left.

 

 

"This leaves the right arm free to salute," the page says.

"Uniformity does not equal discipline, or operational effectiveness, any more than the colour or length of your hair defines your commitment or professional competence," Gen. Wayne Eyre, Canada's chief of the defence staff (CDS), said in a video CAF posted to Twitter on Tuesday.

He acknowledged the changes could be divisive within the military.

"Some will consider this progress, while others may see this as unwarranted," Eyre said.

"We must be wary of the false dichotomy that we must choose between changing our dress and appearance, or be strong."

The move comes as the CAF faces a significant recruiting shortfall. The military reported earlier this year that it's about 7,600 members short of full strength.

Other armed forces are also loosening dress and grooming rules, including the United States Army and the British Army.

CAF uniforms will no longer be divided into "male" and "female" categories, and can be worn in combination.

"Both catalogues are open to all members and they may be intermixed. CAF members may choose whichever design best fits, as long as it is worn as per the Dress Instructions," the page says.

Under the current Dress Instructions, only women are permitted to wear skirts and blouses as part of a uniform. The revisions allow men to wear these items as well.

In a statement issued to CBC, a DND spokesperson said the changes are meant to strike a balance.

"The revisions will provide individuals with more choices to support respect, diversity, and inclusiveness, while continuing to prioritize operational effectiveness and safety of CAF members," the statement reads.

[Gurn]

Coast Guard vessel retired:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/science/former-crew-say-goodbye-to-storied-research-ship-hudson-as-replacement-awaited/ar-AAZjXzP?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=e39ece30882f4315932603e3c1d72078

ALIFAX — The Canadian Coast Guard said goodbye to a storied research vessel on Thursday, as Ottawa looks for temporary replacements to carry out the science projects the ship has hosted for the past 59 years.

The Hudson, built in Saint John, N.B., by Irving’s Saint John Shipbuilding, was constructed out of ice-hardened steel and has been used to carry out oceanographic studies since 1963.

 

"It's sad to let her go, but we're making the best out of it and are recognizing the crew and all their achievements," said Commissioner Mario Pelletier, who is overseeing the renewal of the coast guard's fleet.

Bosko Loncarevic, a retired geophysicist who was aboard the vessel for 25 journeys, looked on fondly as a flag on the bow descended during the "lowering of the jack," and the ship's bell sounded for the last time.

The 91-year-old remembered the ship possessed a centre of gravity that allowed her to weather even the harshest of storms. "The result was she was the most stable ship in the world. You could be in 80-knot winds and she didn't even move or roll. She just sat there like a duck," he said during an interview.

As the Hudson carried out its trips, federal and university scientists studied subjects ranging from the prevalence of seabirds to the geology on the ocean's floor.

"My main interest was in the mid-Atlantic ridge," recalled Loncarevic. "The 1960s was the time when plate tectonics was finally accepted as a working hypothesis for how the Earth works, and one of the keys was a large ridge of undersea mountains."

Ellen Kenchington, a benthic ecologist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, N.S., said the Hudson helped researchers define a marine protected area off Nova Scotia referred to as The Gully a decade ago.

"She (the Hudson) held us stable, letting us do our work and carry out a pioneer moment in science," she said. 

Carina Gjerdrum, a seabird biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, met her husband, Adam Hartling, an instrument technician, during a 2005 trip to the Labrador Sea. They came Thursday to bid farewell and pose for a final photo alongside the bow.

Gjerdrum said the science on board has a lineage, with records on seabird abundance and distribution spanning two generations of researchers.

"It's really the birds that can tell us what's going on underneath (the sea). If the birds aren't doing well, then there's something wrong with their prey base or something else that isn't meeting their needs," she said.

The ship tied up in January as parts wore out and it was determined repairs weren't feasible, leaving Canada without a dedicated research ship to explore the oceans.

Work on the offshore oceanographic science vessel that will replace the Hudson has been delayed, with Ottawa now saying it is expected to be complete in 2025, Pelletier told journalists after the ceremony. He estimated the project will cost at least $968 million.

Ottawa recently sent out a request for proposals for private science ships to fill the gap as the preparations of the Hudson's replacement continue, he said.

He said the private charters will be for "five to seven years" to allow time to deal with any issues that may arise in the next ship's operations.

"The Hudson had some specialized equipment and not every vessel around the world has that equipment .... It's going to require a mixture of (replacement) ships over the years," he said.

Pelletier said the ship's usable equipment will be removed in the months to come, and a contract will be tendered to have it dismantled.

But on Thursday, most were looking back, rather than to the future, as the Hudson's achievements were noted.

The Hudson was the first vessel to circumnavigate North and South America, a voyage known as the "Hudson 70 expedition," requiring almost a full year, beginning in 1969 and ending in October 1970.

In March 1976, the Hudson rescued the entire crew of the fishery patrol vessel Cape Freels, which caught fire and was abandoned on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Loncarevic recalled the first civilian passage through the Northwest Passage from west to east, as the crew gathered at 3 a.m. to mark the trip's completion. "We were exhilarated," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2022.

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/mp-kevin-vuong-faces-military-summary-trial-for-failing-to-disclose-charge/ar-AAZM37I?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=529856984c774fc6a6ac95232ba7a462

Toronto MP Kevin Vuong, a naval reservist, is set to face a military summary trial Wednesday on a charge of failing to disclose that he was criminally charged with sexual assault in 2019.

 

If he's found guilty, Vuong could be slapped with what the navy describes as a "severe reprimand."

The military first began looking into the case last fall after the Liberals cut ties with Vuong days before the federal election. The party said Vuong, 33, hadn't told them about a sexual assault charge which was filed in 2019 and withdrawn later that year.

Vuong has denied wrongdoing and said the episode stemmed from a "fantasy allegation."

On Wednesday, Vuong will appear in front of the naval reserve's deputy commander, Capt. Etienne Landry, in Montreal to face a service charge under the National Defence Act for "conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline."

Lt. Robert Moore, a spokesperson for the naval reserve, told CBC News that Vuong "has the right to admit none, some, or all the particulars of the charge."

Members of the military are required to inform their commanding officer if they're arrested by a civil authority. Court documents show Vuong was charged in April 2019 in Toronto with a single count of sexual assault, which the Crown withdrew six months later.

"The accused has elected to undergo a summary trial, and the Deputy Commander of the Naval Reserve (who will be the Presiding Officer), chose to try the accused himself in order to maintain transparency with the public and members of the Naval Reserve while pursuing justice in the most appropriate manner," Moore said in an email. 

Vuong, who holds the rank of sub-lieutenant, was given a choice of a court martial or a summary trial, which is used in the military to deal with less serious offences.

Moore said if Vuong is found guilty, his punishment could include a fine of up to 60 per cent of his basic monthly salary as a naval reservist. He could also face a reprimand, or even a "severe reprimand."

"The punishments of a severe reprimand and a reprimand are intended to stand out as a blemish on the career record of the offender," the Department of National Defence website states.

Vuong told CBC in an email earlier this year that he was "assisting the Navy's inquiry" through his lawyer.

The only Independent MP in the House of Commons, Vuong represents the downtown Toronto riding of Spadina–Fort York. Although the Liberals dismissed him last fall, the move came too late for the election. Ballots still listed him as the Liberal candidate.

He once told a constituent he hoped to one day rejoin the Liberals, but Vuong appears to have turned on his former party since then.

In recent weeks, he's criticized Ottawa's immigration policies and said on social media that Ontarians are being "fleeced" by the Liberal government when they buy gas at the pumps.

[Gurn]

^ decision already in:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/military-fines-mp-kevin-vuong-for-failing-to-report-criminal-charge/ar-AAZN7Mq?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=7b714ea42e434805b7fe74cda54a0862

 

ARoyal Canadian Navy official imposed a $500 fine on Independent MP and Royal Canadian Navy reserve officer Kevin Vuong Wednesday for failing to inform his commanding officer of a criminal charge against him.

 

Vuong elected to face a summary trial instead of a court martial. The trial took place Wednesday morning at HMCS Donnacona, a navy reserve unit in Montreal. The naval reserve's deputy commander, Capt. Etienne Landry, presided over the trial.

Vuong was facing a service charge under the National Defence Act for "conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline." 

Lt. Robert Moore, a spokesperson for the naval reserve, told CBC News Vuong admitted to all particulars of the charge during the trial. He said Capt. Landry concluded a $500 fine was the most appropriate punishment.

Toronto Police charged Vuong with a single count of sexual assault in April 2019. Military law requires Canadian Armed Forces members to disclose any such charges to their commanding officers — something Vuong failed to do.

The Crown withdrew the charge six months after it was filed.

Landry said during the trial that while he could have imposed a more severe punishment on Vuong, he took into account Vuong's young age, his expression of regret and desire to be rehabilitated, his lack of prior offences and his promotion of the navy in both military and civilian life.

Vuong said during the trial that he regrets not following military procedure and wants to remain in the Canadian Armed Forces

Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Vuong said he would be commenting in more detail at a later time.

"I'm here in uniform out of respect to the (Canadian Armed Forces)," Vuong said.

"I don't believe that this is the right venue and that now is the right time, but I want to encourage all of you to please reach out to my office to find a time and ... let's clear the air."

Vuong's future in Parliament uncertain

Vuong, who holds the rank of sub-lieutenant, is currently the only Independent member of Parliament. The Liberal Party dumped him as a candidate during the 2021 federal election campaign after information about the past sexual assault charge against him emerged. The party said Vuong did not tell them about the charge during the candidate vetting process.

uong did not respond to a reporter's question following the trial about whether he'd remain an MP. While Vuong previously said he intends to rejoin the Liberals, he's voted against several government bills and has criticized the Liberals on social media.

The party's disavowal of Vuong came too late in the campaign to remove his name from the ballot as the Liberal candidate. He was elected in the Toronto riding of Spadina—Fort York with 38.9 per cent of the vote.

Vuong has denied any wrongdoing and has called the allegation behind the charge a "fantasy." He's also pointed to the withdrawal of the charge as evidence of his innocence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Landry said during the trial that while he could have imposed a more severe punishment on Vuong, he took into account Vuong's young age, his expression of regret and desire to be rehabilitated, his lack of prior offences and his promotion of the navy in both military and civilian life."

 

Judge in the case admits to discriminating, based on age.   Isn't there some kind of law about that? Unless one is under 18 that is.

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/canadian-warships-missing-from-nato-naval-forces-for-first-time-since-2014/ar-AA10rYvt?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=4c3f3665d4eb4345914d57b1f8003feb

"

OTTAWA — For the first time in eight years, Canadian warships are not involved in either of two NATO naval task forces charged with patrolling European waters and defending against Russian threats.

The revelation has cast a spotlight on what experts say are the growing trade-offs that Canada is having to make with its navy, which is struggling with a shrinking fleet of aging ships and a lack of trained sailors.

Canada had been a consistent presence in the Standing NATO Maritime Groups since Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, deploying at least one Halifax-class frigate to the North Atlantic or Mediterranean on a rotational basis.

The federal Liberal government made a point of deploying a second frigate in March as part of its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That ship had been planned for a months-long deployment in the Indian Ocean and Middle East.

But Defence Department spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande says Canada does not have any frigates attached to either of the NATO naval groups since HMCS Montreal and HMCS Halifax returned to their home port last month.

With the return home of HMCS Montreal and Halifax on July 15, the CAF does not currently have a ship tasked to either Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 or 2,” Lamirande said in an email. “This is the first time this has occurred since 2014.”

Lamirande linked the decision not to send any new frigates to Europe to the deployment of two such vessels to the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the Halifax-class fleet’s maintenance and training requirements.

Canada has instead deployed two smaller Kingston-class coastal defence vessels to work with a different NATO naval force that is focused on finding and clearing enemy mines.

Chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre said that will help Canadian sailors gain experience in an important area of naval warfare while still showing Canada’s commitment to European security.

But he conceded in an interview with The Canadian Press on Monday, “we are stretched from a resource perspective. And so we've got to make those decisions as to where we invest, and when we invest.”

He added that he approved the decision to send two frigates to the Pacific, where tensions between the West and China are growing, “because we want to deliberately increase our presence in Asia-Pacific, because we are a Pacific nation.”

 

China last week launched a massive military exercise around Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing considers its territory, after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. The exercise came amid growing fears of a potential Chinese invasion.

University of Calgary shipbuilding expert Timothy Choi said the decision to send two frigates to Europe at the same time earlier this year played a large role in constraining Atlantic Fleet's ability to send another frigate in the short term.

“To my mind, it doesn't mean the availability of the ships and crews have deteriorated over the last few years,” he said.

“Rather it's the unavoidable consequences of forcing a small fleet to concentrate more resources into a smaller time frame which results in more time required to recuperate.”

But defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute predicted Canada will have to make increasingly difficult trade-offs in where to send its warships given the size and state of its navy.

While Canada has 12 frigates, Perry said the navy’s maintenance and training requirements mean only a handful are available to deploy at any given time. Canada used to also have three destroyers, but those vessels were retired in 2014.

Adding to the difficulty is the growing age of the frigates, which entered service in the 1990s and are becoming increasingly more challenging to fix and maintain, according to both senior officers and internal reports.

“Those decisions about trade-offs are going to become increasingly difficult because, and we're already experiencing this, the maintenance cycle on a ship that old is becoming more intense, more labour-intensive and longer,” Perry said.

Adam MacDonald, a former naval officer now studying at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said the navy and Canadian Armed Forces are also expected to face growing pressures to maintain a presence in not Europe, Asia and the Arctic.

“It's going to be very pressing because there's going to be demands on all three of those geographic environments,” MacDonald said. “On top of anywhere else we operate: the Caribbean, West Africa, South America.”

The federal government is overseeing construction of a new fleet of warships to replace the frigates and destroyers, but the multibillion-dollar project has been plagued by cost overruns and repeated delays.

The navy, like the rest of the military, is also facing a severe shortage of personnel.

In the meantime, MacDonald predicted the Kingston-class minesweepers will continue to pick up more slack as the navy faces increasing demands overseas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2022.

[TheRocket18]

Modem really tore it up on Friday night at the Abbotsford Airshow!

One of the louder, lower f18 Hornet passes I have experienced.

Shout out to all the volunteers who made it happen.

 

Nice to see the F15 fly, just wish it had done more.

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/naval-officer-relieved-of-duties-for-alleged-misconduct-while-deployed-to-europe/ar-AA12BgJH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=ae959fdc004a4543b0623ce37851abbe

 

"OTTAWA — A naval officer serving as second in command of a Canadian minesweeper deployed to Europe was relieved of her duties over an allegation of "inappropriate conduct of a sexualized nature."

 

The Department of National Defence announced the move in a statement this afternoon, saying the incident is alleged to have occurred during a port visit in Lisbon, Portugal.

The department did not reveal more details or the officer's name.

 

The allegations against the officer have not been proven in court.

The department says senior officers are investigating internally and that relieving the officer of her duties was considered "necessary to ensure effective leadership in HMCS Kingston."

Kingston is one of two Canadian vessels along with HMCS Summerside currently deployed with a NATO task force charged with finding and clearing mines from European waters.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2022.

[Gurn]

https://windsorstar.com/news/politics/military-chief-warns-china-and-russia-are-at-war-with-the-west/wcm/8437f064-8a57-469c-b501-cbd99f807d14

"

Military chief warns China and Russia are 'at war with the West' and Canada is not ready

Russia and China don’t differentiate between peace and war and are actively seeking to challenge the West, says Gen. Wayne Eyre

TTAWA — Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre, told MPs that Russia and China consider themselves to be at war with the West and Canada must rise to meet this challenge.

Eyre was meeting with MPs at the Commons standing committee on national security to talk about the threat Russia poses to Canada.

 

He said Russia and China don’t differentiate between peace and war and are actively seeking to challenge the West.

 

“Russia and China are not just looking at regime survival but regime expansion. They consider themselves to be at war with the West,” he said. “They strive to destroy the social cohesion of liberal democracies and the credibility of our own institutions to ensure our model of government is seen as a failure.”

Eyre said the threat is broader than the war in Ukraine, but a systemic effort to change the way the world has been structured.

 

“The rules-based international order, which has underpinned world stability, and indeed our national prosperity for generations is faltering. It needs to be defended, the gravity of these times should be apparent to all.”

 

Caroline Xavier, chief of the Communications Security Establishment, Canada’s cyber spy agency, told MPs that there is a growing concern about cybercrime, but state actors are also threatening the country.

 

“The state-sponsored cyber programs of China, North Korea, Iran and Russia pose the greatest threat, strategic threat to Canada. Foreign cyber threat activities including Russian-backed actors are attempting to target Canadian critical infrastructure operators,” she said.

Xavier said Russian-backed actors are trying to sow doubts and division about the war in Ukraine.

 

“CSC noted that we had continued to observe numerous Russian-backed disinformation campaigns online aimed at supporting Russia’s brutal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.”

 

Eyre said this rising level of concern is happening just as the military faces a recruitment challenge. In other parliamentary testimony, military officers have said the forces estimate they’re 10,000 people short.

 

The full complement of the Canadian Forces according to the most recent numbers includes 63,781 regular members, another 29,477 reservists and 5,241 Canadian Rangers.

 

Eyre said getting the forces fully staffed again is a major concern and has become the overarching priority for the Forces.

“I am very worried about our numbers and that’s why we’re putting as a priority effort the reconstitution of our military.”

 

Eyre said they’re worried not just about getting new people into the Forces, but also ensuring current soldiers stay.

 

To that end he said they’re focusing on issues around pay, but also ensuring CAF members have the right tools to do the job and opportunities for training.

 

“The pandemic has not been kind to the Canadian Armed Forces, our numbers have shrunk. And so we’re embarking on a priority effort to get our numbers back up recruiting retention, so that we can provide that readiness.”

 

A separate Commons committee has been studying whether the Forces is being used too often for disaster relief in Canada. The number of deployments for floods, fires and hurricanes has all risen in recent years.

Eyre said the Armed Forces have to be available for disasters, but they are being used too often today.

 

“With increasing frequency and intensity of these natural disasters, we’re called upon more and more to respond, not necessarily as a force of last resort, but in some cases the force of first choice.”

 

Eyre declined to say whether the government should be spending more on defence, but said they unquestionably are facing a new environment in the future and Canada is not ready for it.

 

“I am concerned that as the threats to the world’s security situation increase, the threats at home increase, our readiness is going down,” he said. “The military that we have today is not the military that we need for the threats that are occurring in the future.”

[Boudrias]

14 hours ago, gurn said:

https://windsorstar.com/news/politics/military-chief-warns-china-and-russia-are-at-war-with-the-west/wcm/8437f064-8a57-469c-b501-cbd99f807d14

"

Military chief warns China and Russia are 'at war with the West' and Canada is not ready

Russia and China don’t differentiate between peace and war and are actively seeking to challenge the West, says Gen. Wayne Eyre

TTAWA — Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre, told MPs that Russia and China consider themselves to be at war with the West and Canada must rise to meet this challenge.

Eyre was meeting with MPs at the Commons standing committee on national security to talk about the threat Russia poses to Canada.

 

He said Russia and China don’t differentiate between peace and war and are actively seeking to challenge the West.

 

“Russia and China are not just looking at regime survival but regime expansion. They consider themselves to be at war with the West,” he said. “They strive to destroy the social cohesion of liberal democracies and the credibility of our own institutions to ensure our model of government is seen as a failure.”

Eyre said the threat is broader than the war in Ukraine, but a systemic effort to change the way the world has been structured.

 

“The rules-based international order, which has underpinned world stability, and indeed our national prosperity for generations is faltering. It needs to be defended, the gravity of these times should be apparent to all.”

 

Caroline Xavier, chief of the Communications Security Establishment, Canada’s cyber spy agency, told MPs that there is a growing concern about cybercrime, but state actors are also threatening the country.

 

“The state-sponsored cyber programs of China, North Korea, Iran and Russia pose the greatest threat, strategic threat to Canada. Foreign cyber threat activities including Russian-backed actors are attempting to target Canadian critical infrastructure operators,” she said.

Xavier said Russian-backed actors are trying to sow doubts and division about the war in Ukraine.

 

“CSC noted that we had continued to observe numerous Russian-backed disinformation campaigns online aimed at supporting Russia’s brutal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.”

 

Eyre said this rising level of concern is happening just as the military faces a recruitment challenge. In other parliamentary testimony, military officers have said the forces estimate they’re 10,000 people short.

 

The full complement of the Canadian Forces according to the most recent numbers includes 63,781 regular members, another 29,477 reservists and 5,241 Canadian Rangers.

 

Eyre said getting the forces fully staffed again is a major concern and has become the overarching priority for the Forces.

“I am very worried about our numbers and that’s why we’re putting as a priority effort the reconstitution of our military.”

 

Eyre said they’re worried not just about getting new people into the Forces, but also ensuring current soldiers stay.

 

To that end he said they’re focusing on issues around pay, but also ensuring CAF members have the right tools to do the job and opportunities for training.

 

“The pandemic has not been kind to the Canadian Armed Forces, our numbers have shrunk. And so we’re embarking on a priority effort to get our numbers back up recruiting retention, so that we can provide that readiness.”

 

A separate Commons committee has been studying whether the Forces is being used too often for disaster relief in Canada. The number of deployments for floods, fires and hurricanes has all risen in recent years.

Eyre said the Armed Forces have to be available for disasters, but they are being used too often today.

 

“With increasing frequency and intensity of these natural disasters, we’re called upon more and more to respond, not necessarily as a force of last resort, but in some cases the force of first choice.”

 

Eyre declined to say whether the government should be spending more on defence, but said they unquestionably are facing a new environment in the future and Canada is not ready for it.

 

“I am concerned that as the threats to the world’s security situation increase, the threats at home increase, our readiness is going down,” he said. “The military that we have today is not the military that we need for the threats that are occurring in the future.”

I can see many western governments getting worried about their weapons inventory. Might curtail supplies to UAF. 

[King Heffy]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:15 AM, Boudrias said:

I can see many western governments getting worried about their weapons inventory. Might curtail supplies to UAF. 

Should be considered an investment as the Ukrainians are rendering our biggest threat in the arctic a nonfactor.  Eradicating the Russian military allows us to spend smarter in the future to deal with Xi.

[Gurn]

Updated price on warships:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/estimated-cost-of-warship-fleet-rises-to-84b-thanks-to-delays-inflation-pbo/ar-AA13rdBc?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=52c44dd7406847d5acfac6f7f7123c69

OTTAWA — Parliament’s budget watchdog is predicting another increase in the cost of a new fleet of warships for the Royal Canadian Navy as delays and inflation add billions to what was already the most expensive military procurement in Canada’s history.

In a report released Thursday, Yves Giroux pegged the estimated cost of designing and building the 15 vessels at more than $84 billion — a nine per cent increase from the $77-billion estimate that the budget officer released in February 2021.

 

The latest estimate continues a trend that has seen the cost of the warships grow exponentially in recent years, setting the stage for fresh discussions about whether Canada should push ahead with the project or change tack.

“It's clear that Canada is paying significantly for each of these ships, and there would be alternatives where the costs would be lower,” Giroux told reporters. “But that's a decision that the government has to make and parliamentarians have to debate.”

He later added: “Our mandate is to provide a cost estimate, and every time we look at this, the costs go up.”

The new fleet of so-called Canadian surface combatants is supposed to replace not only the 12 Halifax-class frigates that are currently serving as the navy's primary workhorse, but also three already retired Iroquois-class destroyers.

The government initially estimated the cost at $26 billion when it selected Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax to build the fleet more than a decade ago. That number was revised up to $60 billion in 2017, but officials have since acknowledged they are reassessing that figure.

Giroux attributed much of the latest cost increase to a one-year delay in the planned delivery of the first ship to 2031-32 and a four-year delay in the delivery of the last. That vessel now won’t arrive until 2048-49.

Inflationary pressures were also cited as a factor in driving up the cost of the fleet, which the budget watchdog estimated will cost more than $300 billion to purchase and operate before it is retired around 2080.

The warships are based on the British-designed model called the Type 26. The vessel is also being built by Britain and Australia, but Canadian officials have been making numerous changes to meet Canada’s unique military and industrial requirements.

Those changes have been made more complicated by attempts to pack all the capabilities from the navy’s now-retired destroyers and existing frigates into one type of ship. The destroyers provided air defence while the frigates specialize in hunting submarines.

Giroux said the rising costs of the warship program will be a “significant draw” on the military’s budget at a time when it is facing a number of fiscal pressures, including the planned purchase of new fighter jets and other equipment.

“So if it turns out that this keeps on increasing, and the fighter jet project is also significantly more expensive than what's available in the funding envelope, it's clear that decisions will have to be made,” he said.

Giroux’s previous report in February 2021 included a number of potential scenarios designed to provide a clearer picture of what options are available to the government should it decide to go in a different direction — and how much each would cost.

Those included scrapping plans to base the entire fleet on the Type 26 and building a fleet of smaller, less-expensive vessels, or having a mixture of Type 26s and smaller ships.

While the federal government has repeatedly defended its plan to build a Type 26 fleet, the escalating costs have nonetheless prompted questions and discussion around whether Canada should change its approach.

That includes building a fleet of less-expensive ships, outsourcing the work to foreign countries, or buying fewer ships.

Navy commander Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee in an interview last month defended the need for 15 warships, noting his force is already stretched following the retirement of the three destroyers.

“Fifteen is the requirement,” Topshee told The Canadian Press. “We're seeing that right now with the limits that we have when you have only 12 frigates.”

While the government says it is reassessing the cost of the warship program, a senior procurement official at a conference this week complained about the logic of trying to nail down specific costs when the first ship won’t arrive for another nine years.

“Once we get going and we have a design and we are on our way to number 1, we'll give you the price for the first three,” Public Services and Procurement Canada assistant deputy minister Simon Page said. “And then we'll go on and tell you.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2022.

[King Heffy]

1 hour ago, gurn said:

Updated price on warships:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/estimated-cost-of-warship-fleet-rises-to-84b-thanks-to-delays-inflation-pbo/ar-AA13rdBc?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=52c44dd7406847d5acfac6f7f7123c69

OTTAWA — Parliament’s budget watchdog is predicting another increase in the cost of a new fleet of warships for the Royal Canadian Navy as delays and inflation add billions to what was already the most expensive military procurement in Canada’s history.

In a report released Thursday, Yves Giroux pegged the estimated cost of designing and building the 15 vessels at more than $84 billion — a nine per cent increase from the $77-billion estimate that the budget officer released in February 2021.

 

The latest estimate continues a trend that has seen the cost of the warships grow exponentially in recent years, setting the stage for fresh discussions about whether Canada should push ahead with the project or change tack.

“It's clear that Canada is paying significantly for each of these ships, and there would be alternatives where the costs would be lower,” Giroux told reporters. “But that's a decision that the government has to make and parliamentarians have to debate.”

He later added: “Our mandate is to provide a cost estimate, and every time we look at this, the costs go up.”

The new fleet of so-called Canadian surface combatants is supposed to replace not only the 12 Halifax-class frigates that are currently serving as the navy's primary workhorse, but also three already retired Iroquois-class destroyers.

The government initially estimated the cost at $26 billion when it selected Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax to build the fleet more than a decade ago. That number was revised up to $60 billion in 2017, but officials have since acknowledged they are reassessing that figure.

Giroux attributed much of the latest cost increase to a one-year delay in the planned delivery of the first ship to 2031-32 and a four-year delay in the delivery of the last. That vessel now won’t arrive until 2048-49.

Inflationary pressures were also cited as a factor in driving up the cost of the fleet, which the budget watchdog estimated will cost more than $300 billion to purchase and operate before it is retired around 2080.

The warships are based on the British-designed model called the Type 26. The vessel is also being built by Britain and Australia, but Canadian officials have been making numerous changes to meet Canada’s unique military and industrial requirements.

Those changes have been made more complicated by attempts to pack all the capabilities from the navy’s now-retired destroyers and existing frigates into one type of ship. The destroyers provided air defence while the frigates specialize in hunting submarines.

Giroux said the rising costs of the warship program will be a “significant draw” on the military’s budget at a time when it is facing a number of fiscal pressures, including the planned purchase of new fighter jets and other equipment.

“So if it turns out that this keeps on increasing, and the fighter jet project is also significantly more expensive than what's available in the funding envelope, it's clear that decisions will have to be made,” he said.

Giroux’s previous report in February 2021 included a number of potential scenarios designed to provide a clearer picture of what options are available to the government should it decide to go in a different direction — and how much each would cost.

Those included scrapping plans to base the entire fleet on the Type 26 and building a fleet of smaller, less-expensive vessels, or having a mixture of Type 26s and smaller ships.

While the federal government has repeatedly defended its plan to build a Type 26 fleet, the escalating costs have nonetheless prompted questions and discussion around whether Canada should change its approach.

That includes building a fleet of less-expensive ships, outsourcing the work to foreign countries, or buying fewer ships.

Navy commander Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee in an interview last month defended the need for 15 warships, noting his force is already stretched following the retirement of the three destroyers.

“Fifteen is the requirement,” Topshee told The Canadian Press. “We're seeing that right now with the limits that we have when you have only 12 frigates.”

While the government says it is reassessing the cost of the warship program, a senior procurement official at a conference this week complained about the logic of trying to nail down specific costs when the first ship won’t arrive for another nine years.

“Once we get going and we have a design and we are on our way to number 1, we'll give you the price for the first three,” Public Services and Procurement Canada assistant deputy minister Simon Page said. “And then we'll go on and tell you.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2022.

Build the damn things and stop underfunding the military.  Using a design also used by our close allies makes sense for maintenance, and keeping production in Canada is a must; the jobs are worth paying more.

[Gurn]

4 minute video about HMCS Margaret Brooke, an arctic off shore patrol ship, sailing in the Canadian north

 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/news/global-news-exclusive-canadian-navy-bolstering-arctic-defence-amid-changing-political-landscape/vi-AA13YM4L?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=22c28ee39dfd47d9bc89e9bd11091aaa&category=foryou

[Primal Optimist]

Bravo Zulu to my fellow Vets who are also Canucks fans. Thanks for giving till it hurts. You have all contributed to this amazing lifestyle that the vast majority of Canadians take for granted every single day. 

[Gurn]

Some pictures, from August this year of HMCS Protectueur; being built in North Vancouver:

Apparently the main engines are already mounted in the aft section shown here:

Once completed, it will feature a length of 173.7 meters and a width of 24 meters. HMCS Protecteur will have a cruising speed of 15 knots, a top speed of 20 knots and a range of ~10,800 nautical miles.

This joint support ship (JSS) is a multi-role naval ship capable of launching and supporting “joint” amphibious operations. It also provides sea-lift, underway support, sea-basing and logistics capabilities for combined army and naval missions.

https://www.navaltoday.com/2021/08/16/construction-of-largest-naval-ship-in-canada-nearing-completion/

[I.Am.Ironman]

A navy vessel left North Van about an hour ago. I was over the lions gate bridge as it was leaving. Not sure what class it was though.

[Mj2345]

I know this is not Canadian Navy but wanted to mention Gonzaga and Michigan State played a NCAA Basketball Game on a US Navy Vessel on Friday in San Diego(it was on TSN) it was cool to see..

[I.Am.Ironman]

16 minutes ago, Mj2345 said:

I know this is not Canadian Navy but wanted to mention Gonzaga and Michigan State played a NCAA Basketball Game on a US Navy Vessel on Friday in San Diego(it was on TSN) it was cool to see..

I saw that. It was on an aircraft carrier in Sam Diego