232 replies to this topic

[LJ]

The patrols originate from several bases of which Minot is but one; there are also certain explicit protocols in place that, in exceptional circumstances, do permit a nuclear launch in the absence of presidential authority and in any event the President is actually positioned to give the green light 7x24x365 since the nuclear football (the briefcase with the verification and launch codes, which are changed daily) is literally handcuffed to and carried by a military attaché who is assigned to the President on a full time basis. That individual is probably never more than a few paces from the President at any time, night or day, goes where he goes, and travels where he travels.

Yes I'm aware of all that, however the statement was made that each one of these flights already had the "green light" when they took off, I don't believe that to be true.

[AllseeingEye]

Yes I'm aware of all that, however the statement was made that each one of these flights already had the "green light" when they took off, I don't believe that to be true.

Sorry LJ missed that: where in the thread is that statement made? Certainly not by me, and that interpretation is correct: typically the president would give the go/no go only once the planes reached their fail safe coordinates, and based on the best available information his advisors could provide at that time. It certainly would not be a given that an attack was "automatic" at the time of take off since obviously much could change in the several hours it would take them to reach Russian (or Chinese) airspace.

[LJ]

Sorry LJ missed that: where in the thread is that statement made? Certainly not by me, and that interpretation is correct: typically the president would give the go/no go only once the planes reached their fail safe coordinates, and based on the best available information his advisors could provide at that time. It certainly would not be a given that an attack was "automatic" at the time of take off since obviously much could change in the several hours it would take them to reach Russian (or Chinese) airspace.

Apparently at any moment in time there are US Air Force bombers carrying nuclear warheads en-route from Washington state to the Arctic Circle with the directive to bomb Russia. These bombers, if they DO NOT receive word from command to terminate their mission, will maintain their course and bomb predetermined targets. Every such mission to-date, obviously, has received that call to terminate the mission.

 

Post #148

[Mike K.]

It wasn't a statement so much as a question. The whole post was a question, hence the "any validity to this?" at the end.

 

[VicHockeyFan]

The majority of services will be provided in Victoria; Cold Lake, Alta.; Bagotville, Que; and Halifax. Other training flights could take place outside Canada, including in the U.S. and Mexico.

 

 

Canada’s top guns are in need of some top guns to fight against.

 

And they’ll get such adversaries by the end of the year.

 

The Canadian government plans to award by December a contract, estimated to be worth as much as $1.5 billion, to a fleet of fighter jets to go toe-to-toe with the military’s CF-18s.

 

A private company will be selected to act as the training partner for Canada’s fighter pilots, as well as provide other aircraft to act as the enemy for the Canadian army and navy.

 

http://news.national...-fighter-pilots

 

 

I guess I understand Victoria and Halifax.  But I'm sure we rarely see our F-18s flying around here.  

[AllseeingEye]

http://news.national...-fighter-pilots

 

 

I guess I understand Victoria and Halifax.  But I'm sure we rarely see our F-18s flying around here.  

By Victoria I'm certain they are referring to Esquimalt, ie the naval base, as the "enemy" fighters will also be engaged with the RCN.

 

A bit surprised by this as DAD has an excellent reputation not to mention plenty of experience in this area. That said aside from looking for the best possible bang for the buck I do know that Discovery operates an older fleet of "adversary" aircraft so presumably the government is looking for a partner that can offer up more contemporary 'bad guy' aircraft, including the F-16's mentioned in the article. For example the basic USAF-designed A-4 Skyhawk, one of the DAD aircraft, is now a 50+ year design that saw action in the earliest years of the Vietnam War...

[57WestHills]

It's all about contracting. Everything goes up for renewal, generally annually but there are some extended contracts where options are exercised.

[Bingo]

 That said aside from looking for the best possible bang for the buck I do know that Discovery operates an older fleet of "adversary" aircraft so presumably the government is looking for a partner that can offer up more contemporary 'bad guy' aircraft, including the F-16's mentioned in the article.

 

We can offer up our "bad guy", bad ass state of the fart Sea King helicopters.

[AllseeingEye]

We can offer up our "bad guy", bad ass state of the fart Sea King helicopters.

....yes: for target practice. They aren't much use as anything else 

[HB]

Saw this vessel coming into ESquimalt this morning. It is a large refueling vessel that Chile owns now and it is working with the Canadian Navy because the HMCS Provider is kaput.Right now it is in CFB Esquimalt Colwood Jetty

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia...gins_(T-AO-190)

 

 

[VicHockeyFan]

Saw this vessel coming into ESquimalt this morning. It is a large refueling vessel that Chile owns now and it is working with the Canadian Navy because the HMCS Provider is kaput.Right now it is in CFB Esquimalt Colwood Jetty

 

IMG_0901.JPG

 

 

https://en.wikipedia...gins_(T-AO-190)

 

 

The Royal Canadian Navy's Protecteur class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ships are now inactive. Fire-damaged HMCS Protecteur (AOR 509) was decommissioned at Esquimalt in May 2015. Unable to sail, HMCS Preserver (AOR 510)  has been acting as a fuel barge for the Atlantic Fleet in Halifax harbour  while waiting  for her retirement. The Joint Support Ship Project is not now expected to bear fruit with the first Queenston class AOR until 2021 at the earliest. Faced with a 6 year capability gap, the Government of  Canada finally considered an interim solution proposed by Davie Shipyards but even that cannot  be ready for 15 months.

With no AOR capability until at least the Autumn of 2016, DND had no choice but to look at other solutions. The first opportunity arose with Chile's willingness  to lease a modern AOR of  the Armada de Chile. The Almirante Montt is an American Henry J. Kaiser class AOR – formerly the USNS Andrew J. Higgins (T-AO-190) – sold to Chile in 2009. There's irony here.CASR produced a Modest Proposal  based on the Kaiser class AOR back in late May 2004. At that point, DND's planners still saw JSS as a true multi-purpose  Joint Support Ship and a simple AOR like the US Military Sealift Command Kaiser class had no place in their thinking.

Fast forward a decade ... DND's hypothetical  multi-purpose ship concept  has morphed into equally non-existent AORs.  With the Protecteur class dropping out of  service even earlier than expected,  the RCN  is eager to accept  the loan of any foreign AORs. And, fortunately, through the Regulus exchange programs,  the RCN has made some favourable connections.

 

http://www.casr.ca/d...rante-montt.htm

[Mike K.]

DND bomb disposal units heading to Admirals at Woodway for incident.

[Mike K.]

Bomb disposal is expected to arrive within an hour. Residents are being evacuated from their homes.

[Mike K.]

EOD on-site now, robot being prepped for deployment.

[Rob Randall]

I can't help but think there is some connection to the University Heights lit "incendiary".

[Mike K.]

Freaky, if that's the case.

[Mike K.]

A bomb disposal technician is now suiting up for a secondary inspection of the package following the robots water jetting of the contents.

[Mike K.]

Incident over. Contents of the package were not explosives.

[Mike K.]

Turns out it was a large battery.

Easy to see how that could be perceived as suspicious.

[VicHockeyFan]

The military is being awful quiet about the injury at 443.