959 replies to this topic

[Mattjvd]

I think you're right, but I also think it speaks to the bubble military members can live in - I say this as a medical pensioner from the CAF.

The amount of investment in the military right now is the best it's been in years. Pay increases, returns of benefits cut by the Conservatives, several "efficiency" projects ended that made no sense, sorted out a decade of stalled uniform procurements (three years ago the Army literally had no boots) and the tempo for operations has steadied out a lot.

Veterans wanted life long pensions (I'm on that system) and got them. Now they want a different flavour of the same thing. Prior to that they wanted more VAF employees & offices. Got that. Now that's not sufficient either.

Honestly when you add up the pay outs to leave the CAF medically, almost everyone does very well for themselves and is entitled to a hell of a lot of transitioning services. There becomes a point where I think Facebook gas created an ignorant seudo-veteran movement that's generally uninformed. Luckily these people have marginal voting power.

The Conservatives froze pay. Created lump sum release payments. Got rid of severance. Quietly closed small bases. Slowed the already dysfunctional National Shipbuilding Program. Removed 33% of the Army's vehicles without replacement. Allowed the Regular Force to understand by 12,000 - something now being fixed - but they get a pass for all of it somehow??

Another thing the current government did was introduce a huge veterans education grant, similar to the US GI bill. 6 years service and a favourable release item, and they pay your tuition and books for technical college, deploma programmes, and full university degrees (up to a maximum of $40k)

Edited by Mattjvd, 22 February 2018 - 09:20 PM.

[LJ]

While perusing an online CBC story this week outlining the rather startling fact that the RCN's newest leased fleet replenishment ship - back in the day they were referred to as "Oilers" - won't actually be capable or permitted into a hostile theatre of operations - as it isn't actually, um..."armed"! - I stumbled on the National Post story below from fall 2016.

 

Although written in part with a tongue in cheek approach it nevertheless chronicles in painful and embarrassing detail just how inadequate the RCN (and by extension the CAF as a whole) actually is.

 

Imagine: we have new/"leased" naval vessels that are unarmed and hence unable to enter a combat zone - odd, I sort of imagine that is, you know, the actual purpose of a naval ship, to get into and operate in harm's way if necessary; in addition the navy will be getting Arctic offshore patrol vessels - but even those will only be capable of operating during the summer. I certainly do hope in that case if the Russians decide to start something up there in the Land of the Polar Bear it isn't during the roughly nine months of "winter" or we're fooked....! Somehow I would've expected an Arctic patrol vessel would be designed and built with Arctic conditions in mind.....

 

The good news as indicated in this article is that if we include the CGS we actually have a credible overall fleet in terms of size - too bad the CGS isn't actually under the jurisdiction of the Navy nor are our CG ships armed with anything bigger than a sidearm. 

 

Ultimately on the Good News front however if we really had to, our navy could "probably" take on and defeat the likes of New Zealand or possibly even Azerbaijan....

 

http://nationalpost....ian-navy-really

To be fair, none of our previous supply ships were armed either. You travel in the middle of picket ships that are supposed to defend you.

[AllseeingEye]

To be fair, none of our previous supply ships were armed either. You travel in the middle of picket ships that are supposed to defend you.

I'm fairly certain later in their lives both Protecteur and Provider were retro-fitted with the Phalanx CIWS system LJ; one of them for sure was although I can't swear that both ships were. 

[VicHockeyFan]

Phalanx is system of very last resort though.  ie. you are really losing the battle if that's gonna save you.  

 

I think I read somewhere that that system is being replaced on some ships with newer technology, no?

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 23 February 2018 - 09:17 PM.

[AllseeingEye]

/\ Agree its the final line in what is called layered defence; I was merely responding to LJ's comment that the previous ships were unarmed - the CIWS was/is an armament. It is actually quite useful in shooting down certain missiles. Naturally neither it nor other conventional offensive naval systems will do squat in terms of defending a slow moving replenishment ship against attack by a nuclear submarine.

 

And that is not to say any of those ships at some point in their operational lives didn't also pack some form of anti aircraft missile system - I don't know for sure; any one of which would be easily installed and just as easily removed. The issue there would have been the cost to Canada to procure, install, operationalize and train our sailors in the use of said weapons.

[Mattjvd]

Phalanx is system of very last resort though. ie. you are really losing the battle if that's gonna save you.

I think I read somewhere that that system is being replaced on some ships with newer technology, no?

The technology isn't that new, but the US and German Navies are favouring the https://en.m.wikiped...irframe_Missile over the CWIS for close missle defense.

[Mattjvd]

Whoops, double.

Edited by Mattjvd, 23 February 2018 - 10:02 PM.

[Mattjvd]

I'm fairly certain later in their lives both Protecteur and Provider were retro-fitted with the Phalanx CIWS system LJ; one of them for sure was although I can't swear that both ships were.

They both had 2 CIWS installed and had several point defense .50 cal machine guns. Along with anti-missle chaff launchers, an acoustic decoy to confuse submarines/torpedoes, and they carried 3 Seakings (which carry torpedoes).

Edited by Mattjvd, 23 February 2018 - 10:08 PM.

[Rob Randall]

All this will come in handy if 1944 ever attacks us.

[LJ]

I'm fairly certain later in their lives both Protecteur and Provider were retro-fitted with the Phalanx CIWS system LJ; one of them for sure was although I can't swear that both ships were. 

They had nothing when I served on them, I guess we were the expendables.

[satellite]

  HMCS Calgary spills 30,000 litres of fuel into Georgia Strait 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...spill-1.4551467

 

 

HMCS Calgary.... thats ironic

[todd]

Do they take orders from alberta?

[VicHockeyFan]

Do they take orders from alberta?

 

Their primary duty is to protect Alberta.  So they are based in the Fraser, or Thompson, or whatever river goes to Alberta.  Not good at geography.

 

EDIT:  Peace River.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 25 February 2018 - 09:41 PM.

[Mattjvd]

Their primary duty is to protect Alberta. So they are based in the Fraser, or Thompson, or whatever river goes to Alberta. Not good at geography.

EDIT: Peace River.

What does the HMCS Regina do?

[todd]

Frigate

[spanky123]

Zwick said about 30,000 litres of F-76 fuel was spilled. He said human error was likely a factor, but noted the investigation into the cause is still underway.

 

I will hold my breathe waiting for the Military to provide a public accounting of what happened.

[jonny]

The good news is that this fuel is similar to kerosene and has probably already all evaporated. 

[Mike K.]

Victoria Class submarine HMCS Chicoutimi returns to CFB Esquimalt today after a historic 197-day deployment.

During its mission to the Asia-Pacific region the vessel also visited Japan, Canada’s first submarine contact with the country in some 50-years.

Welcome back crew of HMCS Chicoutimi!

[Kungsberg]

Victoria Class submarine HMCS Chicoutimi returns to CFB Esquimalt today after a historic 197-day deployment.

During its mission to the Asia-Pacific region the vessel also visited Japan, Canada’s first submarine contact with the country in some 50-years.

Welcome back crew of HMCS Chicoutimi!

Yes, welcome back as that was...

 

"... the longest deployment of a Victoria-class submarine to date, according to the Royal Canadian Navy.”

http://vancouversun....40-a5f88f7c4aa3

 

 

Article from Feb. 6, 2018 about the mission:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...korea-1.4511238

[VANRIDERFAN]

Couple of conceptual drawings of the new A and B Jetties currently being built in Esquimalt.

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