David Pugliese Military Photos

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN ARTICLE: CANADIAN CHINOOKS OUTFITTED WITH EXTRA FUEL TANKS MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEM

2010-03-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

Canada’s new Chinooks will be outfitted with a new state-of-art laser-based counter-missile defense system, military officers have told Defence Watch.

The first of the 15 Chinook F models ordered by Canada are scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2013.

They will have undergone some modifications that the military deemed to be worthwhile for Canadian scenarios. Those include the installation of larger fuel tanks for increased range and an upgraded electrical system that is designed to handle improved avioncis as well as a laser-based counter-missile defence system.

The Canadian Chinooks are different from those being operated by the U.S. Army because of the increased fuel capacity, defensive suite and improved electrical system, said Canadian Air Force Lt. Col. Rick McLaughlin, operational requirements manager for the medium-heavy lift helicopter project.

The Canadian Chinooks will be outfitted with an enhanced survivability package using a directed infra-red countermeasures system, he noted. The turreted system constantly watches for missile launches and “defeats the eyeball on the heat-seeker (of a missile) using a laser shot,” McLaughlin said.

Also on board will be more traditional countermeasures against missiles such as flares. The upgraded electrical system that is being installed on the Canadian Chinooks is designed to handle the extra power needs to run the laser-based countermeasures system.

McLaughlin also said Canada will have large-size fuel tanks installed in the Chinooks for increased range, to deal with the country’s large geographic size as well as a result from lessons learned from Afghanistan. He noted that many operations being flown in-theater with Chinooks involved the use of fuel bladders, outfitted in the rear cabin area, to provide added range.

McLaughlin said Canada had safety issues about using such fuel bladders as well as concerns that putting the extra fuel containers in the rear of the aircraft would cut down on the number of troops that could be carried.

“For each one that goes in there you loose upwards of a dozen seats in the back,” he explained. “The whole issue of carrying gas in the back and losing cargo capability came into the discussion.”

All aircraft are expected to be delivered by June 2014.

START OVER ON CANADIAN FORCES FIXED WING SEARCH AND RESCUE, REPORT SUGGESTS: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN ARTICLE

2010-02-12T07:01:00.001-08:00

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
OTTAWA CITIZEN

There are indications that a draft report produced by the National Research Council on the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue project is recommending that the government and Canadian Forces start afresh on how they approach the $3 billion procurement.

The Defence Department, Public Works and Industry Canada brought in the National Research Council to look at the FWSAR issue and make recommendations on what is needed in an aircraft. In turn, NRC has brought in some researchers from various universities to help out.

Sources tell Defence Watch that the NRC is recommending starting over on the FWSAR procurement. But it is unclear whether such a recommendation would be accepted and sources point out that the report is at this point only a draft.

The air force has had specific ideas on what it wanted in a FWSAR aircraft right from the beginning. But those specifications have sparked claims that the competition was designed to favor the Alenia C-27J, allegations that have been hotly denied by the air force.

Among the criteria the air force wanted was a minimum aircraft speed of 273 knots/505 km/h and a flying range of 1,699 nautical miles/3,147 km, according to the FSWAR High Level Mandatory Capabilities outline produced last year and obtained by Defence Watch.

Still, the allegations of favoritism, political squabbling and intense lobbying from some domestic firms opposed to the specifications, has resulted in the program being delayed for years.

During the industry day held last year for the FWSAR project, other details were provided. Industry representatives were told that Canada was looking for an aircraft that could conduct search and rescue maneuvers equivalent to those currently performed as well as able to fly from one of four current bases to conduct a search for a minimum of an hour before returning to an airfield.

The 14-page power point presentation from Public Works and Government Services Canada, presented at the industry day, also noted that the aircraft must have a cargo compartment of sufficient height and width to allow search and rescue technicians to perform all necessary tasks and cockpit visibility to allow the crew to safely conduct maneuvers.

The new aircraft would replace both the Buffalo and the C-130 Hercules now used in search and rescue.

A recommendation to Government on a proposed solution to acquire FWSAR is planned for Spring 2010, according to Defence Department spokeswoman Lianne LeBel. “The DND project office, with their counterparts at PWGSC and IC (Industry Canada), is currently formulating the recommendation that will be advanced for Government approval,” she added.

FWSAR was originally launched in the spring of 2004 as the top priority for the air force but quickly became sidetracked.

In December 2008 Defence Minister Peter MacKay said he was going to fast-track the project, purchasing a plane in the spring of 2009 but that also went no where.

Besides the C-27J, Airbus Military is proposing the C-295.

Viking Air has proposed that it provide new production DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft, with the work being done in manufacturing facilities in Victoria, BC and in Calgary, Alberta. The Buffalo is currently used by the Canadian Forces for fixed-wing search and rescue.

Bombardier of Montreal is interested in offering its turboprop Q400 series aircraft for the program, said Bombardier spokeswoman Sylvie Gauthier.

In early 2008 the Canadian Forces announced it would be flying the current fleet of Buffalo search-and-rescue aircraft until 2014 or 2015.

OLYMPIC SECURITY IN PLACE WITH 4,500 CANADIAN FORCES PERSONNEL BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2010-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

OLYMPIC SECURITY IN PLACE WITH 4,500 CANADIAN FORCES PERSONNEL

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
OTTAWA CITIZEN

Federal government officials say the security is in place for the Olympic Games with more than 16,000 police and military personnel involved in the operation.

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games open in Vancouver on Friday but Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, commander of Joint Task Force Games has told Defence Watch that the Canadian Forces presence is expected to be low-key.

“Our role has always been to be behind the scenes and low profile to support the RCMP as the lead security agency,” he said. “But obviously as we deploy into theater with a total of 4,500 Canadian Forces personnel we will be visible. There will be ships and aircraft and people moving about. It’s still our intent to be there to take on those unique roles that really nobody has the capacity to do.”

Defence Minister Peter MacKay is expected to visit military personnel at the Games either Thursday or Friday.

On Wednesday federal representatives held a press conference in Ottawa as well as a technical briefing to outline security details.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said the Olympics was a good example “as to how organizations can come together effectively."

Naval, air force and army units, as well as those from CANSOFCOM are all contributing the Games security. Other federal departments and various police forces are also involved.

“We have Auroras, we have maritime helicopters, and Griffon helicopters for land surveillance,” Pile said in a recent interview. “We’ll have NORAD dealing with aerospace surveillance, writ large and that will be a bilateral effort between Canada and the United States. We’ll have an AWACS aircraft deployed assisting with that and Canadian F-18 aircraft.”

The military contribution is varied. A component of JTF2 is expected to be on standby in the Vancouver area. A Port Security Unit, made up of naval reservists from across the country, is now actively enforcing security zones 24 / 7 in Vancouver Harbour. It is supporting the RCMP for waterborne security operations within Vancouver Harbour, including Force Protection of the three temporary accommodation vessels sheltering Olympic security forces.

The Combined Operational Dive Team, comprised of clearance divers and port inspection divers from across the country, has completed more than 115 dives since Jan. 7. CODT has also conducted searches of waterside Olympics venues such as Canada Place and the Athletes’ Village.

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard units will also be involved on the American side of the border. “They will have Coast Guard cutters deployed,” Pile said. “They will have United States Navy assets deployed. It’s in their security interests and it is a border area. That’s why we want to share information rapidly and correctly with them.”

At the Wednesday press conference Toews also mentioned the security co-operation with the U.S. "We've been working every closely with the Americans, part of the security area does include parts of the United States,” he said.

Protests are expected against the Games but according to the RCMP it does not plan to be heavy-handed in how it deals with such issues. "In terms of the Olympic Games, it will be a measured response," Bill Sweeney, deputy commissioner of the RCMP, said at Wednesday’s press conference.

CANADIAN FORCES CYCLONE HELICOPTER SEA TRIALS: ANOTHER MISSED DATE

2010-02-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

The end of January has come and gone without the promised sea/ship trials for the new Canadian Forces Cyclone maritime helicopter.

“We’re still working out the details with Sikorsky,” Lianne LeBel said Tuesday in an interview with Defence Watch. “They’ll (the tests) start imminently.”

The sea trials should have been completed more than 20 months ago, according to the delivery schedule contracted with Sikorsky in 2004.

Public Works and Government Services spokeswoman Tricia Van der Grient had early said that the sea trials would be taking place in the new year, before the end of January. That followed claims in November by Defence Minister Peter MacKay in the fall that the first Cyclone would soon arrive in Canada.

LeBel said the tests for the Cyclone are not related to “compliance testing” of the helicopters.

“It’s to see how it (the helicopter) will fit on the ships,” she added.

But LeBel could not provide more specific details about the tests, adding that more information will be released later.

Sources tell Defence Watch that part of the delay is because of the planning for a “media event” to unveil the arrival of the helicopter in Canada. That is to offset the negative publicity and numerous delays that has dogged the troubled multi-billion project. It is still unclear whether the media event will go ahead, according to sources.

After the sea trials and completion of other flight testing to verify compliance, Sikorsky is required to start the delivery of the Interim Maritime Helicopter (IMH) in November 2010 as per the contract, according to Public Works.

After many denials, the government announced in December 2008 that the $5 billion project was not going to make its original delivery deadlines and that it would cost taxpayers more than originally expected.

Little additional information has been released on the troubled project, sparking concerns about further cost overruns and more delays. The ongoing secrecy has also raised issues about a lack of public accountability concerning the money being spent.

Members of DND’s helicopter project office have repeatedly declined interview requests. Van der Grient also confirmed PWGC does “not grant interviews on this issue.”

Sikorsky still has not responded to a Defence Watch request for comment made months ago.

The first Cyclone helicopter was originally supposed to be delivered in November 2008 but that never happened.

Because of that delay, Sikorsky faced financial penalties of up to $89 million but that was set aside by the Harper government. Little explanation has been provided on why penalties that could have been imposed were not.

In January 2008 MacKay brought up the penalties after news reports suggested Sikorsky would fail to deliver the aircraft on time. He suggested they would be a deterrent to Sikorsky. “There are penalties and clauses that will kick in,” he warned.

The first 19 helicopters delivered to the Canadian Forces will be designated as Interim Maritime Helicopters (IMH). These IMH aircraft will be fully functional and able to conduct testing and evaluation and training for MH maintenance and air crews, yet will not be fully compliant with the delivery contract, according to DND. Delivery of the first fully capable MH aircraft that meets all contract specifications will be in June 2012, at which point the previous IMH aircraft will then be retrofitted.

CANADIAN ARMY LEOPARD 2 TANKS TO GET SUPPORT: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2010-02-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMS THAT FORCE MOBILITY ENCHANCEMENT VEHICLES A PRIORITY AS WELL

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

Defence Watch has confirmed that the proposed purchase of Force Mobility Enhancement (FME) vehicles is still a priority for the Canadian Army.

There was some question about the status of the project in the wake of a Jan. 15 letter sent by Public Works to the defence industry regarding the army’s vehicle programs.

That letter, sent by Public Works and Government Services official Kristen Ward, and obtained by Defence Watch, noted that the LAV-3 upgrade and tactical armored patrol vehicle (TAPV) project “are considered priorities in ensuring renewal of core capabilities.”

“These two projects are proceeding as scheduled,” wrote Ward, Supply Team Leader Close Combat Vehicle Project. “The Close Combat Vehicle project, however, has been delayed to ensure that resources are geared toward key procurement priorities of DND.”

Ward’s letter raised concerns in some areas of the defence community since it made no mention of the purchase of Force Mobility Enhancement vehicles, a fleet of armored engineer vehicles to support Canada’s Leopard 2 tanks.

But Defence Department spokeswoman Annie Dicaire confirmed that FME is still considered a priority. “The FME project will be implemented in two phases,” Dicaire told Defence Watch. “The first phase includes the acquisition of Armoured Engineer Vehicles (AEV) and Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARV), while the second phase will be to procure tactical mobility implements, including dozer blades, mine ploughs, and mine rollers.”

“For Phase I, a letter of interest was issued in July 2009 to assess the level of interest from industry,” she added. “A draft request for proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of AEVs will be issued in the spring of 2010, followed by a revised, final RFP in the fall 2010.”

But the Close Combat Vehicle or CCV appears now to be on hold with no new timelines for it to proceed. Some defence observers believe the project will eventually be cancelled or simply remain in limbo.

The Harper government has already selected General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, the builder of the LAV-3, as the prime contractor and systems integrator for the upgrade program. The project will upgrade 550 vehicles. There is also an option for upgrades to an additional 80.

Ken Yamashita, the company’s manager of corporate affairs told Defence Watch that GDLS Canada is currently awaiting government approval to move to the definition phase of the program. The precise elements of the upgrade will be defined during the definition phase, he added.

Army commander Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie has said the army wants the LAVs equipped with larger engines and more protection.

General Dynamics Land Systems Canada has already developed a light armoured vehicle technology demonstrator with an improved engine and drive train as well as more robust suspension. Those improvements on what it called the LAV-H would allow the vehicles to carry more weight, including armour if needed.

The tactical armored patrol vehicle would replace the army’s existing fleet of RG-31 mine protected vehicles and the Coyote wheeled light armored vehicles. Besides the initial procurement of 500 vehicles, there is an option for an additional 100. The TAPV will be delivered in two variants, a reconnaissance vehicle and a general utility variant.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN COLUMN: MOVEMENT ON NEW CANADIAN AIR FORCE SEARCH AND RESCUE AIRCRAFT?

2010-02-07T21:32:00.001-08:00

DEFENCE WATCH ANALYSIS

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

The official word from the Defence Department on the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue aircraft project is that the various government players will be ready in the “spring” to make a recommendation on how to proceed on the program.

And the unofficial response from the aerospace industry? Don’t hold your breath.

Most people in the aerospace and defence community remember Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s boast in December 2008 that he was going to buy a new FWSAR aircraft fleet by the spring of 2009. Yes, buy.

"As Minister MacKay has noted, these aircraft are a critical component of Canada's home guard and, simply put, we need to have them," Jay Paxton, the minister's press secretary, told Defence Watch on Dec. 17, 2008. "The minister's goal is to procure FWSAR early in the new year. Beyond that, it is premature to speculate on the exact nature of the aircraft."

It also appears it was a little premature of MacKay to claim that the government would buy a FWSAR aircraft in the spring of 2009.

So now the project will be moving forward in the spring of 2010.

But then again, DND can’t even give a specific date or define what the term “spring” means.

Would that be April, May or even June?

Asked what month in the “spring” that DND expects to make its recommendation on the way forward on FWSAR, Defence Department spokeswoman Lianne LeBel responded, “Spring.” (You have to feel sorry for some of these public affairs officials who are sent out with five or six printed “media response lines” that say nothing. The FWSAR project office is too scared to put someone up front to deal with the news media since they would be facing some tough/embarrassing questions, such as how come it is taking so long to buy an aircraft?....so they shove Ms. LeBel into the fray)

That aside, LeBel did give Defence Watch a rundown on the official government “media response” on what is happening with FWSAR.

“In July 2009, the Government of Canada requested industry's feedback on the proposed requirements and key considerations detailed during the FWSAR Industry Day,” LeBel pointed out. “Industry was given 60 days to comment. The submission period concluded on September 15 and the Department of National Defence (DND), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), and Industry Canada (IC) have reviewed the submissions from industry. Industry's feedback will complement the work already done by DND to ensure the new aircraft is the best possible solution for Canada's complex SAR environment. A recommendation to Government on a proposed solution to acquire FWSAR is planned for Spring 2010. The DND project office, with their counterparts at PWGSC and IC, is currently formulating the recommendation that will be advanced for Government approval.”

“Don’t buy into that DND line for the media,” one aerospace industry veteran told Defence Watch. “This program is moving at a snail’s pace. Don’t expect any fast action, spring or summer.”

Added another long-time FWSAR observer: “They told you it would be ready in the spring? Well, at least that’s an improvement over their usual the program will be moving forward ‘soon’.”

The Defence Department, Public Works and Industry Canada have brought in the National Research Council to look at search and rescue in the country and make recommendations on what is needed in an aircraft. In turn, NRC has brought in some researchers from various universities to help out. The report is due March 5 but could be delivered as early as Feb. 15, according to some observers.

DND does have some breathing room on FWSAR. The Buffalo will continue to fly until 2014/2015 or even perhaps beyond that date.

C-130s could also be used to contribute to SAR coverage as they do already. With the arrival of new C-130Js, older C-130s used for SAR could be replaced with “younger” C-130s now currently in the transport fleet. The only problem is that it the C-130 is an expensive aircraft to operate for SAR, air force officers acknowledge.

CANADIAN TROOPS HEADED FOR AFGHANISTAN FACE PAY PROBLEMS BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN DEFENCE WATCH

2009-12-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

Foulup leaves troops out pay, benefits

'Administrative error' to blame: National Defence

By David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen

December 8, 2009

Troops now training at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa for a mission to Afghanistan next year are in the midst of a battle against the military bureaucracy over pay and health benefits.

It's the second time in less than eight months that reserve soldiers assigned to the Afghan mission have run into pay problems. In February, soldiers contacted the Citizen after their pay was cut off while they fought in Afghanistan.

This time, soldiers say they have lost the extra pay they are entitled to because of a bureaucratic screw-up. According to the soldiers, the pay problems are due to a backlog in processing paperwork and an inadequate pay system at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa.

As well, there are problems with health coverage for families of the part-time soldiers.

"A caveat to the fact that they aren't inputted into the regular force pay system is that their families (eligible dependents) at home are not eligible for medical coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP)," one individual wrote to the Citizen, complaining about the problem.

"Soldiers who once had coverage under their previous civilian careers are left with the medical expenses for their children and spouses until their contracts are processed." About 300 reservists training at CFB Petawawa will head to Afghanistan in the spring.

Army spokesman Lt.-Col. Jay Janzen confirmed there are problems with pay. "The army is aware of pay issues affecting some reservists conducting pre-deployment training at Petawawa and we're working quickly to address them," he said.

Janzen said the soldiers are receiving their basic pay, but the problem centres around incentive pay they would receive. That problem is "due to an administrative error."

Janzen didn't have specific numbers affected, but added it is believed to be fewer than 100 reservists. He said that once the problem is sorted out, the soldiers would receive the money owed. A military source said the health-care issue will also be taken care of once the paperwork goes through for the reservists and they are assigned to the full-time regular force.

It's not the first time there have been pay problems for part-time soldiers. From December 2008 to February of this year, some reserve soldiers fighting in Afghanistan said they had their pay cut off because their contracts with the army expired while they were serving overseas.

The troops continued to serve, but some told the Citizen they were worried they would not be covered by health insurance and other benefits if they were injured in battle.

At the time, the army confirmed in an e-mail that there had been problems, but it claimed that "at no time were the members' pay and benefits at risk."

The e-mail also added that emergency financial assistance was offered to anyone who needed it while the error was being fixed.

In 2006, former Canadian Forces Ombudsman Yves Côté launched an investigation into what he warned was a lack of services and inconsistent care available to members of the reserves when they are injured on overseas missions or during training at home. The investigation, completed in April, revealed numerous problems for reservists injured in the course of duty to Canada and subsequently required health care.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN COMMENTARY WHY IS THE BUILDING OF THE JOINT SUPPORT SHIP DELAYED?

2009-12-05T21:10:00.001-08:00

DFENCE WATCH COMMENTARY

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen journalist

The Joint Support Ship project still sits idle waiting for the Harper government to move ahead on a new shipbuilding policy.

When will that be happening?

There was talk that the policy would be ready by the end of this year but that won't take place. Some in industry expect a policy by the spring, unless a federal election gets in the way. If that happens, then all bets are off.

Work on a new shipbuilding policy was launched with great fanfare in the summer, with meetings between government and industry representatives. But since then, the government has been focused on other issues.

The Canadian Navy, however, has signaled that it is ready to move ahead on JSS.

“We’re pretty much ready to be talking to the [defense] minister about what we need to do to advance the JSS so we’re ready to go,” Vice Admiral Dean McFadden told Defence Watch several months ago. “One thing that has caused us to take a bit of a pause in progressing that as an independent program is what I think is a superb initiative to try and develop a new and strategic relationship between government and industry in how this country goes about building ships.”

“That initiative gained a great deal of momentum in the summer,” McFadden added. “There was a forum held in Ottawa in July where I think we are coming to the fundamental issue — we want to stop doing a boom-and-bust building cycle in this country.”

And so it stands.

No Cabinet approval on a shipbuilding policy. Then no movement on JSS.

The big question in the maritime world is focused on when JSS will be delivered (although the more pessimistic ask, "Will it ever be delivered?").

The project, before it ran into trouble, called for a contract to be awarded last year with the first vessel delivered in 2012.

But Dan Ross, the Defence Department’s Assistant Deputy Minister for Materiel, acknowledged the obvious to a Senate defence committee when he informed them that the delivery schedule won’t be met. But he still told the Senate committee (May 25) that he expected a request for proposals for the ships to be issued to industry in 2010. It could take another year to get to a contract and from there another four to five years to complete the ship, he noted.

That would mean the first ship would be delivered around 2016.

But even with that schedule Ross would not commit to the program delivering three Joint Support Ships at the end of the day. “I do not know if anyone here is prepared to state what the outcome will be,” he told the committee.

The JSS was originally announced in 2004 by the Martin government but the focus on Afghanistan diverted DND's attention to equipment issues related to that war. As a result, JSS went on to the backburner for a bit. It did eventually proceed, only to derail in August 2008 after industry failed to meet the government’s specifications within the allotted budget.

The three JSS would replace the existing 40-year-old plus supply vessels which haul fuel and ammunition for naval task groups at sea. The ships would also provide support to the Canadian Army and special forces, carrying troops, vehicles, helicopters, ammunition and a hospital, as well as act as a command center for ground forces sent ashore.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN CANADIAN NAVY ARCTIC PORT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO BUILD

2009-11-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
Ottawa Citizen

A design contract for the Nanisivik Naval Facility in Nunavut has been awarded to a civilian firm from British Columbia but the date when construction work on the facility is to begin could fall behind schedule, Defence Watch has been told.

On Thursday the Defence Department announced that the initial design phase contract has now been awarded to a British Columbia firm. Construction work at the naval facility could “possibly begin in 2011” and is forecasted to be operational by 2014, according to the department.

Sources tell Defence Watch that it is fully expected that the program could slip slightly behind schedule, mainly because construction and environmental issues expected with building projects in the North.

The sources noted that construction at the Nanisivik site was originally expected to commence in the summer of 2010. It is estimated the project will cost around $100 million.

In May, Defence Department officials told a Senate committee that the facility was going to be operational as early as 2012.
“The Nanisivik berthing and refuelling facility has had initial site studies done,” explained William Pentney, Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence. “Construction work will begin in 2011. We expect it to be operational initially in 2012 and fully operational by 2015, appreciating that Arctic seasons are short and there is a fair bit of work to be done to ensure we are meeting the environmental and planning standards as well as developing something that will be effective.”

Pentney noted that the U.S. could also use the facility. “Canada cooperates with the United States to a great degree in search and rescue and Coast Guard activities in the North and I am sure we would be happy to welcome the American military, and perhaps other militaries, to our base in our internal waters to refuel and undertake training,” he added.

Located more than 1,000 nautical miles by sea north of Iqaluit, the facility will serve as a staging area for naval vessels on station in the high Arctic, enabling them to re-supply, refuel, embark equipment and supplies, and transfer personnel. This will extend the range of Canadian ships in the Arctic during the navigable season (approximately June to October), according to the Canadian government.

Military and government officials have noted that the site is strategically located inside the eastern entrance to the North West Passage, at Nanisivik in Nunavut. As a deep-water berthing facility already exists at this site, start-up costs will be significantly reduced. With its sheltered harbour, nearby jet-capable airstrip, and proximity to the North West Passage, Nanisivik offers an ideal location for the docking and refuelling facility, according to background information provided by the Defence Department.

The initial design contact announced Thursday was awarded to WorleyParsons Westmar Ltd., from North Vancouver, B.C.

In a statement Thursday, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the contract award “demonstrates” the Conservative government’s commitment to ensuring Canada's security and exercising sovereignty in the North.

This contract, worth just under $900,000, is for the first of four design phases of the project, according to Defence Department officials.

This initial design phase will establish the various requirements for construction, as well as preliminary design work that will lay the foundation for the remaining design phases. The other three design phases will involve conceiving detailed plans and designs, developing drawings, and preparing construction estimates for the facility.

The NNF will function as a logistics hub to support the Canadian Navy, and other Canadian government vessels in the Arctic during the navigable season.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN: TRACKING THE CREW OF HMCS CHICOUTIMI

2009-11-23T21:46:00.001-08:00

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
OTTAWA CITIZEN

The Defence Department is now conducting a long-term study on the health of those submariners who survived the 2004 fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi.

But according to details provided to Defence Watch, of the 56 surviving crew who manned HMCS Chicoutimi during the fire, only 11 are still assigned to submarines or to the Fifth Maritime Operations Group.

Eighteen of the crew have left the Canadian Forces for a variety of reasons, according to an accounting of where the crew members are.

Twenty crew members are currently employed in other capacities, including teaching submarine-related or occupation specific courses at naval schools, working on navy bases, or working on the Maritime Staff in Ottawa.

The remaining seven of the 56-member crew are employed outside the navy at the following locations: Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, the Joint Personnel Support Unit, 5th Service Battalion and other units.

“No compensation or severance package specifically or solely designed for the survivors of the Chicoutimi incident has been offered or paid to the crew members,”, according to a Defence Department response to a Parliamentary question by NDP Veterans critic Peter Stoffer.

Under the first of its kind study, the result of an agreement between the navy and the Canadian Forces medical branch, the health of the crew, including those now out of the military, will be tracked until 2014. At that point it will be determined whether to continue monitoring their health.

In a 2008 article Canadian Press journalist Murray Brewster reported that sailors were falling ill with debilitating medical conditions. In Brewster’s interviews with sailors, the submariners detailed how they suffered from unexplained fainting spells, short-term memory loss and chronic conditions, such as asthma. There were also reports of neurological disorders.

Military records indicate that over half the Chicoutimi crew suffered from post- traumatic stress following the fire. In addition, since the fire, over 20 sailors complained of breathing trouble.

The health of the submariners will be compared to a control group of submariners, who were not involved in the incident.

MORTARS VERSUS AUTOMATIC GRENADE LAUNCHERS IN THE CANADIAN ARMY BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN JOURNALIST

2009-11-22T21:51:00.000-08:00

There is no difference in the capabilities offered by mortars and automatic grenade launchers in urban fighting, according to a newly released Canadian Army report.

The May 2003 study, obtained by Defence Watch, examined the use of a Company Area Suppression Weapon in urban operations. The study, called Iron Bombard, looked at the ability of several weapon systems to provide the Light Armoured Vehicle-3 Rifle Company with an internal suppression/neutralizing capability in an urban environment.

The report, obtained under the Access to Information law, was withheld for two years and only released after the Army was able to move ahead with its plans to purchase an automatic grenade launcher. Army officers have said that the grenade launcher will provide more and accurate firepower than the 60mm mortar, which will taken out of service since it is too old and considered unsupportable.

Bids from two companies are now in for the Army’s Close Area Suppression Weapon (CASW) project. There is no indication when the winning bid will be selected but defence sources expect that to be completed by January or February 2010.

The weapon systems tested in Iron Bombard were used in the offence and defence during a series of house to house clearing scenarios, according to the report. The infantry section was also equipped with machine guns and rifles.

“The study concluded that no differences between the capabilities of the Advance Grenade Launcher and the mortars were observed, however the Advanced Grenade Launcher could make a contribution to the effectiveness of the Rifle Company and the 60mm and 81mm light mortars provided value because of their ability to provide smoke screens,” the report concluded. “The study recommends that the Advanced Grenade Launcher be considered as a possible support weapon for the LAV 111 Rifle Company and that there may be a requirement to retain mortars in the support mix.”

Iron Bombard was done because the present weapon system available is the 60mm M19 Mortar, generally considered by the Canadian Army to lack the range, lethality and accuracy to be effective. In order to alleviate that deficiency an 81mm light mortar and a 40 mm advanced grenade launcher were evaluated using the close action environment urban combat war game.

Meanwhile, the evaluation of the bids on CASW continues at Public Works. Rheinmetall Canada and Singapore Technologies each put in a bid, Defense Watch has learned.

Rheinmetall had offered the army the Heckler and Koch 40mm grenade launcher which is being used by 16 militaries, including many NATO nations. Singapore Technologies, which has kept a low profile during the competition, has its own 40mm grenade launcher and ammunition. If the Singapore Technologies gun is selected, then Canada would join the small number of nations which use the weapon.

The winner will be selected on the basis of the lowest cost meeting the requirements outlined by the Army.

Testing of both weapons was done several weeks ago at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, NB, according to sources.

The $100 million CASW project has been repeatedly delayed, with some industry officials pointing to it as an example of the major problems plague the Defence Department’s procurement system.

In 2004, Canadian Army officers said the weapons would be delivered in August 2006 for eventual use in Afghanistan. Then the delivery date was later set as the summer of 2008.

Later the delivery of the guns was revised to occur in late 2009.

The new date for delivery is now 2012.

THE MILITARY AND ENERGY SECURITY; RUNNING ON EMPTY OR A LUCRATIVE MARKET?

2009-11-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen
A new report on the market for defence-related fuels and power sources says that providing militaries around the world with various energy solutions is a growing and potentially lucrative market for industry.

The report, produced by the defence research outlet Vision Gain in the U.S., noted that worldwide spending on military energy needs in 2008 totaled $34 billion U.S. It’s study outlines how companies can take advantage of that market which is expected to grow in the future.
An example of that growth is the Canadian Air Force’s fuel situation. In 2008, the aviation petroleum, oils and lubricants budget of the Canadian Air Force was slightly more than the service’s entire budget. In 2009 it is expected to reach 24 per cent. By 2019 that percentage could rise to 40 or even 50 per cent as fuel prices continue to rise, according to the Air Force.
Not everyone, however, sees opportunity for companies like the Vision Gain report does.
In stark contrast, the National Farmers Union in Canada is now calling for an examination of Canada’s energy policy amid growing concern that dwindling oil supplies could cause security problems and instability in the future.

The union has been monitoring the state of Canada’s energy infrastructure, oil and natural gas supplies and overall state of the world’s petroleum reserves.
“Clearly, our reliance on petroleum is suddenly emerging as an urgent issue,” says NFU energy security analyst Rick Munroe.
“Energy, food, climate, water, and our economy are interlinked, so miscalculations regarding energy supplies and prices will have dramatic effects on every aspect of Canadian society,” he added.

The NFU has written to the government of Canada, including its lead energy department, Natural Resources Canada, calling for a formal examination of energy security concerns. Natural Resources, however, has responded that Canada’s oil supply is secure.

Munroe, however, said Canadians depend on secure supplies of affordable energy to import and export food as well as process, package and refrigerate it and any shortage or volatility on global energy markets “will rapidly turn into shortage and instability in food markets.”
In evaluating future scenarios regarding energy supplies, the NFU has identified several worrisome trends, according to Munroe.
Among those are:

1. Oil-field discovery rates—volumes of new oil being found—have peaked and been declining for decades. The world is using oil much faster than it is discovering it.

2. Global oil consumption (apart from temporary recessionary dips) continues to increase, with present consumption at about one thousand barrels a second. Ninety percent of cumulative global consumption has occurred during the past half-century.

3. Net energy (Energy Returned on Energy Invested/EROEI) rates for new oil discoveries are similarly declining. Many of the oil sources being brought into production now— tar sands, deep-sea oil, etc.—require higher levels of energy inputs per unit of energy output than did oil sources of past decades.

4. Oilfield depletion rates continue to accelerate. New fields are “playing out” faster and faster, compared to fields brought into production decades ago.

5. There is growing consensus that the “easy oil” is nearly gone. Even the IEA admits this. New oil will require significantly more energy and money to bring to market. This means that oil prices must necessarily rise.

6. Global production of conventional oil appears to have already reached a plateau. Conventional production has stalled at around 74 million barrels per day since 2004 (this despite the incentive of high oil prices).

7. The number of countries with exportable surpluses of oil continues to decline, resulting in the growing number of net importers. As global export capacity diminishes, so will security of supply. We cannot all be importers.

8. Industry veterans are retiring just as the oil and gas industry must contend with new challenges. This “grey factor” may increase the difficulty of bringing new supplies on-stream.

9. Similarly, there is the “rust factor”: much of the existing oil & gas infrastructure is old and must be replaced.

10. There are still no viable alternatives to replace petroleum (especially when one considers energy density, the net energy of oil compared to proposed replacements, flow rates, infrastructure requirements, the convenience and flexibility of liquid fuels, etc).

HALIFAX DEFENCE CONFERENCE HAS BECOME POLITICIZED BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN JOURNALIST

2009-11-20T21:24:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

Defence Minister Peter MacKay has politicized an international forum taking place in Halifax on the weekend by refusing to invite federal politicians from parties other than the Conservatives, says the head of the Senate defence committee.

Liberal Senator Colin Kenny said the forum, being funded by taxpayers through the Defence Department, should have been a non-partisan event as it was a key meeting of politicians and military leaders from a number of nations. He noted that Canadian MPs and senators interested in defence matters should have been invited but MacKay and Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin were the only Canadian federal politicians being allowed to attend.

In contrast, a group of U.S. politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, have been invited to the forum, Kenny said in an interview with Defence Watch.

“I would have thought that they would wanted a number of different viewpoints at the meeting but that doesn’t seem to be the case,” said Kenny, who in the past has angered the Conservative government by calling for more spending on the Canadian Forces as well as questioning whether the Afghan mission was meeting its goals.

The forum, organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United States will, according to the Defence Department, bring together approximately 300 world leaders, academics, policy makers, journalists, and business leaders for a “free-flowing discussions on defence and security issues of common interest.”

Dan Dugas, MacKay’s director of communications, said in an email that it was the German Marshall Fund who decided who should be invited to the forum, not MacKay.

The Chronicle Herald reported on Friday that MacKay, who represents the federal riding of Central Nova, has been behind the effort to hold the forum in his backyard.

Kenny said he requested that he be allowed to attend the forum and had received approval from Defence Department deputy minister Robert Fonberg. But then Kenny was told he could not attend.

“The restriction of the Canadian delegation to yourself and Ms. Wallin seems curious, because I cannot believe that you would wish to politicize an event that is of obvious interest to people of all political stripes who have demonstrated that they take Canadian security seriously, and have lobbied repeatedly for improved Canadian security,” Kenny wrote in an earlier letter to MacKay.

Defence Watch sent an email to the German Marshall Fund of the United States requesting comment but got no response. The Defence Department also did not respond to a request for comment.

Craig Kennedy, president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, has called the event “the first gathering of its kind in North America.”

The speakers and participants will come from the ranks of defence ministers, four-star generals, politicians, policymakers, academics, and opinion leaders from all over the world, he added.

“GMF does not take sides on the various issues being discussed at the Forum,” he recently wrote. “Rather, our goal is to get the appropriate players to the table to solve issues co-operatively and collaboratively. We feel this is best done in an environment that encourages debate and candour, and we achieve this through a format that does not rely on formal speeches but rather on discussions led by experienced moderators and with active audience participation.”

Among those attending are U.S. defence secretary Robert Gates, Senator John McCain, U.S. Admiral James Stavridis, the supreme allied commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Europe and NORAD commander Gen. Victor Renuart.

On Saturday MacKay will join Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander of the United States Naval Forces Europe, Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Military Advisor to the President of France, and the Eimert van Middelkoop, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, in a panel discussion on piracy.

Gates used the meeting on Friday to suggest that the U.S. could withhold some of the funding for Afghanistan if President Hamid Karzai government doesn’t crack down on widespread corruption in his administration.

U.S. LOSING HEARTS AND MINDS OF AFGHANS SAYS NATO OFFICIAL BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

U.S. lacks human touch: NATO adviser

Mission at risk because army can't connect with people, military told

By David Pugliese

The Ottawa Citizen

September 11, 2009

The U.S. could be stuck fighting in Afghanistan for a long time because its army doesn't have the training to connect with the population or understand that country's complicated culture, a senior NATO adviser warns.

Stephen Henthorne says the U.S. army puts too much emphasis on combat while paying lip service to working with civilian agencies and Afghans, and figuring out a plan to establish stability in Afghanistan.

In a letter to President Barack Obama's national security adviser, Henthorne notes that army commanders are well trained in kinetic operations, a term used to describe combat, but don't understand how to successfully use their resources to provide for civilian-military co-operation.

"The real problem is that almost all of these U.S. Army Generals are 'War Fighters,' " writes Henthorne, an American and the senior adviser to NATO's Civil-Military Co-operation Centre of Excellence in the Netherlands.

The Citizen has obtained a copy of the letter he sent to retired Gen. James Jones.

Henthorne, who stressed his comments didn't reflect the views of his employer or NATO's member states, said other countries have had more success in making inroads with the Afghan population.

"The Canadians, the British and the Dutch do better at this because they do listen and they understand the culture," Henthorne said in an interview. "We claim we have tons of culture classes for our soldiers and even for our civilians, but we really don't have a clue. We think one Muslim is just like any other Muslim."

He noted the U.S. "hearts and minds" campaign in Afghanistan is designed only for the short term. True civil-military co-operation is working with civilians in disputed areas, Henthorne added.

The U.S. army provides most of the troops in Afghanistan.

For Americans, Henthorne said, an overemphasis on combat means "we'll be spending a lot of time, money and resources going back constantly redoing things or we'll be stuck where we don't want to be stuck for long periods of time."

Henthorne said U.S. operations, such as eradicating the opium trade, do not take into account the long-term effects on the Afghan population who rely on that harvest for their livelihood.

"We're not just dealing with Taliban. We're dealing with people who need to grow the crops, we're dealing with people who sell them the seed, we're dealing with drug lords who we originally paid to create stability in 2001 and 2002, and we can't wean these people off of this stuff. It is a form of currency ingrained in their everyday life. We're not doing anything realistic about that at all."

The Pentagon is working on designing a civil-military campaign plan for Afghanistan over the next 16 months, but he pointed out that the team consists of one senior public servant and an officer, with little staff or budget. "I really believe that it's doomed to fail and its failure is intentional," he added.

Col. Daniel Roper, director of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Centre, said he hadn't seen Henthorne's letter so he could not comment.

But Roper noted the U.S. military is continually improving its training based on lessons learned from places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The military uses sociologists and cultural anthropologists to help it understand local cultures, he added.

Roper noted that since 2001, U.S. military doctrine has changed. There is emphasis on what is called "clear, hold and build," meaning that insurgents are killed off or forced to retreat from a region. After that, U.S. units control the particular area and provide support to local communities.

"The holding and building is where you win," Roper said. "It's no longer offensive and defensive. It's offensive, defensive and stability."

Roper said a counter-insurgency campaign is a long-term undertaking, and that while combat gets noticed, it is much more difficult to perceive subtle changes in attitudes of the local populations since those take place over a lengthier period.

"It requires time to adjust and learn," Roper said.

Henthorne said aid for Afghanistan should be appropriate, and not about quantity or pre-existing agendas.

"From the American perspective, we build you a school whether you want one or not," he said. "You may need something else, but we don't care."

NO ARMED UAV FOR CANADIAN FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN REPORTER

2009-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Canada won't arm Afghan drones

By David Pugliese

The Ottawa Citizen

November 20, 2009

The Canadian military has decided against putting missiles on the unmanned aerial vehicles it now operates in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay was briefed in March by air force officials on the various options for arming the drones, according to documents obtained by the Citizen.

Such aircraft, also known as UAVs, are used by various militaries in Afghanistan to conduct surveillance on insurgent activities. In addition, the U.S. uses armed UAVs to conduct attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan on insurgent leaders.

The Canadian Forces is currently leasing Israeli-built Heron UAVs from MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates of Richmond, B.C. That deal, worth $95 million, has a number of Herons operating out of Kandahar airfield. The UAVs are flown by Canadian Forces personnel, but maintained by civilian contractors.

Canadian air force spokesman Maj. Jim Hutcheson said a number of factors were considered before the idea of arming the UAVs was dropped. "After due consideration of all relevant factors, including costs, capabilities and timelines, it was decided that no project would be initiated to arm the Heron UAVs," he noted.

The lease on the Herons runs until January 2011. There are also options in the contract to extend that.

Stephen Priestley, a researcher for the Canadian-American Strategic Review, noted that there are no technical hurdles to arming the Herons. But there would have been additional costs, requiring the existing contract to be amended, he added.

The Canadian military has plans to eventually purchase long-endurance UAVs over the next several years. Dubbed the Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) program, it is not expected that those aircraft would be flying until after 2012.

DAVID PUGLIESE DEFENCE WATCH: BUDGET CUTS FOR CANADIAN FORCES ON THE HORIZON

2009-11-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
OTTAWA CITIZEN

Liberal Senator Romeo Dallaire is warning that impending cuts to the defence budget from an ongoing Strategic Review could see military spending in some areas scaled back.

Defence Department officials confirm that the department is now undergoing a Strategic Review to try to find savings. Dallaire says the review is focused on the department's operations and maintenance budget.

Last year, the Strategic Review process saw 14 federal organizations examine their spending. Savings of $586 million were determined and redirected to fund new initiatives as part of the Economic Action Plan announced in the 2009 budget, according to Treasury Board.

Dallaire says he is worried that any budget cuts imposed by such a review would eventually impact other programs as well and hurt, in particular, quality of life programs for Canadian Forces personnel. He brought up the concerns about the Strategic Review during question period in the Senate.

But Senator Marjory LeBreton, the government leader in the Senate dismissed Dallaire’s concerns, noting that the Harper government has “massively increased” the budget of the Department of National Defence.”

“I am not talking about the Capital Acquisition Support Program; I am not even debating the personnel envelope,” Dallaire responded. “I am speaking of the operations and maintenance envelope, and it is going through a strategic review, like every other department, and rumours are it is being cut to the 2006 level.”

He asked LeBreton to review the situation and update the Senate about the extent of the budget cuts that could happen at National Defence as part of the Strategic Review. 
LeBreton, however, declined. “I am quite certain that, as we go through the whole strategic review process, rumours will run rampant,” she said. “We have known that for years, but I cannot and will not respond or answer a serious question based on a rumour.”

As part of the Strategic Review process, organizations examine their direct program spending and the operating costs of their major statutory programs to assess how and whether these programs: are effective and efficient; meet the priorities of Canadians; and are aligned with core federal responsibilities.

Defence Department officials privately say they expect some impact from the Strategic Review but at this stage it’s too early to tell what that might be. They note that defence and the Canadian Forces has been a priority for the Harper government. “We’re confident the savings can be absorbed,” said one official.

CANADIAN TROOPS MAY GET NEW CAMO UNIFORMS FOR URBAN OPERATIONS IN CANADIAN CITIES

2009-11-18T20:40:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — Future Canadian soldiers could be wearing new uniforms designed to provide camouflage on the streets of our largest cities.

The Defence Department will know by March what designs might work for what is being called a Canadian Urban Environment Pattern.

Those designs are to be based on the "unique requirements" of the urban settings of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, according to an outline of the project being co-ordinated by scientists at Defence Research and Development Canada in Suffield, Alta.

Ottawa, the nerve centre of government and the military, was left off the list because it doesn't rate as a major metropolitan centre.

"We're not trying to slight any city in the country," explained Scott Duncan, head of the soldier and systems protection group at DRDC Suffield. "We chose the three largest urban centres to have baseline data in this early development project."

He said information gathered on what patterns might work best in those three cities could also have applications for other urban centres.

Duncan said the $25,000 study to come up with camouflage patterns did not necessarily mean a new uniform would be produced for the Canadian Forces anytime soon. Once the patterns are determined, the results will be presented to the Canadian military and it will be up to the leadership on how to proceed, he added.

"If you were to refer back to the Canada First Defence Strategy, one of the principal mandates that has been given to our military is that they must provide protection to the citizens of Canada and help exercise Canadian sovereignty," Duncan said.
"Given our large urban population, should any operations be required, there's a good probability that some of them will be taking place in urban environments."

However, Eric Graves, the editor of Soldier Systems Daily, a U.S. website that reports on the uniform and equipment industry, questioned whether it made sense to have camouflage based on the landscape of Canadian cities. Various studies indicate the world's population in developing nations is becoming more focused in urban areas and military officers often talk about future warfare being in those areas.

"It makes zero sense for the Canadian military to produce an urban pattern based on their own cities unless they plan on fighting there," Graves noted.

"If that's the case, then it is the perfect choice."

Still, Graves said, if the Canadian military strategy is to continue supporting the United Nations and NATO on its operations, "the answer is that they have to take a broader look, and develop a pattern more suited to use in ungoverned or under-governed areas that are rapidly urbanizing."

The contract for the Canadian camouflage pattern was awarded to HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp. in Maple Ridge, B.C.
The original contract requirement from DRDC Suffield noted that the current military uniform to protect against chemical, biological and radiological substances was available in only the desert and temperate woodland patterns.
Clement Laforce, deputy director general for DRDC Suffield, said the patterns that would be produced are not just for chemical or biological protective suits, but also for general use for the Canadian Forces.
An urban camouflage uniform was designed in the U.S. in the 1990s based on slate grey patterns. It is used by some U.S. police tactical teams, U.S. special forces on urban missions and a number of foreign special forces and law enforcement units.

However, Duncan said uniforms designed for a U.S. urban environment might not work in a Canadian setting. "There's factors such as light, the amount and types of vegetation and weather patterns," he said. "These are all parameters you take into consideration when you develop these patterns."

Get the latest military and counter-terrorism news on David Pugliese's Defence Watch.

THE SUDDEN PUSH TO GET A MODULAR FIGHTING RIG FOR THE CANADIAN ARMY: DAVID PUGLIESE DEFENCE WATCH COMMENTARY

2009-11-17T20:45:00.001-08:00

The Defence Department and Public Works recently put out the call for the acquisition of Modular Fighting Rigs for the Canadian Army.

The request for proposals closes on Nov. 25 but those firms who wish to take part in the project have to have provide samples seven days before that (i.e. today, Nov. 18).

The new system is to be designed to provide soldiers deployed in operations the ability to carry critical fighting equipment included in their Fighting Order (The Fighting Order consists of, but is not limited to, the minimum essential ammunition, weapons, communications, Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF), navigation, trauma, water, rations, ballistic protection and environmental equipment that must be immediately available for combat. The system will also cater to different position/role within a section or platoon.)

Delivery of the rigs is to take place by March 2010.

But some inside the Canadian Forces and within industry are questioning the rationale for this urgent operational requirement purchase at this point in time. They note that for quite some time, the criticisms of the current equipment have been ignored. Yet all of a sudden, the rush is on to acquire this new piece of kit.

Does that make sense? There are of course different viewpoints on this.

Defence Watch presents below one such viewpoint on the issue. This analysis of the situation comes from a defence industry source who is not associated with any textile company or soldier equipment manufacturer but who has closely watched this project unfold.

Here is the analysis.

“On the positive side, the Canadian Forces is looking to adopt a modular based system for load carriage. The current in-service tactical vest has been widely criticized by CF members as being inadequate for operational use. DLR and DSSPM have dragged their feet for years in coming up with a solution to the criticisms of the tac-vest, until now, at the 11th hour of our current Afghanistan mission.

The manufacturers specifications in are SORD Australia, Tactical Tailor (US based), High Speed Gear (US Based), and CTOMS (Canadian). It is interesting to note that none of the products requested are Canadian manufactured (CTOMS product is Canadian designed, but manufactured in the US).

Given the fact that Canadian textile firms are excluded from doing business with the US Dept. of Defense through the Berry Amendment and ‘Buy America’ clauses , one would wonder why and how the Canadian government would expect to get this procurement contract (which will likely have a total contract value greater than $1M Cdn) through, without drawing attention and criticism from the Canadian textiles industry, as well as opposition political parties.

In particular, Canada’s textile sector has been hurt during the recession.

Building load bearing equipment isn't out of the realm of capability for Canadian companies such as Pacific Safety Products, or Fellfab who provide the Canadian Forces with much of the in-service items such as the Army's rucksack, small pack and ballistic protective vest. What they need is some direction from DND in terms of a statement of requirement.

Canadian industry has not been given a fair opportunity to participate as companies were given less than 10 working days to submit a bid proposal along with material samples to meet a spec which DND has developed in relative secrecy. In fact, the project specifies that products utilize features based on intellectual property which are foreign owned.

Also interesting to note that neither CADPAT TW or AR are specified in his tender, which is odd, considering the significant amount of time, resources, and money which Canadian DND has put into developing the CADPAT pattern, which they claim significantly reduces the chance of a soldier’s detection in the visual and near infra-red spectrum, therefore increasing his survivability.

Canadian textile mills such as Lincoln Fabrics, and Consoltex have invested significant money and time to meet DND's demanding specs for CADPAT fabrics, and have had a difficult time competing on the consumer market given the collapse of the North American textile industry. Is this how the government rewards their cooperation by spec'ing in foreign produced fabrics to be used by the Canadian Forces?

If DND were more forward thinking they could have engaged Canadian industry in terms of what their statement of requirement was, so that a made-in-Canada product which satisfies the requirements of the Canadian Forces could be fielded, rather than a rushed 'UOR' type requirement (this one is being labelled as an 'Operational Evaluation' by the CLS) at the 11th hour.”

Not everyone will agree with the above take on the situation. For instance, Soldier Systems, an website that covers the equipment industry, notes that Canadian textile manufacturers will likely get involved later manufacturing the fighting rigs under contract to the winning firm.

But it raises its own interesting aspects on this project: “What is even more interesting is that neither of the US companies chosen have major contracts with the US government,” Soldier Systems noted. “What is significant about their selection, and in fact all of the companies chosen, is that their selection is based completely on design. If you look at the initial list of 12 systems, none of the major US players were involved.”

CANADIAN ARMY LOOKS AT 2 AUTOMATIC GRENADE LAUNCHERS BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN REPORTER

2009-11-16T20:51:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

Canada has received two bids to provide the Canadian Forces with a new automatic grenade launcher but no date has been set for when the winning weapon system is selected.

A Defence Department spokeswoman told Defense Watch on Monday that request for proposal for the Close Area Suppression Weapon (CASW) project closed on October 8 and the proposals are now being examined by Public Works and Government Services. There is no indication when the winning bid will be selected but defence sources expect that to be completed by January or February 2010.

Rheinmetall Canada and Singapore Technologies each put in a bid, Defense Watch has learned.

Rheinmetall had offered the army the Heckler and Koch 40mm grenade launcher which is being used by 16 militaries, including many NATO nations. Singapore Technologies, which has kept a low profile during the competition, has its own 40mm grenade launcher and ammunition. If the Singapore Technologies gun is selected, then Canada would join the small number of nations which use the weapon.

The winner will be selected on the basis of the lowest cost meeting the requirements outlined by the Army.

Testing of both weapons was done several weeks ago at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, NB, according to sources.

The $100 million CASW project has been repeatedly delayed, with some industry officials pointing to it as an example of the major problems plague the Defence Department’s procurement system.

In 2004, Canadian Army officers said the weapons would be delivered in August 2006 for eventual use in Afghanistan. Then the delivery date was later set as the summer of 2008.

Later the delivery of the guns was revised to occur in late 2009.

The new date for delivery is now 2012.

The project had to be restarted in the spring after government bureaucrats ruled that a defence company’s paperwork was not filled out properly.

Only one firm, Rheinmetall Canada, based in Quebec, bid on the project and although the HK gun technically fit all the army’s requirements, the government disqualified the firm’s bid. Public Works informed Rheinmetall Canada that the financial forms attached to its proposal didn’t provide enough information.

Rheinmetall Canada argued that it submitted a fully compliant bid. However, the government did not accept that position and the procurement process was begin again this summer.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN JOURNALIST: QUESTIONS LINGER ABOUT U.S. SUB IN ARCTIC

2009-11-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese
Ottawa Citizen

The Canadian government won’t say whether the U.S. informed it in advance about a nuclear-powered submarine which recently surfaced near the North Pole.

The U.S. Navy has noted that the submarine, USS Texas, recently completed its Arctic mission. The 7,800-ton submarine, with a crew of 134, completed what some U.S. media outlets are calling a historic month-long exercise near the North Pole since it became the first of the new Virginia-class submarines not only to operate in the region, but also to surface through the ice.
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It is unclear exactly what route the submarine took and whether the U.S. requested permission from Canada to operate in any waters claimed by Canada. Before being elected prime minister, Stephen Harper complained about U.S. submarines operating in Canadian waters without permission.

Defence Watch asked Defence Minister Peter MacKay for comment but that request was passed on to Foreign Affairs.

In an email late Friday night Foreign Affairs spokesman Alain Cacchione stated that information about submarine operations is considered secret. He noted that Canada permits shipping through Canadian Arctic waters provided vessels respect Canadian controls “related to safety, security, the environment and Inuit interests.”

There are safety protocols in place under NATO that provide for the exchange of information on allied submarine movements, Cacchione added.

Defence sources, however, note that the Pentagon does not ask Canada for permission if its submarines need to operate in Arctic area that Canada claims sovereignty over but the U.S. considers as international waters. That includes the Northwest Passage.

Both MacKay and Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon have taken a hard-line in regard to excursions by the Russians into the Arctic. Earlier this year, MacKay accused the Russians of sending military aircraft too close to Canadian northern airspace. He vowed that Canadian Forces CF-18 fighter aircraft would intercept every Russian aircraft each and every time they come near the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters that Canada “will not be bullied” by a Russian plan to create a new security force for the Arctic. Canada has its own plans for a new response force for the Arctic.

In the past, U.S. Arctic submarine exercises have included firing unarmed torpedoes to test their performance in frigid waters. The U.S. Navy did not release details on what, if any, weapons tests were performed by the Texas.

The sub remained on the surface for 24 hours.

"Words cannot describe how impressed I am with my crew's performance and professionalism," Cmdr. Robert Roncska, the Texas' commanding officer, said of the Arctic mission. "The ship performed extremely well in the cold under-ice environment, and I am honored to carry on the tradition of Arctic operations by our awesome submarine force," Roncska added in a recent release by the U.S. Pacific Fleet submarine force.

NO CANADIAN LEOPARD TANKS FOR THE AFGHAN ARMY BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN JOURNALIST

2009-11-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

BY DAVID PUGLIESE
Ottawa Citizen

The Canadian Forces could end up leaving some of its surplus supplies and equipment for NATO and the Afghan National Army and police after officers finish deciding what needs to be shipped back to Canada as the mission winds down.

But Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk told Defence Watch the one weapon system that won’t be provided to the ANA are Canadian tanks. The ANA has requested that the Canadian Leopard 1s be left for its use.

“We’ve given them a lot in terms of weapons and flak jackets,” Natynczyk said in a interview. “I know (Afghan Defence) Minister Wardak wanted some of the heavier equipment but some of the parts are no longer made. He wanted Leopard 1s but there are no parts made for Leopard 1s.”

“We anticipate the Americans and others will give them other vehicles that are still being supported by parts,” Natynczyk added. “It’s not reasonable to give them equipment and not give them parts because parts are not being made anymore.”

In August Natynczyk issued directions for Canadian officers to begin planning the drawdown of equipment in preparation for the end of the mission in July, 2011. He said shipping equipment and supplies back to Canada will be a year-long process.

In 2007, NATO and Canada examined the issue of transferring Leopards to the Afghan National Army, according to U.S. Army Maj.-Gen. Robert Durbin, who at that time was head of the effort to help develop Afghanistan's army and police forces.

He said in a May 2007 interview that any move to supply the tanks would be handled through NATO. "So we've had some interesting discussions," Durbin told the Citizen. "Canada is one nation. You've got Germany. Even New Zealand has Leopards,” he said.

Asked whether plans could involve the Canadian Forces turning over the Leopard tanks it already uses in Kandahar to the Afghan army, Durbin responded, "that might be one option that could make sense."

Durbin said he favored a mix of equipment from NATO and Russian stocks. Ground equipment, most weapon systems and communications gear would be NATO standard so the ANA and ANP could be interoperable with coalition forces, he said.

The provision of surplus M-16s and M113 armored vehicles was planned, among other deliveries to the Afghans, he added.

But Durbin wanted Russian and former Warsaw Pact helicopters for the Afghan military because he considered such aircraft are highly reliable and well suited for Afghanistan’s rugged and often mountainous terrain.

For fixed-wing aircraft the Afghan air corps would continue over the short term to use its existing Antonov transport planes but Durbin said there was interest in acquiring western-built aircraft. C-130s, C-27s were among the planes he mentioned.

TRACKS VS WHEELED; THE CANADIAN CLOSE COMBAT VEHICLE PROJECT VBCI VERSUS CV90

2009-11-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

The contenders for the Canadian Forces Close Combat Vehicle project--CV-90 versus the VBCI. For more details check Defence Watch by David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen. You can access that here:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

FIRST SIKORSKY CYCLONE EXPECTED IN CANADA IN DECEMBER

2009-11-08T20:25:00.000-08:00

FIRST CYCLONE TO CONDUCT SEA TRIALS EARLY NEXT YEAR BUT ACCEPTANCE BY THE CANADIAN FORCES STILL A LONG WAY OFF

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen

Defence Minister Peter MacKay has said the first Cyclone maritime helicopter is expected to arrive at Canadian Forces Base Shearwater “soon” but sources say the minister’s claims are somewhat misleading.

The sources say while the first helicopter is expected to arrive in early December from Sikorsky, it is not being actually accepted by the Canadian Forces; it is still sometime away from being on the Canadian Air Force’s flight line.

The first Cyclone (MH02) has just finished being painted at West Palm Beach in Canadian Forces colors but with its US/Sikorsky Experimental registration number on the tail.

This paint job is essential as protection against the elements during the sea trials for which the Cyclone is being sent to Canada.

The sea trials should have been completed almost 20 months ago according to the delivery schedule contracted with Sikorsky in 2004.

Successful completion of the sea trials, followed by development and approval of the ship-helicopter operating limitations (SHOL) for the new helicopter, which will require several months at least, are a MHP contractual obligation that must be met long before Canada accepts delivery of the first aircraft and can begin training its own pilots on the Cyclone, according to sources.

The first "sea trials" MH is currently scheduled to arrive at Shearwater sometime in early December 2009. The actual sea trials aboard HMCS MONTREAL are expected to begin in February 2010 if all goes well.

Sikorsky still has not responded to a Defence Watch request for comment.

For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news or articles by David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen go to David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

If you want to view some of the previous defence articles written by David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen please go to this site which is updated regularly with either archival or newly published articles:

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AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN

2009-11-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

NEW BOOK HIGHLIGHTS 100 YEARS OF THE CANADIAN NAVY

2009-11-07T20:09:00.001-08:00

Richard Gimblett, command historian of the Canadian Navy and past president of the Canadian Nautical Research Society, has a new book out published by the Dundurn Group (he is editor of the book which features various contributions for naval experts).

The commemorative volume The Naval Service of Canada, 1910-2010 is a well illustrated commemorative volume which details the full century, 1910–2010, of the Canadian Navy.

The foreword for this book is by Governor General Michaëlle Jean (as commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces) and the contributors are highly recognized authorities on their particular period.

The contributors’ comprehensive coverage, drawing upon a multitude of primary archival sources and secondary volumes by other authors, includes

The book includes the origins of the Canadian Navy back to 1867, both world wars, the Korean conflict, the Cold War period, and a look at the navy of the future. There is also a section on naval war art.

Gimblett, a former serving officer now living in Ottawa, is also a contributor to volume 1 of the official history of the Royal Canadian Navy (1867–1939), and co-authored Operation Friction, 1990–1991: The Canadian Forces in the Persian Gulf and The Admirals: Canada’s Senior Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century.

The book is 280 pages and costs $40.

It has just been published. Here are additional details about the launch of the book in Ottawa on Nov. 16.

Monday, November 16th:

11 am – 1 pm: Book launch at the Armories Cartier Drill Hall, 2 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Ottawa, ON. For more information, please contact Collected Works Bookstore at (613) 722-1265

For more information about the Naval Centennial, visit www.navy.forces.gc.ca/centennial http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/centennial. The Canadian War Museum is developing a virtual museum to showcase 100 years of naval service. The five naval museums, (Calgary, AB; Halifax, NS; Winnipeg, MB; and Quebec City, PQ) will provide digital input. A traveling art show with artifacts will tour Canada during 2010. Visit the virtual exhibit on the DND website in November, 2009.

PLANNING ORDERS ISSUED FOR 2011 CANADIAN FORCES PULL OUT OF AFGHANISTAN: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Military planning afoot for drawdown of Afghan deployment.

Fri Nov 6 2009

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen

Canada's top soldier has issued instructions for his officers to start making their plans to pull out of Afghanistan.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk's direction to units for a ``drawdown'' of forces in Afghanistan lays the groundwork for what will be a lengthy process of transporting tonnes of equipment and supplies back home.

Canada's military mission in Kandahar is scheduled to end in the summer of 2011.

``It's a directive that people start the planning,'' Natynczyk said in an interview Thursday night. ``Based on the (Parliamentary) mandate we have to make the preparations right now in terms of the plans with our allies (and) all of the logistics because we have so much stuff there, you can only imagine. It's going to be more than a year process to haul it all out.''

Natynczyk said he issued his directive in August. He expects the contracts to hire companies to move the supplies and equipment back to Canada to be put in place in early 2010.

Natynczyk said the Canadian Forces will keep enough equipment in Afghanistan to ``maintain a strong capability until the first of July, 2011.''

Parliament has set 2011 as the end of the mission. ``You have to put an end date on these things,'' Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters last year.

The Canadian government wants to shift the focus of the Afghan mission from military operations to civilian aid and support.

Harper reiterated the 2011 withdrawal in September and pointed out that he took that same message to U.S. leaders during recent meetings in Washington.

``In 2011, we will have been in Afghanistan almost as long as we were in the two world wars combined,'' Harper said. ``I think in this time frame we've just got to see some results from the Afghan government on the ground as it pertains to their own security.''

In interviews, Harper noted that the Canadian public does not have the appetite to keep soldiers in Afghanistan past that date.

``Canada's government and public is suffering from Afghanistan fatigue,'' said Allen Sens, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia. ``There's been a lack of progress, and I think the public has a sense that it's time for other countries to step up and move into the south, where the fighting has been the toughest.''

The winding down of Canada's combat mission is expected to be a major logistical exercise. Some of the gear, ranging from trucks to tanks, will have to be prepared for being shipped home. While the Canadian Forces has its own large transport aircraft, it will likely have to augment that with leased aircraft. Transport ships will also have to be arranged to carry vehicles and materiel back to Canada.

Earlier this year, U.S. forces in Iraq began drawing down its units and equipment in preparation for its large-scale reduction of forces in that country in 2011. It has removed some 14,000 pieces of equipment from Iraq so far, in some cases redistributing the gear to its troops in Afghanistan.

Last month, Defence Minister Peter MacKay suggested to a Commons committee that Canadian troops may stay on in Afghanistan in a non-combat role. MacKay said that soldiers could be involved in development and reconstruction but did not provide specific details.

The debate over the way ahead in Afghanistan has been heated over the last several months.

Retired Gen. Rick Hillier has said it will be difficult for Canadian troops to be in Afghanistan without taking part in combat operations. ``If you stay in the south and try to do something like training, you will still be in combat,'' said Hillier.

But some politicians, such as Liberal Senator Colin Kenny, chairman of the senate defence committee, have voiced concern that Canada cannot accomplish what it hoped to in Afghanistan and it is time to withdraw. He noted that Canada had as its goal the building of 50 schools by 2011, but only five have been constructed so far because of the worsening security situation.

``We are not achieving anything close to our objectives in Afghanistan, and there is no sign that we will,'' Kenny wrote in a recent opinion piece in the Citizen. ``Why would we continue to risk lives under the pretence that there is good news around the corner? We are hurtling toward a Vietnam ending,'' he added.

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DOES THE LUMP SUM PAYMENT CONTAINED IN THE NEW VETERANS CHARTER SCREW DISABLED/INJURED CANADIAN SOLDIERS? - DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-05T20:47:00.000-08:00

In my Ottawa Citizen article from earlier this week, Veterans Ombudsman, retired Col. Pat Stogran, outlined various problems with the New Veterans Charter.

One concern he had centered around the fact that Afghan veterans (and any future veterans) who are wounded now receive a lump-sum payment. In the past, former soldiers got a monthly disability pension, he noted.

"I have some significant misgivings about that," said Stogran, a veteran of Afghanistan and missions in the former Yugoslavia. "Personally, my instincts tell me the last thing you want to do when a young soldier comes back from overseas, perhaps with an operational stress injury, or with a dependency on alcohol or drugs, is give him $250,000 to self-medicate."

The money is meant to recognize and compensate Canadian Forces members, veterans and their families for a service-related disability. The award is a tax-free lump-sum payment with the amount depending on the extent of the injury. The maximum amount is slightly more than $267,000.

It’s a concern that I’ve heard a lot about from Defence Watch readers and Afghan veterans.

A Citizen editorial in Thursday’s paper weighed in with this: “Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, a medic who lost both legs in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, is among the veterans who have expressed these concerns. Indeed, he told Legion Magazine that he has heard from injured soldiers that there is real skepticism about in the new Veterans Charter. It's easy to see why. Franklin was injured before the new system came into effect and therefore receives a monthly disability pension that, over 40 years, will amount to about $2 million. That's four times as much as the maximum payment under the new system.

Veterans Affairs officials say they offer financial counselling to soldiers on how to deal with the lump sum, but surely soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder need more guidance than can be provided by an investment adviser. The federal government needs to reassure veterans that it had their best interests in mind when the benefits system was revamped, that it wasn't simply a money-saving exercise.

Canadians who are risking their lives in Afghanistan and other places deserve nothing less than total confidence that their government is behind them -- before, during and after every deployment.”

But Veterans Affairs has a different take. During a recent Commons committee on Veterans Affairs, Brian Ferguson, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy, Programs and Partnerships, Veterans Affairs Canada noted this:

“There's a component of the charter that offers financial

advice to the veterans, at their choice, where we encourage them to use the free financial service that is available from the department to actually assist them, particularly if it's a fairly significant lump sum, because a significant lump sum gives many of these individuals a

unique opportunity to buy a home or to make a significant serious investment. We're also very concerned about the potential for wasting that particular resource, and that's why we introduced that particular component.

There's a balancing act, obviously. If someone is mature enough to serve Canada in a military context, there's a line that you don't want to cross in terms of telling them how to live their personal lives. There's also the issue around the old Pension Act, where we had similar circumstances arise from time to time as well. So it sort of transcends the kind of payment that you're making. It's an issue, and we've made an attempt in the charter to try to come to grips with it."

Any thoughts out there on this issue?

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BLOWING UP A CLOSE COMBAT VEHICLE FOR THE CANADIAN ARMY: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

Bidders for the Canadian Forces Close Combat Vehicle (CCV) are

required to provide what is being Risk Reduction Unit (RRU)

vehicle. Essentially, that will be a vehicle that the Defence

Department can blow up in testing. The testing is tentatively scheduled for spring 2010.

Here is the answer the government provided to industry officials when they asked- “Can you further describe the Risk Reduction Unit (RRU) vehicle?”

ANSWER: The qualifying bidders from the SOIQ participating in the RFP will be requested to provide a RRU vehicle for Underbelly Blast and Fragmentation Improvised Explosive Device (IED) destructive testing. The RRU vehicle should include the following:

Required:

• Hull (must structurally match the proposed CCV)

• Full belly armour kit

• Drive train parts such as wheels, differential, suspension and other components

• Suspension should be adjusted to respect the nominal ground clearance at combat weight

• Sufficient parts to stabilize the wheels and to allow the vehicle to be towed for a few hundred meters

• Seats, seat restraints and foot rests (all except turret seats)

• Underbelly armour and/or spall liner

• Proper surrogates are acceptable for any larger equipment that can interfere with seats and crew (such as a battery box)

Not Required:

• Engine, transmission, transfer case

• Turret

• Add-on armor kit and spall liner on upper walls and roof

• Instruments and electronics

• Stowage

Other Considerations:

• If the above Not Required items are not included, enough ballast should be installed to bring the vehicle to nominal combat weight; the vehicle Centre of Gravity position should be respected as much as feasible

• Test equipment (such as cameras, lights, sensors) will be installed on the hull by DND. Some welding and/or drilling and tapping may be required. Visual markers may be glued or painted to the hull, floor or seats for movement tracking purpose

• Following the test, a complete visual inspection of the RRU vehicle will be performed. All visible damage will be measured, photographed and documented. Part of the protection kit may have to be disassembled to allow for this inspection

• RRU should be clear of hazardous fluid (environment) except those required for the suspension parts (fluid type and quantity must be documented)

FOR MORE ARTICLES BY DAVID PUGLIESE OF THE OTTAWA CITIZEN GO TO

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46 CANADIAN SOLDIERS, ONE DIPLOMAT TO RECEIVE SACRIFICE MEDAL: DAVID PUGLIESE DEFENCE WATCH

2009-11-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will present the first 46 Sacrifice Medals to members of the Canadian Forces and, posthumously, to a Canadian diplomat. The inaugural ceremony will be held on Monday, November 9, 2009, at 11 a.m. at Rideau Hall. Prime Minister Stephen Harper will attend the prsentation.

The Governor General will present 46 Sacrifice Medals of which 21 are awarded posthumously. The recipients come from all regions of the country and from a variety of Canadian Forces regiments.

The Sacrifice Medal was created to provide a tangible and lasting form of recognition for the members of the Canadian Forces and those who work with them who have been wounded or killed by hostile action and to Canadian Forces members who died as a result of service, according to the government.

RECIPIENTS OF THE SACRIFICE MEDAL

To receive the Sacrifice Medal and Bar:

Sergeant Lance Thomas Hooper, M.S.M., C.D.

To receive the Sacrifice Medal:

Captain Casey Balden

Corporal Cole Daniel Bartsch (posthumous)

Corporal Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger (posthumous)

Dr. Glyn Raymond Berry (posthumous)

Master Corporal Roger Dennis Boudreau, C.D.

Private Darryl James Caswell (posthumous)

Sergeant Joseph Anatole Serge Charette, C.D.

Corporal Ryan E. G. Elrick, C.D.

Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom (posthumous)

Master Corporal Paul Milson Franklin

Master Corporal Michael Christian Gauthier, C.D.

Corporal Vincent C. Gauvreau-Roussin

Master Corporal Dave Gionet, M.M.V.

Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, M.S.M.

(posthumous)

Corporal Joseph François Étienne Gonthier (posthumous)

Private Richard Anthony Green (posthumous)

Captain Charles Trevor Greene

Corporal Phillip J. Guy

Private Michael Yuki Hayakaze (posthumous)

Sergeant Sheldon Herritt, C.D.

Private Arielle Marie Keyes-Oliver (posthumous)

Major Paeta Derek Hess-von Kruedener, M.S.C., C.D.

(posthumous)

Private Joseph Simon Maurice Serge Longtin

(posthumous)

Captain Juli-Ann Dawn Mackenzie (posthumous)

Captain Simon Jean Mailloux

Corporal Nicholas George Makischuk

Master Corporal Bounyarattanaphon Makthepharak

Corporal Joseph François Maurice Malboeuf, C.D.

Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, C.D.

(posthumous)

Officer Cadet Jesse Lee Melnyck

Master Warrant Officer

Joseph Christian Michel Mario Mercier, M.S.C., C.D.

(posthumous)

Master Corporal Jody Allan Mitic, C.D.

Master Corporal Kirk Bradley Noel (posthumous)

Corporal Michael P. O’Rourke, M.M.V.

Master Corporal Darrell Jason Priede (posthumous)

Corporal J. Y. Martin Renaud

Master Corporal Joël Émile Richard

Master Seaman Crysta L. Rutherford

Lieutenant(N) Christopher Edward Saunders, C.D.

(posthumous)

Sergeant John Sloan, C.D.

Sergeant Mark William Soper, C.D.

Sergeant Shane Hank Stachnik (posthumous)

Master Corporal Jeffrey Scott Walsh (posthumous)

Sergeant Gregory Owen White

Private Joel Vincent Wiebe (posthumous)

RCMP AND CANADIAN POLICE OFFICERS IN AFGHANISTAN NOT PROTECTED: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-04T06:51:00.000-08:00

Veteran Mountie says Canadian officers not fully protected in overseas missions

By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen

November 3, 2009

A handout photo of RCMP Inspector Joe McAllister meeting earlier this year with Afghan police and an American army police mentor at a Canadian forces base in the provincial capital. An RCMP veteran of international missions is warning that Canadian police injured in Afghanistan and on other foreign deployments could be left high and dry by the organizations that sent them overseas.

Photograph by: Canwest News Service, Handout

An RCMP veteran of international missions is warning that Canadian police injured in Afghanistan and on other foreign deployments could be left high and dry by the organizations that sent them overseas.

Eric Rebiere, a retired RCMP constable, was on Parliament Hill earlier this week to protest what he calls the lack of action by the Mounties in taking care of its veterans and in the coming days will be in front of an RCMP detachment in Kingston, Ont., with the same message.

His concern about the lack of services for police officers injured overseas is supported by Veterans Ombudsman Pat Stogran.

"They're continuing to send RCMP overseas who come back and have virtually no support when they get back," said Stogran, a retired Canadian Forces colonel who served in Afghanistan and in the former Yugoslavia.

The RCMP disputes those claims and says police officers serving overseas have a full range of services similar to those offered to the Canadian Forces. Those services include counselling for post traumatic stress syndrome, or PTSD, as well as full medical coverage.

"When they are back in Canada, should an issue arise such as PTSD, of course all our officers have all the health services they would require," said RCMP Supt. Paul Young, director of the international peace operations branch. "We have had officers return with PTSD and they have been off for lengthy periods of time and every medical service required has been provided to them."

He said similar services are available to RCMP injured overseas and the federal force also requires municipal and provincial police who serve overseas to have insurance covering long-term disability and accidental death benefits.

"The RCMP have full services of the Department of Veterans Affairs, just like the military does upon returning from a mission," said Young, who served in Afghanistan. In addition, those services are available to officers injured in Canada, he added.

But Rebiere disputes that.

As an RCMP officer who has been diagnosed with PTSD after serving in missions in Croatia and Kosovo, he can attend counselling at organized clinics being supported by Veterans Affairs.

But since the RCMP opted not to come under the New Veterans Charter, legislation brought in during the spring of 2006, their veterans, are not covered for a number of services, Rebiere said Tuesday. "There is no job retraining, no paid schooling, nothing to get them back on the street to start a new life," he explained. "We are not under the Veterans Charter."

He said an RCMP officer, with less than 20 years service, injured overseas and who could no longer work for the force would only receive their pension contributions plus whatever disability pension Veterans Affairs determines.

The RCMP is also not part of the what is known as the operational stress injury social support program, which helps those with PTSD, he added. RCMP veterans have been trying, without success, to acquire services under a federal program that provides payment for snow shovelling, allowing disabled veterans to continue to stay in their homes longer.

There are 182 Canadian police serving on international missions. Most are from municipal or provincial forces, while roughly 30 per cent are from the RCMP. Of the 182, 39 are serving as police officers in Afghanistan. Those 39 include municipal, provincial, RCMP and retired police officers, Young said.

If you want information on books by David Pugliese check out his Web site , view his biography or his photo website. Go to:

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CANADIAN AIR FORCE NEEDS COMPETITION ON NEXT GENERATION FIGHTER NEXT YEAR AT THE LATEST: DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-11-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen

The Canadian Air Force’s timetable to obtain a Next Generation Fighter in time for replacement of the CF-18 fleet by 2015/2016 requires a competition to be run no later than next year, according to Air Force documents obtained by David Pugliese’s Defence Watch.

According to a Sept. 25, 2008 Air Force briefing on the Next Generation Fighter Capability, the timetable for the purchase calls for a competition to be run next year and a contract with the winning aircraft manufacturer to be signed by 2012.

The timetable has prompted some in the Canadian Forces to push for a sole source deal with Lockheed Martin on the purchase of the Joint Strike Fighter. Those supporting such a process are worried that if a competition is held there would be delays and a Next Generation Fighter would not be procured to coincide with the phasing out of the CF-18 fleet.

According to the timetable obtained by Defence Watch, initial deliveries of the Next Generation Fighter would take place in 2015/2016 with the initial operating capability in 2018, according to the timetable. Full operating capability would be achieved by 2023.

Representatives with U.S. aerospace firm Boeing are arguing that it makes more sense to hold a competition and let the best aircraft win. It has been involved in meetings with Defence Department officials to promote that idea. In addition, Canadian industry representatives who support Boeing have approached government officials to question the idea of a sole source deal.

Boeing makes the Super Hornet, an improved variant of the F-18.

Canada has already invested $150 million (U.S.) in JSF. The government has also decided to take part in the next phase of the aircraft’s development, agreeing to invest around $500 million (U.S.) over the next 45 years. But according to government officials that investment does not automatically mean Canada will buy the plane.

That is enough for Boeing, BAE Systems and Saab Aerospace to begin marketing their aircraft to Canada. Over the last several months the firms have made presentations or provided information on their aircraft to Canada’s Defence Department. Boeing is offering Canada the F-18 Super Hornet, BAE is marketing the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab is highlighting the Gripen.

Ian Malin, head of Typhoon business development for BAE Systems, said the firm is looking to discuss teaming arrangements with Canadian firms who are not involved in JSF.

Defence Department spokeswoman Lianne LeBel has said no decision has been made by the government on the choice of a new fighter or on how the procurement will be handled.

If you want information on books by David Pugliese check out his Web site , view his biography or his photo website. Go to:

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DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN: FRENCH ARMOR VEHICLES CONSIDERED BY CANADIAN FORCES

2009-11-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

Nexter Systems, the French armored vehicle firm, has thrown its hat into the ring for both the Canadian Forces Close Combat Vehicle (CCV) and the Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) programs.

Nexter is offering the Canadian Army its Aravis vehicle for the TAPV program and (as noted here before) the VBCI armored vehicles for CCV,

The Hagglund’s CV90 from BAE Systems is being offered for CCV. I still haven’t heard whether Rheinmetall will be taking part in CCV.

Nexter officials will highlight its industrial benefits package by offering assembly in Canada of the vehicles.

Nexter Communications Director Jerome Dufour has noted that the company responded to the letter of interest issued in September by the Canadian government.

The Aravis is 12 metric tonnes while the VBCI is 28-tonnes.

The VBCI in the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) version would be offered to Canada equipped with a 25 mm canon.

According to Pierre Tran, my colleague at Defense News, the VBCI production line, relying heavily on subassembly “kits,” is designed to be easily set up for local assembly in foreign markets.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN: CANADIAN AFGHAN WAR VETERANS FEAR FOR THE FUTURE

2009-11-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

The New Veterans Charter might confuse those suffering from an operational stress injury, says Col. Pat Stogran.

Afghanistan vets fear for future care; Ombudsman has 'misgivings' about giving wounded lump-sum payments

The Ottawa Citizen

Tue Nov 3 2009

By David Pugliese

Canada's Afghan veterans are raising serious concerns about their future and whether they will be taken care of by the government in the decades to come, says the country's Veterans Ombudsman.

Retired Col. Pat Stogran says the problems revolve around the New Veterans Charter and some of the provisions in that legislation. One concern is that Afghan veterans who are wounded now receive a lump-sum payment. In the past, former soldiers got a monthly disability pension, he noted.

Other veterans have complained that the Charter is mired in red tape, Stogran added. "This New Veterans Charter, especially for someone suffering from an operational stress injury, is going to be so confusing and frustrating," he said.

"Another problem we're seeing as well is that a lot of the benefits fall off the face of the earth when the veteran turns 65," Stogran added.

The New Veterans Charter, started in April 2006, represents the most sweeping change to veterans' benefits and services in years, according to Veterans Affairs.

Department spokeswoman Janice Summerby stressed that the disability award is one of several benefits available. "The New Veterans Charter is ... part of a group of programs with a completely different focus which is the re-establishment (of the veteran) in civilian life," she added.

Summerby noted that Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson has repeatedly said the legislation is a "living charter."

"The department has been doing a lot to keep it current and there is a commitment to look at the input that other groups have provided," she added.

But Stogran said while the Charter is a good first step, there doesn't seem to have been too much effort to fix the problems. "There are (Afghan) veterans who are worried about the rest of their lives.

"All parties had a sense of urgency and agreed to put this thing through on the condition it was a living charter and it would be fixed where there were problems," Stogran explained. "My position is; let's fix it with the same sense of urgency that we brought it in with in the first place."

He said that if problems with the charter aren't fixed, he could see the various issues becoming a "political football" that will be played out on the floor of the House of Commons as problems emerge in the future.

Stogran also said any changes should be grandfathered to cover veterans who received such benefits starting in April 2006.

Some disabled Afghan veterans fall under the old system in which they receive the monthly pension and they have expressed their relief at being covered by that benefit, he added.

Both Senate and Commons committees looking into veterans' issues have been examining the Charter. "There will be lots more to come on this subject," added Summerby.

Several hundred Canadian soldiers have been physically injured during the Afghanistan war. In addition, there is the issue of post-traumatic stress syndrome or PTSD. Some specialists estimate about 20 per cent of those who served in Afghanistan will exhibit PTSD symptoms, ranging from anxiety to nightmares to suicidal tendencies.

A Commons committee recently released a report outlining how hard the problem is expected to hit the ranks in the future. Of the estimated 27,000 military personnel who have served in Afghanistan since 2002, the committee received estimates that slightly more than 3,600 could come down with some sort of mental health problem while, of those, 1,624 would have symptoms of PTSD and depression.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN: CANADIAN NAVY TRIES TO BOOSTING RECRUITING

2009-11-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

'Hard-sell' navy targets lagging military profile

Recruiting can't keep up with attrition among sailors

By David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen

October 15, 2009

Canada's top sailor says the country's navy has bottomed out in its ongoing problems with recruiting, and he is cautiously optimistic about new initiatives to attract skilled personnel to the maritime force.

Military recruiting efforts have focused on the army and the need to bring in personnel for the Afghanistan war, leaving the navy's ranks depleted and ships hurting for crews.

At the same time, attrition has taken its toll, creating what officers describe as a serious and worsening situation.

The navy's commander, Vice Admiral Dean McFadden, says the force hasn't yet turned the corner on its recruiting problems, but there are positive signs.

"The bit that keeps me reasonably comfortable is that I think we've bottomed out," said McFadden, who was named as head of the navy in June. "I think people have come to understand the extent of the problem, and I'm seeing measures put in place to get it fixed."

The navy has estimated that it will be short 1,000 full-time personnel by 2011. It now has 7,900 full-time personnel and 3,345 reservists.

McFadden said the focus at recruiting centres during the past several years had been on the army.

"There is no doubt that, in order to generate the land capabilities for what is the critical mission for us in Afghanistan, there are consequences in recruiting centres," he said. "A great many of the folks there are recently back from Afghanistan, and, when a young man or woman comes in, they can't help but be impressed by that individual."

He said there needed to be a better understanding in the Canadian Forces, not only of the navy's requirement for more sailors, but also of the necessity of technically qualified maritime recruits.

The navy has been trying to raise its profile lately, once again this summer undertaking a recruiting drive using one of its ships to visit ports in Quebec and Ontario. As well, a senior naval officer has been assigned to the Canadian Forces recruiting group, a move that McFadden hopes will raise the service's profile in that area.

"We understand we need to be more specific and targeted in our recruiting," he said.

In addition, the Canadian Forces is highlighting a subsidized education plan for naval technical occupations to interest students in community colleges.

The navy saw an increase in September in recruiting. McFadden, however, has said the overall progress of recruiting won't be known until early next year.

The navy has put more resources into supporting recruiting efforts, but while it has been successful in attracting new personnel, it hasn't been able to keep up with attrition. In addition, attrition for navy occupations is somewhat higher than those for the army or air force, a November 2008 Defence Department briefing report indicated.

"There is no doubt that the Navy, in terms of recruiting, was and remains a 'hard sell,'" the briefing concluded. "While this can be said of a number of technical occupations across the CF, the cumulative impact of consistent under-recruiting, combined with a trend to increased attrition, are having disproportionate impacts on the relatively small Naval occupations."

One of the main problems is that few Canadians know about the navy, officers say.

"Strategically, I believe that our major issue is a lack of public awareness of (the) Navy, what it does, how it does it and why it is a good life, one that Canadians should be considering actively and positively," Col. Matthew Overton, commander of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group at CFB Borden, Ont., wrote in November 2008.

McFadden has been meeting with media outlets in an attempt to raise the navy's profile.

"We need to do a better job in explaining our purpose," he said. "What is the value of predominately young Canadian men and women choosing service, and why should they be looking at the navy? I've got a big part to play in (explaining) that."

Military officers said last year that the navy must routinely "borrow" sailors from other ships to send warships out to sea. For example, when HMCS Protecteur operated in the Indian Ocean last summer, 108 of the ship's crew of 260 were not normally assigned to that supply vessel.

DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN CANADIAN FORCES CYCLONE HELICOPTERS COMING SOON

2009-11-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

MacKay, recently in Halifax, said that a Cyclone helicopter is expected at 12 Wing Shearwater soon (some in the defence community have suggested it could possibly arrive within weeks).

Jay Paxton, MacKay’s press secretary confirmed that the minister said that the first Cyclone would “soon” arrive. However, Paxton said that MacKay did not outline a specific timetable for the delivery or mention that it could be “within weeks.” Paxton did not provide further details on the delivery schedule.

The government had originally announced in December 2008 that the first Cyclone helicopter would be delivered in November 2010.

That is still a year from now, so if this original schedule is maintained then MacKay is arguably stretching the phrase "soon."

Sikorsky did not respond to a Defence Watch request for comment.

The first 19 helicopters delivered to the Canadian Forces will be designated as Interim Maritime Helicopters (IMH). These IMH aircraft will be fully functional and able to conduct testing and evaluation and training for MH maintenance and air crews, yet will not be fully compliant with the delivery contract, according to DND. Delivery of the first fully capable MH aircraft that meets all contract specifications will be in June 2012, at which point the previous IMH aircraft will then be retrofitted.

Training of MH air and ground crews to operate the Cyclone will begin in 2010, while operational testing and evaluation will be carried out with the new Cyclone aircraft in order to verify and validate the operational capabilities of the aircraft prior to its release to service, DND has noted in its backgrounder on the Cyclone.

The delivery has long been anticipated.

In July 5, 2007, Capt Erik Weigelin, Project Officer, HOTEF (Shearwater's Helicopter Operational Test & Evaluation Facility) wrote this for the Air Force:

“The much-anticipated arrival of the CH148 Cyclone to 12 Wing draws ever nearer, and preparations for its delivery continue at a rapid pace at Shearwater's Helicopter Operational Test & Evaluation Facility. HOTEF is charged with conducting Initial Operational Test and Evaluation of Sikorsky's newest helicopter to ensure it is fully capable of meeting the needs of the operational frontline crews who will man it, as well as the needs of the training squadron who will prepare those crews.

DAVID PUGLIESE'S PHOTO OF THE DAY: DANGLING FROM A SEA KING

2009-09-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

CANADIAN FORCES FIXED WING SEARCH AND RESCUE PROJECT LAUNCHED BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-07-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen

July 14, 2009

A $3-billion project to buy new search-and-rescue aircraft kicked off Tuesday in Ottawa amid complaints from aerospace industry officials that government representatives can't even say how many planes will be purchased or when.

The industry day, signifying the start of the much-delayed program, left aerospace representatives puzzled and at times, frustrated.

Government representatives who called the meeting couldn't answer questions on how many planes would be bought, when they would be purchased, whether they would be equipped with sensors or how they would be maintained.

Several participants described the event, put on by the Defence Department, Public Works and Industry Canada, as a disaster.

About 140 people were jammed into a room in a military hangar, with some having to stand in a nearby hallway. The audio-visual presentation that was to outline details of the program did not work and the microphones for the main speakers and audience members failed.

At the last minute, the Harper government shut down an invitation for the media to listen to the presentations, leading to a bizarre situation where government employees refused even to confirm they were government employees.

Various aerospace-industry representatives complained about the event, but few wanted to publicly criticize the government.

Rob Mauracher, vice-president of business development for Viking Air, acknowledged there were problems, but said he wanted to look at the positive aspects of the day. He said the lack of details on numbers of aircraft and when the aircraft would be bought could be viewed as indicating the government is now more flexible on what it needs.

"It opens a lot of doors for creative thinking," said Mauracher, whose British Columbia firm wants to offer a new variant of the Buffalo aircraft.

The Defence Department had approved a request from Canwest News Service to be allowed to listen to the search-and-rescue presentation by Brig.-Gen. Greg Matte, but at the last minute, that invitation was cancelled on orders from "higher up" in the Harper government, according to various officials.

A supervisor at the Government Teleconferencing Service, which was involved in broadcasting the meeting, said the order to ban the media "just came down" Tuesday morning. "We're doing what we're told," said the supervisor who declined to provide his name. "They've said to disclose nothing further."

He also declined to provide his name, confirm whether he was a public servant or discuss who "they" were.

Secrecy around equipment programs and how the Defence Department spends tax dollars has grown significantly under the Conservatives.

In May, MacKay pleaded with industry representatives to get out the word that military purchases were good for the Canadian economy.

But industry officials note that it is often MacKay's office and other government representatives, such as the Privy Council Office, who prevent firms from discussing projects.

Defence spokesman navy Capt. David Scanlon said despite the approval from the department for Canwest News Service to listen to the presentations, the meeting was intended "largely for representatives of industry." He released a slide show outlining information on the search-and-rescue project that noted that industry would be given 60 days to make suggestions to government.

The search-and-rescue planes would be bought to replace the 40-year-old Buffalo aircraft operating on the West Coast as well as the aging Hercules transport planes also being used for such missions.

In the past, the military has said it would like to buy 17 planes, but that number is now unclear. If a company can do the job with fewer or more aircraft, then the government seems open to that, according to industry officials.

For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to the Ottawa Citizen and David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

WILL THE CANADIAN MILITARY LEAVE GOOSE BAY?

2009-07-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen

July 13, 2009

Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced on Sunday $300-million in funding for the 5 Wing Goose Bay. The money is not for the establishment of new military units at the base. It’s to clean up various pollutants that have accumulated there since the 1940s.

Todd Russell, the Liberal MP for Labrador, believes the cleanup is the prelude to the eventual shutting down of the base. "When governments clean up they're looking to clear out," he said.

But MacKay’s people say the Harper government is committed to a military presence in Goose Bay.

According to the press release issued by DND on Sunday, “this funding demonstrates the Government's commitment to environmental clean-up, and to generating economic opportunities for the local economy.”

The cleanup project is anticipated to be completed by 2020.

NEW ARMORED VEHICLES AND CHINOOKS FOR CANADIAN FORCES TO BE ANNOUNCED

2009-07-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

By David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen

July 7, 2009

The Harper government has approved a plan to purchase new armoured vehicles for the Canadian Forces and is set to announce that it has finally reached a deal on the purchase of additional Chinook helicopters.

The government is now trying to decide how best to roll out the military projects, which total almost $10 billion, for maximum public-relations value.

The helicopter and armoured-vehicle programs are expected to be among a number of defence-related announcements to be made throughout the coming months by the government, according to defence insiders.

On Tuesday morning, Defence Minister Peter MacKay will be in Gander, N.L., to make an announcement at the search-and-rescue squadron there. The announcement will be about 9 Wing Gander, but other details are not being released at this point, according to the Defence Department. Earlier this year, Mac-Kay went across the country making a series of announcements about infrastructure improvements at various bases.

Asked about the Chinook and armoured-vehicle projects, MacKay's press secretary Jay Paxton said: "We have nothing to announce." He added that when a project is to be announced, the news media will be informed.

Officials with Boeing, the manufacturer of the Chinook helicopters, referred all questions about the deal to the Canadian government. But in an interview in May, Boeing business-development manager Richard Meanor said he expected a government announcement on the Chinook deal by the end of the summer.

The Harper government originally announced its intention to buy 16 Chinooks in the summer of 2006, but negotiations with Boeing have been slow because Canada wanted a variety of changes made to the aircraft. In the meantime, the Canadian Forces also purchased six used Chinook helicopters from the U.S. military for immediate use in Afghanistan.

The 16 Chinooks aren't expected to be delivered until after 2011, the end of Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan, according to various Conservative cabinet ministers.

In the summer of 2006, the Defence Department noted that the

total cost of the purchase of the 16 Chinooks would be around $4.7 billion. That included a 20-year support package for the aircraft.

The armoured-vehicle purchases would include what is being called a close-combat vehicle that would be used to accompany the army's Leopard 2 tanks. The acquisitions will also include a new armoured tactical patrol vehicle and an upgrade of the existing LAV-3 fleet that has been worn down by continued use in Afghanistan. Also added to the package is the purchase of a new armoured engineering vehicle.

Defence industry officials estimate the value of the armoured-vehicle purchases total around $5 billion.

The approval by the government of the purchases now sets in motion the process for the Defence Department to officially begin the projects and receive funding from Treasury Board. The individual programs will then unfold over the next seven to 10 years.

According to a timeline of the procurements obtained by the Citizen, the bulk of the money for the close-combat vehicle and the tactical armoured patrol vehicle would be spent from 2013 to 2016. It is unclear whether the Conservative government will move more quickly than that with the procurements.

At one point, consideration was being given to announce both the Chinook deal and the armoured vehicle package all at once at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, but that plan did not proceed, say defence insiders.

Late last year, army commander Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie said the purchase of the new vehicles could be used as part of the government's economic stimulus to create jobs. In particular, the upgrades of the LAV-3s would be attractive to the Conservatives since that work would likely be done at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada facilities in London, Ont., and Edmonton.

The rest of the vehicle purchases would be from foreign firms, with industrial input from Canadian companies. Some firms, such as DEW Engineering of Ottawa, have already joined forces with BAE

Systems of Britain in anticipation of the close-combat vehicle program.

A number of exhibitors at the recent CANSEC military trade show held in Ottawa were also highlighting what they could offer the Canadian Forces.

For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to the Ottawa Citizen and David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

EQUIPMENT OF DEAD AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS PROVIDES CLUES TO SAVING LIVES BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-06-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

War-torn equipment helps provide better safety for Canadian soldiers

By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen

June 26, 2009

Canadian soldier of the NATO-led coalition take a rest after six hours foot patrol in the Taliban stronghold of Zhari district in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, as seen in a file photo.

Photograph by: Stefano Rellandini, Reuters

The battered equipment of Canadian troops killed in combat is providing clues for a team of defence scientists to improve gear and to save the lives of soldiers.

Staff from Defence Research and Development Canada have had such a program in place since the fall of 2006 and expanding it to include examinations of the equipment of those wounded in action is a possibility.

"The bottom line is we're trying to ensure that the equipment did what it was supposed to do and to see if there is anything that could reasonably be done to modify the equipment or add additional equipment that could help mitigate further injuries of that nature," said Maj. Stephen Boyne, head of the soldier systems integration group at DRDC.

The process builds on the work from the coroner's office in Toronto where autopsies are conducted on Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. At the end of that examination, a soldier's personal protective equipment, such as helmet and bulletproof vest as well as other items of clothing, is sent to DRDC facilities where a team begins to look for clues. Each piece of gear is examined.

"They'll try to relate that damage back to the autopsy findings so (what they're) looking at was the equipment involved in mitigating any injuries, what was the threat (and), if there were fragments recovered, what were they within?" explained Boyne.

Fragments recovered from the equipment are sent for further analysis.

Staff from DRDC Toronto and the Canadian Forces Environmental Medicine Establishment, DRDC Valcartier, Que., and, at times, DRDC Suffield, Alta., are all involved in the effort. Staff from the military's various equipment offices are also part of the team.

The tests have already resulted in a number of modifications. For example, shoulder protectors on fragmentation vests have been lengthened and extended to cover more of the upper arm, Boyne said.

"We've added throat protection to protect the front of the neck and we're in the process of developing a protector for the rear of the neck," he added.

Although such improvements may have been considered before, the equipment analysis allows the military to decide priorities for what extra protection should be developed, Boyne noted.

A similar analysis is done on Canadian vehicles damaged or destroyed in Afghanistan. A technical officer does an on-site assessment and when the vehicle is returned to Canada, a team examines it in more detail.

"They use the findings combined with injury reports and autopsy reports to determine what modifications, if any, need to be made to the vehicles to provide better protection to the troops," Boyne said.

Boyne said expanding the program to include the wounded and even uninjured would be useful, though the extent of such an expansion is unclear. Because medical records are considered confidential, privacy flags have been raised.

At the same time, the team has to make sure that it doesn't make changes to equipment that might somehow inadvertently alter its life-saving capabilities, Boyne explained.

"(You want to) make sure that in trying to make something better for an injury that you saw, you aren't actually making it worse for a bunch of injuries that didn't happen because of the way the equipment is currently configured," he added.

The United States military also has a program to examine the bodies of those killed in action as it searches for ways to improve gear. Besides autopsies by military pathologists, a CT scan to create a profile of the injuries of the deceased also is done. So far, approximately 3,000 bodies of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been examined.

Boyne said Canada does not use CT scans in its process. The coroner's office in Toronto does not yet have a CT scanner but a DRDC official also said that the information gathered through the various Canadian examinations is enough that CT scans are not needed.

To read more from Ottawa Citizen journalist David Pugliese go to:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

CANADIAN FORCES CHINOOKS TO BE BASED AT CFB PETAWAWA BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-06-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Air Force has made an internal recommendation that CFB Petawawa be the new home to the 16 Chinook helicopters it hopes to eventually receive.

Although no contract has been signed yet it is anticipated by this summer.

CFB Edmonton, CFB Bagotville and CFB Petawawa were in the running as the location.

The official line from DND is that no decision has been made on where to station the Chinooks. An estimated 450 personnel will be assigned to the location of wherever the helicopters are based.

The Basing Recommendation Briefing produced by the office of CAS Lt.-Gen. Angus Watt notes the following: “Petawawa was assessed as being the most operationally responsive location to support the Army and special operations forces while incurring a reasonable and proportionately minor infrastructure cost increase compared to Bagotville,” the briefing pointed out.

The main drawback of Bagotville, according to the briefing, was the lack of “army acculturation.” The CF defined that as the “beneficial personal effect of co-location between Army and (Chinook) personnel on an Army base.” CFB Bagotville is an air force base.

“Proximity with Army personnel in liaison, daily operations and personnel inaction is a key enabler to maximizing interoperability during training and operations,” the briefing noted.

It points out that extra costs to operate from CFB Petawawa would amount to $338 million while locating at CFB Bagotville would cost $341 million. CFB Edmonton was the most expensive option at $380 million.

“Petawawa was assessed as being the most operationally responsive location to support the Army and special operations forces while incurring a reasonable and proportionately minor infrastructure cost increase compared to Bagotville,” the briefing added.

Besides being the most expensive, the negative aspects of CFB Edmonton included its high cost of living, the far distance away from CANSOFCOM units--JTF2 located in Ottawa and CSOR in Petawawa, as well as concerns about urban encroachment, noise and night flying.

Petawawa has a large amount of space for operations and is far enough away from major urban centres.

The Bloc Quebecois has complained in the House of Commons about Bagotville being passed over.

But with no official decision yet announced will CFB Petawawa ultimately be the new home for the aircraft or will politics play a major role here?

If you want to view some of David Pugliese’s previous defence articles from the Ottawa Citizen please go to this site which is updated regularly with either archival or newly published articles:

http://davidpugliese.wordpress.com/

If you want information on books by David Pugliese check out his Web site , view his biography or his photo website. Go to:

http://members.shaw.ca/dpugliese/

For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to the Ottawa Citizen and David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

VIKING GUARDIAN AIRCRAFT POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2009-06-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

EXPERIENCED MILITARY PERSONNEL HAVING TROUBLE RE-ENLISTING

2009-06-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

FROM DAVID PUGLIESE DEFENCE WATCH

OTTAWA CITIZEN

It seems the recruiting process is still a problem for those experienced military personnel who thought they would try to re-enlist.

Here is what I wrote in August, 2007 for the Ottawa Citizen about efforts underway:

“The Canadian Forces has sent out a request to highly experienced ex-military personnel to come back into the ranks as it tries to recruit enough soldiers for the future and deal with the fallout from the ongoing mission to Afghanistan.

Letters were sent out at the end of March by Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk to non-commissioned officers, captains and majors that their services are needed to shore up the army. The general points out that the military is not only working to expand the regular and reserve forces, but “we are also facing greater demands for Canada to support more and more overseas missions while maintaining a healthy force within Canada to respond to domestic crises.”

In the letter, directed to members of the supplementary reserves, the general states there is a high demand for experienced personnel to fill positions in the army. “We are looking for trained professionals to assist in a variety of ways in various locations and under a range of employment options,” writes Lt.-Gen. Natynczyk, the vice chief of the defence staff.”

And here is the latest trials and tribulations from one Defence Watch reader who asked that his name be published (his email is similar to a number that I have received from retired personnel):

“I've been out of the CF for a few years (after serving 20 already). When I heard of the personnel shortfalls, I felt duty-bound to answer the 'call'. I started the application process with the CF Recruiting Centre (Ottawa) about a year ago and haven't heard from them in six months - despite a couple of calls last week.

David, if they're trying to attract (and retain) experienced people, they've got some work to do.... Honestly, it boggles the mind! Lets hope this new officer (in recruiting) gets his **** together and starts marching to a different tune!!”

GABE BATSTONE IN AFGHANISTAN

2009-06-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

COMBAT ACTION BADGE WILL NOT BE ISSUED TO CANADIAN TROOPS

2009-05-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

By David Pugliese

Ottawa Citizen

A coveted military badge that was to have been presented to troops who saw combat in Afghanistan won’t be issued after all, the Canadian Forces has decided.

The combat action badge had been promised by former Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier and was long awaited by those troops who had been involved in intense fighting in Afghanistan.

But last fall, the military leadership decided not to proceed with the badge. They, however, didn’t bother to inform military personnel about the decision, Defence Department insiders confirm.

Worried about an upcoming Citizen article on the badge, the Canadian Forces hurriedly issued a military-wide message Friday from Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk, finally informing the troops they won’t be getting the award.

“The Canadian Forces and the Government of Canada is committed to honouring and recognizing the valued contribution of sailors, soldiers, air men and women of the CF,” Defence Department communications advisor Linda Coleman added in an email. “Significant improvements have been made to honour and recognize the service of our CF members.”

In his message Friday, Natynczyk stated the decision had been made “following consultation with sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen.”

But the announcement is a major reversal for the military. In an interview in April 2008 Hillier told the Citizen that the badge had already been designed and would be issued to soldiers who had been in a combat operation.

Afghan war veterans had been keen to receive the combat insignia, a situation acknowledged by Hillier. He stated that the badge would be issued by the end of 2008.

But in a interview with the Citizen late last year Natynczyk pointed out there were problems with determining who would get the badge. At that point, he said, the issue was being reconsidered.

He noted that when the badge was first proposed the Canadian military had just fought in Operation Medusa in 2006 and a limited number of soldiers had experienced combat up until that point.

But two years on into the war large numbers of personnel experienced some form of action. “The idea at that time was only the door-kickers, only those who were going into operations would do the combat action,” Natynczyk explained. “Now what you’re finding is whether you be a trucker, whether you be a medic, everyone in theatre is having a lot of opportunities to work outside the wire. Now everyone is getting into firefights.”

That prompted a re-thinking on awarding the badge, with defence insiders noting there were concerns raised by those in favor of the insignia that it was no longer special. It would have been awarded both to personnel who had engaged in dozens of firefights with insurgents as well as soldiers who were fired at once during their tour of Afghanistan.

“The one thing we don’t want to do is have something that’s not enduring and that’s not truly special to folks,” Natynczyk explained.

According to Coleman the improvements made in recognizing the service of Canadian Forces personnel include the modernization of the Memorial Cross and reintroducing the Memorial Scroll and Memorial Bar and a simplified and accelerated nomination process for individual honours.

Also included is the creation of a number of new medals to recognize service such as the South-West Asia Service Medal, the General Campaign Star and the General Service Medal with their various bars and the Sacrifice Medal.

But a number of soldiers have contacted the Citizen to voice their displeasure about not receiving the award. They say they earned the badge under fire.

For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to the Ottawa Citizen and David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

If you want to view some of David Pugliese’s previous defence articles from the Ottawa Citizen please go to this site which is updated regularly with either archival or newly published articles:

http://davidpugliese.wordpress.com/

PREDATOR C PHOTO POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-04-30T09:03:00.001-07:00

U.S. ARMY OFFICERS VISIT CALGARY TO SEE NEW TWIN OTTER AIRCRAFT POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-03-16T12:00:00.001-07:00

CORMORANT SEARCHES S-92 CRASH AREA POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2009-03-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

FIRST PHOTO OF SIKORSKY CYCLONE IN FLIGHT POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2008-11-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

CV90 PHOTO 1 POSTED BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2008-11-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF GEN. WALTER NATYNCZYK PHOTO BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2008-10-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

HMCS CALGARY COMES HOME BY DAVID PUGLIESE OTTAWA CITIZEN

2008-10-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

An MQ-9 Reaper with Two GBU-49 GPS Guided Bombs

2008-09-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

U.S. Air Force Photo

NEW SHIP FOR THE ARCTIC

2008-07-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

BE MYERS LASER DAZZLER PHOTO BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2008-07-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

LASER DAZZLER PHOTO FOR SMALL ARMS PHOTO BY DAVID PUGLIESE

2008-07-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

TLAV IN ALBERTA

2008-07-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

PHOTO BY KEN RAYCHERT

C-27J Spartan for U.S. Joint Cargo Aircraft program has its first flight

2008-06-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy Alenia

CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS REGIMENT OPERATORS EXITS CHOPPER

2008-06-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

CSOR INSERTION, PHOTO COURTESY CSOR, posted by David Pugliese

CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS REGIMENT IN ACTION

2008-06-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

CSOR IN ACTION. Photo courtesy CSOR, posted by David Pugliese

DORADO UNDERWATER ROBOTIC VEHICLE TO BE USED IN FRONTIER SENTINEL

2008-06-02T19:40:00.001-07:00

Dorado being lowered into the water. Photo courtesy Canadian Forces

CANADIAN NAVY'S DORADO ROBOTIC VEHICLE PHOTO 1

2008-06-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy Canadian Forces

Dorado underway

FRENCH DIVERS TO TAKE PART IN SUB RESCUE EXERCISE

2008-05-25T20:56:00.001-07:00

French military divers take part in submarine rescue exercise Bold Monarch 08. Photo provided by Bold Monarch/NATO

RUSSIAN RESCUE SUBMARINE EXERCISE BOLD MONARCH

2008-05-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

Russian rescue submarine taking part in Exercise Bold Monarch 08. Photo courtesy Bold Monarch

Tom Bakkeli finishes SOF parachute jump

2008-05-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy Tom Bakkeli

Tom Bakkeli on SOF Jump

2008-05-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

Norway's Special Forces Photo 2

2008-05-21T20:32:00.001-07:00

Norway's SOF in Action Photo by Defence Forces SOF Photographer Torbjorn Kiosvold.

Norway's Special Forces Photo 1

2008-05-21T20:28:00.001-07:00

Norway's SOF in Action. Photo by Torbjorn Kiosvold

HMCS Iroquois

2008-05-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

The HMCS Iroquois leaves for its duty in the Persian Gulf, with well-wishers waving goodbye.

Canada First Defence Strategy Unveiled

2008-05-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Harper unveils Can First with troops.

General Dynamics unveils LAV H

2008-05-13T10:06:00.000-07:00