Pale’ my man, no worries there… ‘blame Canada’ I’ll sing along… happy ‘joshing about’ within the Realm is encouraged… remember, I’m still in envy of the Roos for having the ‘Pigs’. Someday, oh yes someday, our old (and I mean 40+ years old) SeaKings will finally get their day of rest.
we’re finally getting somewhere, while it may be a minority, the new Conservative party government will have (IMHO) achieved more by the end of this coming week than their predecessors did in 12 years. I’ve been a whole-hearted supporter of our ‘Forces’ for ages and its finally nice to see long neglected needs addressed – and I’m not about to cry foul over what priorities are getting served first.
The lead-up to this is killing me…
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2006/06/25/1652765-cp.html
“Later in the week, the Conservatives will outline plans to spend $3 billion on four strategic lift aircraft – also meant to shuttle troops and equipment overseas in a hurry. A Senate committee recommended Ottawa purchase six to eight high-lift planes.
Ottawa will also set aside an additional $4.6 billion for tactical lift planes to replace aging Hercules transports, and
there are plans to announce $1.1 billion in spending on military trucks in Quebec.
The prime minister is expected to be in Edmonton on Wednesday, where requirements for 15 new tactical helicopters, possibly Chinooks, will be released.
The $4.6 billion purchase would give Canadian troops, primarily in Afghanistan, the ability to move around the battlefield. More importantly, it would allow them to be resupplied from the air, instead of the ground where convoys face the deadly prospect of roadside bombs.
But the question in military circles is how those unarmed transport helicopters will be protected in combat zones, such as Afghanistan, where aircraft face the threat of rocket propelled grenade attacks from insurgents on the ground.
The air force will eventually need to either arm existing rotary aircraft or purchase attack helicopter, a senior military officer said in a background briefing.
“It’s a capability we’re going to have to address,” said the high-ranking officer in Afghanistan, who asked not to be identified.
“On landing the (transport) choppers can be fired on with (rocket propelled grenades for example.”
Canadians troops currently hitch rides on helicopters belonging to other coalition countries and those aircraft rarely leave Kandahar without an attack helicopter escort, usually U.S. Apache gunships.
One stop-gap measure being considered by military planners is to arm a handful of existing army utility helicopters until bona fide attack helicopters can be purchased. “
I’m personally intrigued by the reference to attack helicopters… could be something interesting in the offing over then couple years… hmmm, certainly would have been a bit of a priority if I had some control… but its starting to look like we have some direction regarding roles and tasking, and about time too.
The same article refers to funding for 3 new resupply ships for the Navy. Still no specifics regarding a RO-RO/Amphib assault vessel and landing craft.
James
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