Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[lenaitch]

Just bring the rail head to the factory. You can't tell me with CN and CP we don't have the talent to quickly build rail logistics

So long as the customer pays. Cost = distance. Most likely it would be a private contractor anyway. I doubt the Class 1s build much industrial trackage these days.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

No scotch involved. Pure caffeine this morning.

Keep swimming is good.

I am just minded that:

We walk a very narrow path.
Our domestic facilities for conventional arms are very limited.

For example - can we produce a medium calibre autocannon (20-40mm)?
Our American owned GDOTS-Canada can manufacture 20 and 25mm rounds in small quantities, as well as some 40 mm grenades. To my knowledge we have no domestic supplier of 30 and 35mm rounds, or 40mm Bofors and no suppliers of the necessary guns. And those are the calibres that appear to be best suited to the drone rich environment being encountered out there.

Here is one appreciation of the non-conventional systems that could be fielded in 3-5 years:



In my opinion the good news is that Ukraine managed to build those systems starting from a very weak position, using domestic manufacturers that did not interfere with the production of conventional weapons.

On the other hand they have had to beg, borrow and steal guns, bullets, bombs and missiles.

A facility that can make 25mm rounds can be rejigged to 30-40mm fairly quickly, or better yet, have a new line opened to provide both. The training, safety and QC portions of the business will be the same.

 

[Maxman1]

And that is why I asked about it being bought out by us.

Retool the facility to make AFV, tracked - both tanks and IFV as Kevin pointed out - working with the SK's gives us the possibility of K9 and the K2, just need the IFV side of things.

Location would be perfect because of the abundant tool & die expertise from Windsor to the GTA that would be available.

The patents on those are long gone, and any IP claims would be impossible to claim given they’ve been all over the world.

Canada has a lot of LAV’s. Missing are Tracked IFV’s, Tracked SPA, Tanks (or missing a decent number at least) ADA systems etc.

I wonder if there's a business case for BAE Systems to build CV90s in Canada. Or even serial production of new Challenger 3s, given the limited number and age of the hulls being converted.

 

[childs56]

Which would be dependent on GDLS' American parent maintaining the plant in London. One of the goals of Trump's "disruption" is to repatriate (patriate?) manufacturing to within its borders, specific among that, automotive. By tariffs (or even a more robust application of ITAR) the same pressure could be applied to US defense industry to consolidate their manufacturing in the USA.

I am pretty certain that GDLS Canada is a stand alone market from US systems, for manufacturing and providing systems for Canada and partners.
The make up of GDLS Canada was through amalgamation of various Canadian Companies/ plants to form the core of GDLS Canada.
If the US shut down GDLS Canada then the Canadian Government could stop the removal of said manufacturing equipment. Stand up the original Companies to build under license.
One thing that has worried me over the years is Canadian Companies selling to the larger US companies in order to be able to compete for contracts. Some of the smaller Canadian companies amalgamated with the larger US defense contractors and gave away some of their rights. It has worked out overall for the money side of things. But it has also limited their scope they can work because of restrictions placed on them by the United States.
It will be interesting if Trump orders the removal of Defense contract and or tariffs on items built outside the US by US defense companies. He might find himself missing the critical components inside some of the equipment he is trying to sell others while becoming the worlds largest supplier of equipment.

 

[ueo]

I know. That’s why the OTF is where it is.


Don’t mistake initial conversion training (that can happen anywhere) with tactical joint training.

Your logic actually support the Chinook OTF at 447 Sqn in Edmonton, so it’s a short hop to CMTC Wainright for Level 4, T, 6 training. Not section attacks in Gagetown.

It also supports training with CANSOF, which is all very close to where 450 is.

They’d travel for a bit of TD to conduct joint training as required. TD’s cheap.


Why is the Army’s jump school on an RCAF base?

Airplanes live there!

 

[Good2Golf]

Airplanes live there!

Want to take a guess when an 8 Wing C-130J last supported a CAAWC para serial, vice a contracted support aircraft?

 

[Underway]

Australia, Canada announce $4B over horizon radar agreement - Breaking Defense

This may be "the single biggest defense industry export from Australia in our history. So this is a really, really big opportunity for the nation," Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said today.

breakingdefense.com

Some interesting news. Canada already developed the "dark ship" detection satellite that Australia uses in this sytem. Middle powers unite, form of arctic radar!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Want to take a guess when an 8 Wing C-130J last supported a CAAWC para serial, vice a contracted support aircraft?

They contract C-130s?

Hmmmm

 

[MilEME09]

Australia, Canada announce $4B over horizon radar agreement - Breaking Defense

This may be "the single biggest defense industry export from Australia in our history. So this is a really, really big opportunity for the nation," Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said today.

breakingdefense.com

Some interesting news. Canada already developed the "dark ship" detection satellite that Australia uses in this sytem. Middle powers unite, form of arctic radar!

Seems Carney pulled a fast one on the yanks

https://twitter.com/x/status/1902331117027430775

 

[Quirky]

Sweet, we're getting radars to detect things! What do we have to stop them?

 

[PrairieFella]

Sweet, we're getting radars to detect things! What do we have to stop them?

We just got a commitment for a multi billion dollar radar system that will be more advanced than even what the Americans can muster and your first inclination is to find the negative. Brah, you need a B12 shot. Take the win.

Missiles are the easy part now under GBAD or whatever comes out of our air defence procurement which is well underway.

 

[JLB50]

Sweet, we're getting radars to detect things! What do we have to stop them?

Flyswatters?

 

[KevinB]

I wonder if there's a business case for BAE Systems to build CV90s in Canada. Or even serial production of new Challenger 3s, given the limited number and age of the hulls being converted.

CV-90 yeah, but the Challenger is an orphan, the U.K. does not have a lot of them, and the last thing Canada needs is another orphan system.

 

[KevinB]

A facility that can make 25mm rounds can be rejigged to 30-40mm fairly quickly, or better yet, have a new line opened to provide both. The training, safety and QC portions of the business will be the same.

Not really as easy as that. 30-40mm cannon shells have a lot of options with sophisticated fuses and payloads. 25mm is fairly bog stock simple unless you’re into DU penetrators, but that’s not been a Canadian thing so far.

 

[Czech_pivo]

CV-90 yeah, but the Challenger is an orphan, the U.K. does not have a lot of them, and the last thing Canada needs is another orphan system.

And this would be to replace the Lav's or the Leo's or neither and be a 'net new' asset to be incorporated?

 

[Quirky]

We just got a commitment for a multi billion dollar radar system that will be more advanced than even what the Americans can muster and your first inclination is to find the negative. Brah, you need a B12 shot. Take the win.

Missiles are the easy part now under GBAD or whatever comes out of our air defence procurement which is well underway.

I’ve seen commitments before, they don’t always pan out. Once these radars are operational I’ll consider it a win, much like a F-35 landing in Canada.

It was a legit question considering radars are only half battle, you need to relax.

 

[KevinB]

And this would be to replace the Lav's or the Leo's or neither and be a 'net new' asset to be incorporated?

To me I believe that the primary IFV should be tracked to work with tanks. I would then use the LAV to motorize other Bde’s.

I would like to see Canada with an Armoured Division of 3 Bde’s, and a Light Division.

Right now there is no way the PRes can be used effectively beyond individual augmentee personnel.

So see a requirement for 2 Bde worth of a CV-90 type vehicle (and more tanks)

Then one can use the two current Bde worth of LAV to fill one of the Bde’s for the Arnoured Div, and one for the Light Div.

 

[daftandbarmy]

To me I believe that the primary IFV should be tracked to work with tanks. I would then use the LAV to motorize other Bde’s.

I would like to see Canada with an Armoured Division of 3 Bde’s, and a Light Division.

Right now there is no way the PRes can be used effectively beyond individual augmentee personnel.

So see a requirement for 2 Bde worth of a CV-90 type vehicle (and more tanks)

Then one can use the two current Bde worth of LAV to fill one of the Bde’s for the Arnoured Div, and one for the Light Div.

So that looks like #2 then, in this 'New Vision'...

... looking forward to seeing that magically appear in the near future

Enabling Full-time Capability through Part-time Service​

A New Vision for the Reserve Force​

2. Operational Level (Ready Capacity and Capabilities). Primary Reservists not on full-time service (i.e., Class A service) form the majority of CAF capacity, training in their assigned roles, held in reserve, until called out in an emergency. In units and formations across Canada, Reservists at this level maintain operational and administrative readiness through ongoing training and education, concurrently providing a combination of their presence living and working within Canadian communities with regular deployment on domestic operations. Outside an emergency, many of these part-time Reservists regularly consent to fill either temporary augmentation tasks in support of training or operations (as described above) or to undertake their own training, returning to part-time status and their civilian obligations afterwards. Such service has been instrumental to the ongoing capacity for the CAF to deploy on operations and/or meet short-term institutional needs.

CDS Intent. The development of new or enhanced capabilities assigned to the Reserve Force is a key to successful CAF reconstitution and modernization. I therefore expect force development activities to immediately adapt towards assigning appropriate CAF capabilities or distinct elements of capabilities to the Reserve Force, specifically the design of fully equipped force packages that are successfully integrated into force elements or task forces deploying on operations. While the asymmetric models for training and employing Primary Reservists across the services is recognized, force development planning must not be unnecessarily limited by it. I further expect that this includes consideration for the full establishment of new, joint enabling capabilities not currently resident in the Reserve Force.

Enabling Full-time Capability through Part-time Service - Canada.ca

The Canadian Armed Forces strategy to achieve the fundamental change for the Reserve Force outlined in Canada’s Defence Policy and integrated into Objective Force 2030 and Future Force 2040.

www.canada.ca

 

[PrairieFella]

So that looks like #2 then, in this 'New Vision'...

... looking forward to seeing that magically appear in the near future

Enabling Full-time Capability through Part-time Service​

A New Vision for the Reserve Force​

2. Operational Level (Ready Capacity and Capabilities). Primary Reservists not on full-time service (i.e., Class A service) form the majority of CAF capacity, training in their assigned roles, held in reserve, until called out in an emergency. In units and formations across Canada, Reservists at this level maintain operational and administrative readiness through ongoing training and education, concurrently providing a combination of their presence living and working within Canadian communities with regular deployment on domestic operations. Outside an emergency, many of these part-time Reservists regularly consent to fill either temporary augmentation tasks in support of training or operations (as described above) or to undertake their own training, returning to part-time status and their civilian obligations afterwards. Such service has been instrumental to the ongoing capacity for the CAF to deploy on operations and/or meet short-term institutional needs.

CDS Intent. The development of new or enhanced capabilities assigned to the Reserve Force is a key to successful CAF reconstitution and modernization. I therefore expect force development activities to immediately adapt towards assigning appropriate CAF capabilities or distinct elements of capabilities to the Reserve Force, specifically the design of fully equipped force packages that are successfully integrated into force elements or task forces deploying on operations. While the asymmetric models for training and employing Primary Reservists across the services is recognized, force development planning must not be unnecessarily limited by it. I further expect that this includes consideration for the full establishment of new, joint enabling capabilities not currently resident in the Reserve Force.

Enabling Full-time Capability through Part-time Service - Canada.ca

The Canadian Armed Forces strategy to achieve the fundamental change for the Reserve Force outlined in Canada’s Defence Policy and integrated into Objective Force 2030 and Future Force 2040.

www.canada.ca

Cool so as a reserve crewmen when can I expect access to courses and BTS training time for my Troop on LAVs or Leos so we can deploy together?

I get words and advocacy are about all the CDS can do in this case since the purse is ultimately with TBS but what will CDS do to enable this beyond hopes and dreams?

 

[Underway]

Seems Carney pulled a fast one on the yanks

https://twitter.com/x/status/1902331117027430775

I'm all for some chauvinistic nationalism smugness on a minor win here. We were going to get it anyways, and if the US is shuffling it's feet being first to the production line is a great place to be.