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I recently read that Canada‘s newest MTVEs have band tracks. Is this correct? That would certainly address the track road-wear/maintenance problem. While road speed would not match a LAV, the MTVE‘s cross-country mobility and up-armour simplicity makes it a vital piece of kit in our inventory...

Page 118 of this report has some good detail: http://www.cochraneinstitute.com/Reports/preventdeaths43a.pdf Almost sounds too good to be true, and to be honest I‘m unsure if this latest incarnation has been comprehensively field tested with the 120mm. If it functions like they claim though...

The M8 Thunderbolt is the latest incarnation of the M8 Buford. I‘m not sure of its development/production status (I‘m pretty certain it is not in production at this point) but there are pics and details via Google. It‘s been up-gunned to 120mm and a few other improvements have been made...

I‘d take the M8 Thunderbolt Armoured Gun System with bells and whistles... 120mm gun = increased firepower RPG armour = sufficient protection Band tracks = good on and off road mobility Around half as heavy as a Leo = cheaper and easier to deploy Plus room for troops in the back.

Of course we all want tanks and 109s and Chinooks and more regular brigades and new destroyers and a new Airborne Regiment etc...the question is what can we afford, and what can we deploy with our current funding? I‘m pretty sure the people in charge will tell you there isn‘t money to deploy and...

Of course resupply is the primary role, I‘m simply bringing attention to the new, important advantage that JSS will bring the CF, and, in particular, the Army.

The last time the Tories were in power there was far more attention to defence spending than we‘ve seen in the last decade, and while all of the Mulroney government‘s plans were not implemented (new tanks, nuclear subs etc.), major efforts were made, such as the construction of 24 new ships for...

The JSS project will go through, and it will be a valuble addition to the CF. Once these ships are operational, we will be able to send each one abroad with two companies of soldiers, LAVs, MGS, Gwagons etc, ready to go ashore. They will also operate as floating command centres on operations.

Take a look at any conservative party anywhere and you will find that defence concerns are placed high on the list of policy priorities; there‘s no question that a Tory govt in Canada would result in increased CF spending and attention, and I‘m not even a firm Conservative Party supporter. Can‘t...

I would say a Tory government will almost certainly take power in the next decade, and that there is a good chance such a government would shift the CF to a more warfighting-focused institution. While we will lose some skills with MGS I don‘t think that will stop a future govt from investing in...

Replacing our Leos with more heavy MBTs isn‘t really a realistic option considering our perpetually cash-strapped status. MGS brings two advantages: 1. Half as heavy as a Leo, which means cheaper and easier to deploy. I recently read that armour twice as heavy costs four times as much to deploy...

I‘m curious to hear comments regarding the incident in which Dallaire saw a few of his Belgian troops dead or dying on the ground in a compound as he drove by. I‘ve never really understood why he didn‘t immediately contact his other units to intervene in the situation (whether it was too late or...

I would prefer to replace the M109s but at the same time I think there is some sense in turning the RCHA into a more light and deployable force. We will certainly lose some punch but I think the vast majority of CF missions do perfectly well with LG1/C3 arty support.

I think if a new MBT is out of the question then the M8 would be ideal. Has anyone heard of any significant problems associated with this platform? From what I‘ve read it walks all over MGS. I think bottom line is that if we‘re sending a wheeled LAV 111 battle group into combat it needs to be...

Many reserve armour units still use patrols, though normally it is exlusively officers and senior NCOs who wear them. But I‘ve seen them worn on parade in public a number of times. Anyone know if regular armour officers can wear patrols at any time these days? Even just for weddings and the like?

with 66 Stryker MGS purchased sounds like they could pull such a situation off. If 20 went to a squadron of the RCDs, and 20 went to a squadron of 12 RBC, that would leave 26 as training vehicles/replacements. Sounds like it could work to me, unless I‘m missing something. I think this scenerio...

Essentially our three regular brigades are full, conventional brigade size (with perhaps a few manpower shortages here and there), and our nine or ten reserve brigades are close to battlegroup size, essentially "mini" brigades. This is due to the fact that each reserve unit only stands at about...

There‘s no need for silly exaggerations. What we‘re talking about is a simple issue of respect for the army‘s hardest-earned headdress.

Your description of the word "sacred" is exactly how many would describe the airborne brotherhood and all of its associated symbols. Yes, we‘re just talking about a hat, but I think you know full well that the maroon beret is much more than just a hat. I know many people that would view my...

I think we need to draw the line somewhere, and the maroon beret is the place to do it. And I don‘t see why PPCLI cadets need to be wearing the U.S. Pres Unit Citation. Plus, there are many airborne soldiers who would consider their berets much more than simply "different" and "distinct". MP...