- Reaction score
- 8,119
- Points
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Well of course, its not easy when you have to use just the 3-star hotels for deployment. 
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1107810022725_103219222/?hub=Canada
Mon. Feb. 7 2005 3:55 PM ET
Air Force under stress, underfunded: Senate
Canadian Press
OTTAWA â †Canada's air force is stressed beyond its capability, its equipment and personnel depleted by years of neglect, the Liberal head of the Senate defence committee said Monday as opposition MPs in the Commons hammered the government on defence underfunding.
Senator Colin Kenny urged Ottawa to boost military spending by 30 per cent in its Feb. 23 budget, saying the air force is just one example of a sector-wide problem that could ultimately limit the country's foreign policy goals.
"We have a really stressed air force that is being asked to do more than it's capable of doing,'' Kenny told the Senate committee on national security and defence.
"If the government isn't prepared to fund the military so that it's properly equipped the government's (foreign policy) goals and options are going to be badly limited in the future.''
His comments came after the head of the air force, Lt.-Gen. Ken Pennie, told the committee that air force resources are "somewhat depleted'' after years of downsizing.
"We have half the number of people and half the number of aircraft as we had at the end of the Cold War,'' Pennie said.
"Over the same period, the number of air force personnel deployed on operations has roughly doubled with no sign that the operational tempo will decrease.''
Aging aircraft, personnel shortages and eroding infrastructure _ all in the face of money shortfalls _ put further strain on the ability of the force to fulfil its role, Pennie said.
"The air force faces a sustainability gap in its ability to generate operational capability.''
On Friday, the new chief of defence staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, used his change-of-command ceremony to call on the government to give the military more money in the coming budget.
In the Commons, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said the Liberals have "nearly starved the military to death'' in the last 12 years. Hillier's statement was a "cry for help'' after more than a decade of neglect, he said.
Defence Minister Bill Graham said the government is already addressing the issue in its ongoing defence and foreign policy review.
"We have promised to increase the size of the Canadian Forces; we have promised to obtain better equipment for them; we are on track to do that and we will deliver on that promise,'' said Graham.
"We are turning the corner.''
The questions arose after reports the government spent $4 million renting two Russian Antanov heavy-lift aircraft to transport Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team to the tsunami disaster zone in December.
It had to rent the planes because it doesn't have suitable aircraft for the job.<
Pennie told the committee Monday that his staff is assessing the need for heavy-lift aircraft to transport soldiers and equipment, which he noted isn't as simple as one-aircraft-fits-all.
The military requires aircraft for domestic, international and heavy transport, he noted. And the job done by the aging fleet of Hercules aircraft cannot necessarily be done by larger C-17s or the like, which require bigger airstrips for takeoff and landing.
The ultimate decision will be based largely on the outcome of the policy review, early drafts of which relegated the air force to a domestic security and surveillance and a support role that would require heavy-lift aircraft to transport resources to overseas hotspots and disaster zones.
Kenny said the requirements are clear.
"It's really up to the politicians to show some leadership and to provide the funds so that the military is properly resourced,'' he said.
"Until we see that leadership, we're going to see the military ... wasting a whole lot of time and effort trying to make do with something less than the best.''
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1107810022725_103219222/?hub=Canada
Mon. Feb. 7 2005 3:55 PM ET
Air Force under stress, underfunded: Senate
Canadian Press
OTTAWA â †Canada's air force is stressed beyond its capability, its equipment and personnel depleted by years of neglect, the Liberal head of the Senate defence committee said Monday as opposition MPs in the Commons hammered the government on defence underfunding.
Senator Colin Kenny urged Ottawa to boost military spending by 30 per cent in its Feb. 23 budget, saying the air force is just one example of a sector-wide problem that could ultimately limit the country's foreign policy goals.
"We have a really stressed air force that is being asked to do more than it's capable of doing,'' Kenny told the Senate committee on national security and defence.
"If the government isn't prepared to fund the military so that it's properly equipped the government's (foreign policy) goals and options are going to be badly limited in the future.''
His comments came after the head of the air force, Lt.-Gen. Ken Pennie, told the committee that air force resources are "somewhat depleted'' after years of downsizing.
"We have half the number of people and half the number of aircraft as we had at the end of the Cold War,'' Pennie said.
"Over the same period, the number of air force personnel deployed on operations has roughly doubled with no sign that the operational tempo will decrease.''
Aging aircraft, personnel shortages and eroding infrastructure _ all in the face of money shortfalls _ put further strain on the ability of the force to fulfil its role, Pennie said.
"The air force faces a sustainability gap in its ability to generate operational capability.''
On Friday, the new chief of defence staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, used his change-of-command ceremony to call on the government to give the military more money in the coming budget.
In the Commons, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said the Liberals have "nearly starved the military to death'' in the last 12 years. Hillier's statement was a "cry for help'' after more than a decade of neglect, he said.
Defence Minister Bill Graham said the government is already addressing the issue in its ongoing defence and foreign policy review.
"We have promised to increase the size of the Canadian Forces; we have promised to obtain better equipment for them; we are on track to do that and we will deliver on that promise,'' said Graham.
"We are turning the corner.''
The questions arose after reports the government spent $4 million renting two Russian Antanov heavy-lift aircraft to transport Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team to the tsunami disaster zone in December.
It had to rent the planes because it doesn't have suitable aircraft for the job.<
Pennie told the committee Monday that his staff is assessing the need for heavy-lift aircraft to transport soldiers and equipment, which he noted isn't as simple as one-aircraft-fits-all.
The military requires aircraft for domestic, international and heavy transport, he noted. And the job done by the aging fleet of Hercules aircraft cannot necessarily be done by larger C-17s or the like, which require bigger airstrips for takeoff and landing.
The ultimate decision will be based largely on the outcome of the policy review, early drafts of which relegated the air force to a domestic security and surveillance and a support role that would require heavy-lift aircraft to transport resources to overseas hotspots and disaster zones.
Kenny said the requirements are clear.
"It's really up to the politicians to show some leadership and to provide the funds so that the military is properly resourced,'' he said.
"Until we see that leadership, we're going to see the military ... wasting a whole lot of time and effort trying to make do with something less than the best.''
