Canada moves to 2% GDP end of FY25/26 - PMMC

[Halifax Tar]

Very much. Dudes twisting themselves into pretzels to justify more HIMARS. If you want more, just make the case for the expeditionary force to have more. At least that is sellable. Instead of arguing that the only solution to a dark contact is to sling a US$3.5M PrSM at it.

Agreed.

Also Canada doesn't need and expeditionary Army. But I digress here we are.

 

[ytz]

Agreed.

Also Canada doesn't need and expeditionary Army. But I digress here we are.

Debatable to me. Based on foreign policy and all that. What's not debatable is a call to have high end land capabilities at home with zero relation to the actual threat.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Debatable to me. Based on foreign policy and all that. What's not debatable is a call to have high end land capabilities at home with zero relation to the actual threat.

Excellent topic for a campfire and Strawberry Rhubarb moonshine.

 

[Kirkhill]

Except the DoC Div is basically 100% PRes at this point.
Which means it isn’t really a DoC Div, as by the time the PRes get activated, arrive at their site, draw equipment, get ammo, move out as necessary, and are ready for action the event is over and has been for quite some time (for better or worse).

The DoC is just a way for the Reg Force to shunt the PRes off and spend nothing on them.

It doesn't have to be that way. And you know that fine.

Volunteers can be contracted for part-time and full-time work under the existing Class ABC system.

 

[Kirkhill]

And I could argue air force types arguing against UAVs because they cut into flight hours and navy types arguing against UUVs and USVs because they cut into sea pay. And everybody arguing against automation because it cuts into boots on parade and justification for higher ranks.

The Ukrainians are making all sorts of unconventional solutions work because they have to.

They have rendered the Russian navy obsolete in the Black Sea. The Russians are reduced to using Q-ships in the Baltic. How long before the North Atlantic is turned into another NATO lake? Patrolled by self-propelled, self-reporting sensors.

Lots of competition for rice bowls.

 

[Kirkhill]

In fact, I am going to double down.

We are contemplating reducing our 88 F35 order to something greater than 16.
I propose we cut that in half to 44.
That saves us 44 aircraft at 100 Million a piece. Or 4.4 Billion in capital costs. Plus half of the operating and maintenance costs over 30 or 40 years.

How many GBAD regiments, complete with long range fires batteries such as I described, could be bought for the Militia's DoC Division to crew?

St John's
Halifax
Vancouver (Victoria)
Prince Rupert

I will add three more Regiments

Toronto-Hamilton
Montreal-VdQ
Ottawa-Kingston

And their LRPS batteries, being less useful in the interior, can be kept mobile so they can respond to the threat, or be loaned out to friends and business associates.

 

[KevinB]

I wouldn't go that far. But I do think there's asymmetric speed on development here. There's an urgent need to get the regular army to the point they can provide heft in Europe. And so that is being prioritized. Meanwhile they are working out what to do with the reserves. And putting them in a separate org does enable this asymmetry.

Yes because nothing says fixing the symmetrical issues like putting the Reg Force Light Infantry Regiment into a Mech Div…

 

[KevinB]

In fact, I am going to double down.

We are contemplating reducing our 88 F35 order to something greater than 16.
I propose we cut that in half to 44.
That saves us 44 aircraft at 100 Million a piece. Or 4.4 Billion in capital costs. Plus half of the operating and maintenance costs over 30 or 40 years.

How many GBAD regiments, complete with long range fires batteries such as I described, could be bought for the Militia's DoC Division to crew?

St John's
Halifax
Vancouver (Victoria)
Prince Rupert

I will add three more Regiments

Toronto-Hamilton
Montreal-VdQ
Ottawa-Kingston

And their LRPS batteries, being less useful in the interior, can be kept mobile so they can respond to the threat, or be loaned out to friends and business associates.

Why?

One may be able to argue the requirement for some C-UAS at some DND sites, but generally those would be ports and fall under the RCN - and as we’ve belabored repeatedly Force Protection is a 24/7 job and not for the Reserves in peacetime.

I’d like the Reserves to get HIMARS solely to create a second and third division with actual equipment and a role.

 

[ytz]

And I could argue air force types arguing against UAVs

Go ahead. I've argued both in forums and in any professional context where I get the chance to, against the MQ-9. You seem to think there's uniform consensus on this.

The Ukrainians are making all sorts of unconventional solutions work because they have to.

They are making lemonade out of lemons. And that's great and all. But that doesn't mean that every single thing the Ukrainians do applies to us.

They have rendered the Russian navy obsolete in the Black Sea.

Our AOR alone on each coast is larger than that. Not to mention our AOI and AII. The air, space and naval capabilities we want to get reflect the area that needs to be covered.

In fact, I am going to double down.

You do that. Unless you're the PM, MND, CDS, or Chief of Force Development, nobody cares dude. There's a process to translate defence policy from Cabinet into capabilities. And unless you're somebody highly empowered in that chain, what you think is irrelevant. Good for a chat here though. So have at her. F' it. We should have 30 000 HIMARS. Standard issue to every soldier. The only question is whether to issue BMQ-L or when fully trade qualified.

 

[ytz]

Yes because nothing says fixing the symmetrical issues like putting the Reg Force Light Infantry Regiment into a Mech Div…

Was it actually called a mechanized division?

Man. Some of you guys get way too hung up on names. It's pretty clear there's a broad strategy here to separate reg f combat arms, res f combat arms and supporting elements. Names are superfluous. They can be changed.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Yes because nothing says fixing the symmetrical issues like putting the Reg Force Light Infantry Regiment into a Mech Div…

I saw that movie!

 

[KevinB]

Was it actually called a mechanized division?

Man. Some of you guys get way too hung up on names. It's pretty clear there's a broad strategy here to separate reg f combat arms, res f combat arms and supporting elements. Names are superfluous. They can be changed.

3x CMBG’s kind of makes it a mech Div, even if it’s mostly LAV and only 2 tank ‘Bn’.

It’s called a Maneuver Div at this junction, but my issue is putting the LIR into it is stupid. As the LIR role is vastly different than the rest of the Div.

I mean I don’t see the RCAF putting Griffons and Hercules into CF-18 organizations, and that is sort of akin to it.

It’s solely a Reg v Res thing, which to me is incredibly shortsighted for the CA (but not unexpectedly so).