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

Congrats to all active CAF members on receiving your retro-active to April pay increases today. Well deserved and long time coming.
 
Germany has our same procurement problem. The pace of the bureaucracy imposed by existing processes.

Solution is apparently to change the process.

When you get down to your shortlist don't pick a winner. Buy them all. And the fix them.


....

The Americans



.....

These seem to be trying to emulate practices forced on Ukraine by circumstances.
 

Estonian defence budget

5% Infrastructure
37% Procurement
25% Ammunition
13% Operations

3% Intelligence and early warning

14% Labour (Regulars) 7700
3% Support for the Defence League (Unpaid Volunteers) 14,000

Reservists 250,000
Trained Reservists 80,000
Ready Reservists 38,800
 

Another instance of South Korea's Hyundai franchise system?


It also occurs to me thatthe popularity of this solution may also have to do with the difficulty in finding skilled trades. With this system Hyundai can supply Lego blocks and the future mechanics can literally learn their trade from the ground up under close supervision from factory trainers. Each client country then gets a qualfied maintenance and support system.
 
It also occurs to me thatthe popularity of this solution may also have to do with the difficulty in finding skilled trades. With this system Hyundai can supply Lego blocks and the future mechanics can literally learn their trade from the ground up under close supervision from factory trainers. Each client country then gets a qualfied maintenance and support system.
There is probably more the question of buying or creating the machinery that makes the part. Assembly as you say is akin to putting together a Lego kit that only requires limited skills supported by quality control.

A truly independent maintenance system requires having the tools and dies necessary to manufacture all the constituent parts of the vehicle on an indefinite basis. Anything less than that keeps you dependant on the OEM. LG1s and C3 howitzers enter the chat.

🍻
 
There is probably more the question of buying or creating the machinery that makes the part. Assembly as you say is akin to putting together a Lego kit that only requires limited skills supported by quality control.

A truly independent maintenance system requires having the tools and dies necessary to manufacture all the constituent parts of the vehicle on an indefinite basis. Anything less than that keeps you dependant on the OEM. LG1s and C3 howitzers enter the chat.

🍻

Four separate trends

Lathe operators of the old school are becoming hard to find
Many parts are machined on multi-axis CNC mills
The rise of additive processes
Broken parts are replaced not repaired.

...

The Lego parts may also be turned out locally with the necessary software for the latest design being transmitted through cyberspace.

I am guessing that it is operators for that environment that Palantir is trying to recruit from high school.
 
Four separate trends

Lathe operators of the old school are becoming hard to find
Many parts are machined on multi-axis CNC mills
The rise of additive processes
Broken parts are replaced not repaired.

...

The Lego parts may also be turned out locally with the necessary software for the latest design being transmitted through cyberspace.

I am guessing that it is operators for that environment that Palantir is trying to recruit from high school.
Just because something is CNC doesn’t mean it is push button and instantly works. If your making it wrong on a CNC it means your making a lot of wrong fast. One offs need constant checking in programs and making sure everything is going right. Once proven it is a different story, however your making a bunch to get away from skilled machinists as opposed to operators.

Lots of parts are still repaired, it is what repair shops (like where I work) exist for. Smaller parts it is usually easier to just replace, larger it is usually easier to repair. If a bearing fit on a large shaft gets destroyed it is easier to undercut, weld, and re-machine said fit than it is to remake the whole shaft.

You would be amazed at how much of the work I do is just repairing/fixing work done on a CNC which was made incorrectly from the get go. Even quality manufacturers are accidentally letting out of spec parts through.

The military is better off having a robust supply system and a supply of quality verified parts in said system than trying to make such parts themselves. Any system bought should be enough to supply what we currently have with enough spare parts for the expected lifespan of the product and war stock.

The MilCots was a perfect example of trying to not have the supplies available on demand due to it being a ‘commercial model vehicle’ ignoring that the fleet became obsolete from civilian perspective within 5 years of being produced and as such parts became much harder to source.

Machinists can be a justified trade for the CAF. However it isn’t a fix all solution and it isn’t as easy as plug and go. You might be able to do one offs here and there, but machining also takes time, likely more time than getting it shipped to them by a good supply system.
 
My problem with the article was the statement by the Coast Guard Commissioner that his assets didn't need defending because they weren't in a theatre with threats.

I disagree.

Red Security - Civil
RCMP
Coast Guard
Transport Canada/NavCan
RCAF - SAR Transport
Rangers
CBSA
Corrections
Canadian Space Agency
CSIS

Teal Security - Military
RCN
CA
RCAF
....
 
Four separate trends

Lathe operators of the old school are becoming hard to find
Many parts are machined on multi-axis CNC mills
The rise of additive processes
Broken parts are replaced not repaired.

...

The Lego parts may also be turned out locally with the necessary software for the latest design being transmitted through cyberspace.

I am guessing that it is operators for that environment that Palantir is trying to recruit from high school.
The lesson to me comes from the C3 howitzer which has major issues in being repaired. The gun is dead simple. A family machine shop in a back alley in Mumbai could probably recreate any part we need (as can our Navy machine shops) but the IP problem re the C1 to C3 conversion has been a significant multi decade problem.

Lego part replacement is a good thing . . . if you can get the part in a timely manner from the OEM . . . or can fabricate it locally if not.

In another thread I said that I liked the FMTV - one reason is that all the parts are straightforward flat plates or standard beams that any shop should be able to field fabricate and slap on. I hate formed metal like those on most of our logistics vehicles - it always requires being tied to an OEM.

I like simple crap for the army.

🍻
 
What is the IP problem. The gun is so old how can there be any IP not already under license to Canada.
 
The lesson to me comes from the C3 howitzer which has major issues in being repaired. The gun is dead simple. A family machine shop in a back alley in Mumbai could probably recreate any part we need (as can our Navy machine shops) but the IP problem re the C1 to C3 conversion has been a significant multi decade problem.

Lego part replacement is a good thing . . . if you can get the part in a timely manner from the OEM . . . or can fabricate it locally if not.

In another thread I said that I liked the FMTV - one reason is that all the parts are straightforward flat plates or standard beams that any shop should be able to field fabricate and slap on. I hate formed metal like those on most of our logistics vehicles - it always requires being tied to an OEM.

I like simple crap for the army.

🍻

We keep running into absolutes though.
We will always run out of horseshoe nails.

If it isn't ammunition, or fuzes then it will be barrels or tires. Or ball bearings and hydraulic fluids.

Not everything can be fixed.

Sometimes the right answer is to quit.
Or bring in a replacement.
 
Just because something is CNC doesn’t mean it is push button and instantly works. If your making it wrong on a CNC it means your making a lot of wrong fast. One offs need constant checking in programs and making sure everything is going right. Once proven it is a different story, however your making a bunch to get away from skilled machinists as opposed to operators.

Lots of parts are still repaired, it is what repair shops (like where I work) exist for. Smaller parts it is usually easier to just replace, larger it is usually easier to repair. If a bearing fit on a large shaft gets destroyed it is easier to undercut, weld, and re-machine said fit than it is to remake the whole shaft.

You would be amazed at how much of the work I do is just repairing/fixing work done on a CNC which was made incorrectly from the get go. Even quality manufacturers are accidentally letting out of spec parts through.

The military is better off having a robust supply system and a supply of quality verified parts in said system than trying to make such parts themselves. Any system bought should be enough to supply what we currently have with enough spare parts for the expected lifespan of the product and war stock.

The MilCots was a perfect example of trying to not have the supplies available on demand due to it being a ‘commercial model vehicle’ ignoring that the fleet became obsolete from civilian perspective within 5 years of being produced and as such parts became much harder to source.

Machinists can be a justified trade for the CAF. However it isn’t a fix all solution and it isn’t as easy as plug and go. You might be able to do one offs here and there, but machining also takes time, likely more time than getting it shipped to them by a good supply system.

The big problem seems to be that nobody can get good machinists, even the Chinese judging from the quality of the work I have had to deal with.

I agree fully with what you say about the CNC system. They do work best in a high volume line with a good QA system.

On the other hand you can do a pretty awful repair job with a lathe and a drill press.

You can do one offs on a mult-axis mill. Subject, again, to the inputs and set up.
 
The big problem seems to be that nobody can get good machinists, even the Chinese judging from the quality of the work I have had to deal with.

I agree fully with what you say about the CNC system. They do work best in a high volume line with a good QA system.

On the other hand you can do a pretty awful repair job with a lathe and a drill press.

You can do one offs on a mult-axis mill. Subject, again, to the inputs and set up.
You can do one offs, however there is risks such as programs being written wrong, errors, them not translating the exact same on all the machines, making sure the sizes are right, etc. hence the need for a skilled machinist to do it.

There is a serious lack of skilled machinists, even a ticketed machinist doesn’t mean good at the job (I know a few I wouldn’t hire if it was my shop). Some are only good/competent on certain machines, which is like anything in life, some can work anywhere, some get put in a niche (either due to competency or lack thereof).

That trade has had a rough go because for a few decades they allowed the trade to bleed out due to technological advancement. Now there is a serious shortage of skill. My shop restarted a apprenticeship program in 2017, last apprentices they trained before that was 1986… a 31 year gap or a full career apart.
 
I think we need those 1,000new RCMP officers tout suite

Cannabis plants worth $200M seized in raids on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, police say​

34 suspects facing charges after illegal farms shut down in September, October​



Why? Not their turf.

It seems not everybody on the Territory is happy about it.

 
Why? Not their turf.

It seems not everybody on the Territory is happy about it.

Because maybe they are upset that so much profit is being taken out from the territory and so many people have been exposed and arrested.
I am 100% behind exposing the crimes that are committed there, anywhere, and bringing all to justice.
 
Question about the Golden Dome project.
I understand the US’s desire for our participation, to cover off the northern approaches to the US. But was about Russian or Chinese subs parked off the western coast of Central America and signing missiles north towards the US from there. Will the US be able to do with thaws missiles before they reach the US? Why is Mexico not part of these discussions?
 
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