CH-146 Griffon

[GK .Dundas]

Can the rotary wing part of the RCAF be removed from the RCAF and the Army and RCN have aviation under their control?

Yes, but neither the Army or the Navy will ever forgive you for it.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Can the rotary wing part of the RCAF be removed from the RCAF and the Army and RCN have aviation under their control?

So, you want the people responsible for LSVW, MSVS and almost entirely getting rid of Air Defence and Field Artillery to be in charge of helicopters?

 

[FJAG]

So, you want the people responsible for LSVW, MSVS and almost entirely getting rid of Air Defence and Field Artillery to be in charge of helicopters?

There is so much stuff happening at the ground (or sea)/air interface that it's hard to determine who should make what decisions.

There's no doubt that the army made some bad ones in the past but mostly within the framework of very limited funding with no-win decisions required. Neither the RCAF nor the RCN are safe from such criticism.

One needs to look realistically at where RCAF dominance over tactical aviation (ground and sea) needs to stop especially as the trend to smaller and cheaper unmanned systems replace what were previously expensive, delicate, manned assets.

It's a tough call, especially as, regardless, it will be made by folks who only have theoretical and not practical experience of these new capabilities.

 

[Good2Golf]

So, you want the people responsible for LSVW, MSVS and almost entirely getting rid of Air Defence and Field Artillery to be in charge of helicopters?

No thanks. Not even a promise of 20 Aviation Reserve Squadrons all led by Tac Hel PRes LCol and advised each by a HCol and HLCol is enough to get me to say yes.

OPCOM (and OPCON, TACOM and TACON) is just fine, thanks.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I will add that, even though I agree with @Good2Golf , I would still love to see the opening up of a stream to make it possible for some MH drivers to be able to go to XO and then CO positions after their tour as Squadron commanders or Air Det CO, even if they go back to the MH world upon completion.

I know, I am a NWO and that's heresy. Well, burn me at the stake then.

 

[PuckChaser]

So, you want the people responsible for LSVW, MSVS and almost entirely getting rid of Air Defence and Field Artillery to be in charge of helicopters?

Hey now, they created and authorized instructor badges for the only 2 important CTC schools as a priority instead.

 

[Good2Golf]

I will add that, even though I agree with @Good2Golf , I would still love to see the opening up of a stream to make it possible for some MH drivers to be able to go to XO and then CO positions after their tour as Squadron commanders or Air Det CO, even if they go back to the MH world upon completion.

I know, I am a NWO and that's heresy. Well, burn me at the stake then.

OGBD, a Fleet Air Arm and consideration of command of specific Ships might make sense, but it may be the case that the RCN doesn’t have the will to consider Fleet Air Arm officers into command positions like the RN does. Interesting, an industry colleague of mine post-release was an RN Sea King and skippered HMS Ark Royal, so I know it can be done, just the will issue, there being ‘a way’ at least in some navies.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

It used to be that way too in the RCN. Bonnie was always commanded by a flyer, and many a Fleet Air Arm officers ended up in command of the steamers and other surface ships. One of my first CO was Jake "crash" Kennedy, who was a fleet air arm flight observer as original trade.

P.S. The nickname "crash" did not relate to his capacity to put a ship alongside, contrary to rumours, but to the fact that he survived three crashes on deck of a carrier in his career. He was the CO of Terra Nova when she was sent to intercept a Soviet cruiser nearing the Grand Banks in the 60's. He had asked for ROE's but was getting no reply from Ottawa so acted on his own by the time it got there. When the ROEs finally arrived (too late), he had basically broken just about everyone, but got the Soviet to turn back. They couldn't relieve him of command because the failure was Ottawa's and he was hailed as a hero in the fleet, but he never got any promotion or interesting posting after that time.