Continental Defence Corvette

[SeaKingTacco]

I guess where I was attempting to go with this is:

When Obama was dropping Hellfire's all over Afghanistan/Pakistan, were the operators of those unmanned assets based in Afghanistan or back in the US?

If they were based in the US and the unmanned assets were based in Afghanistan, then why can't something similar occur on a ship? We are talking about 7-10yrs out from here at a min.

That is a strategic level asset. And they weren't trying to launch and recover them from a moving deck.

And the US possesses a satellite communication suite the rest of the world can only dream about.

So- no.

 

[RangerRay]

I thought I saw a story years ago about Canadian Predator pilots operating out of a seacan in Kandahar…suggested to me that UAV pilots had to be relatively nearby.

 

[Halifax Tar]

That is a strategic level asset. And they weren't trying to launch and recover them from a moving deck.

And the US possesses a satellite communication suite the rest of the world can only dream about.

So- no.

I could see issues getting a ship closed up; and bird launched for ASW threat based action stations as well, with the pilot XXXXkms away.

 

[dapaterson]

I thought I saw a story years ago about Canadian Predator pilots operating out of a seacan in Kandahar…suggested to me that UAV pilots had to be relatively nearby.

Depends on the aircraft, among a plethora of other issues.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Should we have Attack Helicopters... probably.

Does it have anything to do with embarked aviation... nope. AH is the wrong tool for the job, even armed recce. The days of flying around the ocean looking for ships visually are long gone. Maritime armed recce should be done with a light MH, such as a Lynx, or perferably a Wildcat.

I couldn't find a picture, but VU-32 used to operate CH-135 Twin Hueys from ashore for fleet general support. If we could afford a split fleet (and granted, we may have to if DND wants to embark on the AOPS) then maybe bring that back with a Canadian built UH-1Y. Although I'd perfer a Wildcat, it's a pretty big ask.

If we were to switch to the SH-60, I think a split fleet of Romeos and Sierras with increased numbers makes a lot of sense.

Getting back to the topic at hand, I think the CDC without manned embarked aviation is short sighted. This alone, in my mind, should be enough to split fleet and have a smaller helicopter.

I will admit my bias, as I spend my time researching how and why the decisions that led to the Sea King on the St Laurants were made.However, we did operate a 10 ton Sea King from a 2,250 ton DDH for a long time, quite effectively it turns out.

Certainly one fear that cannot be overstated is that some dimwit in Ottawa is certain to try and push the NH90 onto the RCAF/ RCN to fill any medium helicopter gap created by CDC and AOPS.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Yes I hear they are going cheap...