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Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

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I have long said that you could fund the CAF to 4 percent of GDP, but we would still lag behind in NATO and be much the same where we are.

It's never the money, it's politics. It's procedures. It's the pork-barreling in our defence spending that makes us a paper tiger in NATO.

My only hope in all of this for the CAF and the GoC, whatever the political stripe that may be, is that it will rouse them out of the "Peace Dividend" slumber. The world has been unstable since 1945. We have used geography, proximity, and association as a Defence Policy ever since. ICBMs don't care how close to the U.S. or how far from Russia/China we are.

Don't give us a dime more, but let us spend money on defence like it matters. The fact we follow the same rules for purchasing a fighter aircraft as we do for buying office furniture for a Service Canada office is disgraceful. Don't treat defense procurement as a stimulus package for Canadian Industry. There I said it.

We spend so much money, time, and effort trying to get that money to stay in Canada; be it by awarding contracts to companies with no capability to produce items without first "retooling" and"developing the production lines", or by hamstringing perfectly competent and competitive bidders by forcing the project to be made in St. Margaret de Poutain de Champignon, QC because the ruling government either lost the seat in the election, or won it with promises.

We spend so much money and staff hours jumping through TBS regulations that are great for other departments, but are terrible for defence procurement. Some items you have to sole source, because there are technologies and capabilities no one else makes. By doing the bid process, you get companies clamoring for a project they can't deliver on, but because they tick the bright boxes on the score sheet....

I truly and honestly belief we need to split from PSPC and legislate that its not beholden to TBS, only to the PBO/PCO. The guiding principles of this new Defence Procurement department should be "Off the shelf, from somewhere else" if there isn't an industry in Canada.

BOOTFORGEN has demonstrated how well we do when we are able to actually get what we need, instead of lining the pockets of a Canadian company that got lucky.

That, but with tanks, fighters, ships, weapons systems....
 
@Quirky’s original post made me remember the “ADF GOFO” thread I started last fall and from that the 219 that the article quoted were just Reg F GOFOs. There were almost 330 Res F GOFOs in the ADF in 2022-2023 (different year than the article).

So…roughly 550 GOFOs in the Australian Defence Force, for a force of about 55k people.

View attachment 83590

Post in thread '“ADF so bloated with star-ranked officers that its combat effectiveness is at risk” - Research paper'
“ADF so bloated with star-ranked officers that its combat effectiveness is at risk” - Research paper

For the ADF Res F - are they structured as Canada is - that is, is there an equivalent to the Supplementary Reserve rolled into those numbers?
 
@Quirky’s original post made me remember the “ADF GOFO” thread I started last fall and from that the 219 that the article quoted were just Reg F GOFOs. There were almost 330 Res F GOFOs in the ADF in 2022-2023 (different year than the article).

So…roughly 550 GOFOs in the Australian Defence Force, for a force of about 55k people.

View attachment 83590

Post in thread '“ADF so bloated with star-ranked officers that its combat effectiveness is at risk” - Research paper'
“ADF so bloated with star-ranked officers that its combat effectiveness is at risk” - Research paper

So 58 regular Brigades in 22 Divisions under 5 Corps with an additional 101 Brigades in 30 Divisions under 2 Corps in reserve?
 
For the ADF Res F - are they structured as Canada is - that is, is there an equivalent to the Supplementary Reserve rolled into those numbers?
No idea, sorry.

So 58 regular Brigades in 22 Divisions under 5 Corps with an additional 101 Brigades in 30 Divisions under 2 Corps in reserve?
I think I mentioned it in the other thread in the fall, but let’s just say their “head of air shows” is a 1*.
 
Like anything, at least we're being talked about.

I think with all the bad press, Canadians are realizing that the CAF's issues are not strictly related to "post-COVID recovery" or "harmful sexual misconduct/culture change." We have gradually seen our Armed Forces gutted or rust out for the past 30-40 years and its come to roost.

It may have been seen as being hawkish 5 or 10 years ago to suggest we needed a stronger defence and foreign policy in Canada. Post 22 Feb 2022... national Pharmacare, geography, and previous International Rules Based alliances aren't protecting us from Russian, Chinese, or Iranian threats abroad or domestically.

Canadians now are horrified to think what would happen if Kherson was Calgary, Odessa was Halifax, or Bakhmut was Smalltown Anywhere, Canada. The realization that we have zero ability to provide continental defence if the U.S. walked away from NORAD is a terrifying threat now coming to consciousness in Canadian society. Its 20 years too late, but its a start and hopefully becomes a platform issue for Election 2025.
Somehow I don't think so.
 
BLUF, CAF is bleeding to death.

State of Canadian Armed Forces' combat readiness growing worse, government report warns​

No surprise.

Canada going into an operation in 2024
1. Canada receives request from ally for assistance;
2. Canada does a gender inclusivity assessment of which troops to send;
3. Canada consults indigenous groups for their thoughts;
4. Canada appoints a bureaucrat to assess the plausibility of said operation;
5. Canada upgrades assessment to include LGBTQFGHARQ+ (Rainbow);
6. Said appointed bureaucrat hires out Liberal friendly consultants for a low fee of $15 million (Can) to assess how to execute mission without compromising inclusivity;
7. A further $10 million (Can) awarded to another Liberal friendly consultant to assess climate impact of operation;
8. Liberals introduce additional carbon tax bill to fund said operation because climate impact said it would be beneit;
9. An additional $55 million is needed by original consultant to further understand societal impact of operation;
10. CDS is given a heads up to be prepared to send forces;
11. New MND is appointed, further delays to allow new MND be brought up to speed;
12. Re-evaluation of mission after CDS says can not support the mission; and
13. Blame Harper/Conservatives for the failure of it all.
 
BLUF, CAF is bleeding to death.

State of Canadian Armed Forces' combat readiness growing worse, government report warns​


I'm not one to cut the government, or the system, much slack but...

Tonight, at 50% readiness, Canada could only generate a force of:

42 tanks,
18 M777s
300 LAVs
250 TAPVs
1500 Logistics Vehicles (various)

40 Griffons
8 Chinooks

30 F18s

6 Frigates
2 Subs
6 MCDVs
2 AOPS..

and some other stuff.

It is not nothing. A lot of imbalances there and we should be doing more, and more bodies, ammo and spares are needed...... all stipulated.

But 50% readiness in a peacetime establishment still yields a reasonable Day 1.

The bigger question would be how long will it take to get the other 50% into the field and then the next 50% after that.
 
I'm not one to cut the government, or the system, much slack but...

Tonight, at 50% readiness, Canada could only generate a force of:

42 tanks,
18 M777s
300 LAVs
250 TAPVs
1500 Logistics Vehicles (various)

40 Griffons
8 Chinooks

30 F18s

6 Frigates
2 Subs
6 MCDVs
2 AOPS..

and some other stuff.

It is not nothing. A lot of imbalances there and we should be doing more, and more bodies, ammo and spares are needed...... all stipulated.

But 50% readiness in a peacetime establishment still yields a reasonable Day 1.

The bigger question would be how long will it take to get the other 50% into the field and then the next 50% after that.

What's the average availability/VOR rate for those machines I wonder? ;)
 
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No surprise.

Canada going into an operation in 2024
1. Canada receives request from ally for assistance;
2. Canada does a gender inclusivity assessment of which troops to send;
3. Canada consults indigenous groups for their thoughts;
4. Canada appoints a bureaucrat to assess the plausibility of said operation;
5. Canada upgrades assessment to include LGBTQFGHARQ+ (Rainbow);
6. Said appointed bureaucrat hires out Liberal friendly consultants for a low fee of $15 million (Can) to assess how to execute mission without compromising inclusivity;
7. A further $10 million (Can) awarded to another Liberal friendly consultant to assess climate impact of operation;
8. Liberals introduce additional carbon tax bill to fund said operation because climate impact said it would be beneit;
9. An additional $55 million is needed by original consultant to further understand societal impact of operation;
10. CDS is given a heads up to be prepared to send forces;
11. New MND is appointed, further delays to allow new MND be brought up to speed;
12. Re-evaluation of mission after CDS says can not support the mission; and
13. Blame Harper/Conservatives for the failure of it all.
need a pathetic emoj
 
industry asks for $400 million investment to start a new 155mm production line in Canada, government answer? here is $4.4 million. seriously, if there is anything that says we are not actually taking defense seriously, it is this.

 
industry asks for $400 million investment to start a new 155mm production line in Canada, government answer? here is $4.4 million. seriously, if there is anything that says we are not actually taking defense seriously, it is this.


An even bigger disincentive for business to start anything:

 
I'm not one to cut the government, or the system, much slack but...

Tonight, at 50% readiness, Canada could only generate a force of:

42 tanks,
18 M777s
300 LAVs
250 TAPVs
1500 Logistics Vehicles (various)

40 Griffons
8 Chinooks

30 F18s

6 Frigates
2 Subs
6 MCDVs
2 AOPS..

and some other stuff.

It is not nothing. A lot of imbalances there and we should be doing more, and more bodies, ammo and spares are needed...... all stipulated.
It’s nothing for a G7 country.

But 50% readiness in a peacetime establishment still yields a reasonable Day 1.
But…
The bigger question would be how long will it take to get the other 50% into the field and then the next 50% after that.
Or even support them once in the field.

I don’t see 50% readiness for several months being possible for Canada.
Which personally to me screams out that the Reg Force needs a massive realignment.

If you are under 80% readiness with your Regular Force, I would say you are getting terrible ROI.
 
It’s nothing for a G7 country.

I don’t see 50% readiness for several months being possible for Canada.
Which personally to me screams out that the Reg Force needs a massive realignment.

If you are under 80% readiness with your Regular Force, I would say you are getting terrible ROI.

Its hard to get an ROI when you have no desired outputs for it. The CAF exists (at least in the minds of politicians) as a reluctant expense, like car insurance.

If we exist solely as a "Break Glass in Case of War" solution, or at best as a very small token of foreign policy capital to be bandied about when our allies are getting annoyed; its hard to maintain or develop a competent and capable force.

Its not troops, or eqpt, or money, or... it is a lack of political will and vision on our government that sees the CAF starved for capability.

If you leave your herding dog out in the cold, emaciated, and in rough shape; you only have yourself to blame when the coyotes have their pick of lambs.
 
I

6 Frigates
2 Subs
6 MCDVs
2 AOPS..

Can we really provide that? See a lot of talk about crew jumping from ship to ship in order for them to sail. Almost seems like we would be lucky to put 3 frigates out at once while manning I mean crewing the rest.

We have 2 subs? (yes sarcasm)
 
Can we really provide that? See a lot of talk about crew jumping from ship to ship in order for them to sail. Almost seems like we would be lucky to put 3 frigates out at once while manning I mean crewing the rest.

We have 2 subs? (yes sarcasm)
If it came to conflict, the NAVRes to my understanding i in a better position compared to the ARes. I don't know how many ships we could crew out but I imagine a few
 
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