——
Canadian
American
Strategic
Review
——

Editorials  &  Opinion  ~  Archives Future Canadian Forces Armoured Vehicles –  Future Combat Systems –  January 2010 Armoured Vehicle Modernization After FCS:  Implications for Canada The demise of the US Army's Future Combat System (FCS) program has opened opportunities for  more  practical  plans  for  armoured  vehicle  modernization.  The  US  Army  has  replaced its  formerly  all-encompassing  and  over-reaching  approach  with a suite of  separate  efforts to  update,  extend,  and  recapitalize its  fleet of  both wheeled and  tracked armoured vehicles. The large sums of  money being invested in even these more modest development efforts may be particularly useful beyond the needs of just the US Army. In particular, upgrades to the 8x8 Stryker and development of so many designs for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) and Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programs may be very valuable to two vehicle projects for the Canadian Forces: LAV III modernization and the Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (TAPV). James  Hasik  reviews  DND's  Procurement  Plans  in  light  of  US  Acquisitions Afghan Mission  –   New US Troops  –  2011 Pull-Out  –  NATO~ISAF  –  December 2009 Summer  2011  Pull-Out  –   Downward  Ramp  –  Not  a  Cliff : Parliament  Should  Re-Think  the  CF  Exit  from  Kandahar Comments  by  a  journalist  on  the  performance  of  CF  troops  in  the  Arghandab  Valley On  13  December  2009,  David Pugliese  provided  a  link  to a report  on  the  battles  for  the Arghandab River Valley (ARV) to  the  northwest  of  Kandahar City.  The  author  makes  some rather  unfortunate  comments about  the  Canadian  Forces: [CF]  "made jabs at Arghandab but  did  not  get  far.   Some people  believe [that]  the  [CF] have  been  militarily  defeated ... No US officer  has  told  me that the  [CF]  have  been  defeated, and  none  have  denied  it. " This comment  could  be  described  as  'innuendo'.  No  pious  follow-up  remarks  about  the number of  CF casualties can erase the lack of  respect reflected in this  ill-informed comment. Editorial  urging  Parliament  to consider  the impact of  withdrawal  on  our  troops Afghan Mission  –   New US Troops  –  Stryker Brigade  –  NATO~ISAF  –  November 2009 Stryker  Brigade   –    New  US  Troops  under  CF  Command  in Kandahar  –  Canada  can  now  stick  with  its  Afghan  Mission  The  ' Kandahar  Campaign '  will be an early, large-scale test of  General Stanley McChrystal's plan of  refocusing allied military,  political, and economic efforts on population centers and away  from sparsely peopled rural areas. [ The plan is ] to mass troops  in the thousands  (now scattered  around the south)  and  pack  them into a tight cordon around the outskirts of Kandahar City.  Commanders  in Afghanistan say that they will  [ immediately ]  begin  to secure  the country's  troubled  south.  [ Forces ]  will  especially target  the volatile city of  Kandahar  –  the  Taliban's  main power base.  [ By  01 December  2009 ]  US officers expect  to order  the fast-moving,  armored  Stryker  Brigade  to devote  itself full time to securing  roads plagued by hidden explosives. Edited  excerpts  from  two  related  articles,  this  one  from  the   Wall  Street  Journal Combat Vehicle  –  Opinion  Piece  –  DND/CF  Procurement  &  Industry  –  August  2009 'Once  &  Future  Combat  Systems' –  New  Blast-Resistant Hulls Matched  with the  latest in  Electronics,  Weapons,  and Sensors Know  what  the  US  Army  can  actually  get: The US Army's last combat vehicle initiative, the FCS ( Future Combat  System ),  was doomed once  its effort  to develop an active protection system – a complex defensive suite designed to shoot down  incoming  projectiles  –  ran into  technological roadblocks.  Considering, then, what is possible,  US  Defense  Secretary,  Robert Gates, is weighing options for moving up to US $75 B from current budget allocations into new capabilities designed  to  deal  with  asymmetric  threats  and   irregular  operations.  On  the  ground,  this  means mostly  high-mobility,  well-protected  armored vehicles  carrying  dismountable  forces. Edited excerpts from a report on key features of  new combat vehicles by James Hasik Canadian Aerospace  –  Opinion  Piece  –  Procurement & Industry  –  August  2009 A Nation among Nations:  Aerospace is a Strategic Industry because it underlies the life or death of your country as an autonomous state Example: Guardian 400 could fulfill both the Northern patrol and utility transport missions The Guardian 400 is based on Viking Air's updated Series 400 Twin Otter.  It continues that type's outstanding heritage. Guardian 400 's expanded sensor options include  radar, an EO turret and a searchlight. Four (4) underwing hardpoints offer flexibility. A Guardian 400 can carry specialized cargo, such as rescue packs or emergency food for relief in natural disasters. Guardian 400 's  internal fuel tanks can extend  the operating time to 10 hours. Currently, 440 Squadron operates  the CC-138, an earlier variant of  the Twin Otter. [1]  The upgrading of squadron maintenance facilities and hangars, as well as the training of 440 personnel will be much less onerous than if Canada purchased a completely new,  unfamiliar,  and  invariably foreign-built aircraft for this purpose. Op-Ed:  Present and Future Aerospace Procurement Opportunities by Steve Daly, CD Armoured Vehicles  –  CV90 IFV as CCV?  –  DND  Procurement  –  July  2009 CCV Dismounts:  Does Size Matter or is it What's Inside that Counts? Questioning the CV90 series - the Close Combat Vehicle for Afghanistan CASR  recently backed the suggestion –  by Canadian Forces personnel and others –  that Canada should lease or borrow a trial batch of CV9040 vehicles for use in Afghanistan. The CV9040Cs in question are up-armoured versions of  a  formidable family of  infantry fighting vehicles. Much smaller numbers of similar – but differently armed – CV9035s have been bought for the Danish Army. One of  the Danish vehicles was on display at CANSEC, representing partners  BAE Systems and  DEW  Engineering in  DND's  CCV competition. Commentary  from  two  Danish  articles  on  the  number  of  CV90  dismounts Armoured Vehicles  –  Sweden's  CV9040C IFV  –  DND  Procurement  –  July  2009 Let's  Close  in  on  'Combat  Vehicles'  (CV90s) –  Something Similar  to the  Lease / Purchase  of  the  CF  Leopard  Tanks Patrolling Afghanistan,  both  Mobility  and Survivability  of  Land  Vehicles  are Crucial The Swedish FMV (Defence Materiel Administration) currently has a surplus of earlier model CV90s. The CV9040 B model forms the basis for the uparmoured & air-conditioned 'C model. Following the example of the Leopard tanks, Canada could lease 20 Swedish  CV9040Cs  for immediate use in southern Afghanistan.  As with the German Leopards,  Canada could then pay to replenish Swedish stocks ( totalling 58 CV9040Cs) with surplus CV9040Bs  upgraded to  'C model standards.  Canada pays the bill & gains the capability,  Sweden gets the funds. Editorial  on the  feasibility  of  leasing  Swedish  CV9040Cs  for  the  CF  Afghan  Mission Afghan  Mission  –   New  US  Troops  –   NATO / ISAF  –  May  2009 Arrival  of  New  US  Troops  means  that  the  Afghan  Mission can be redefined for Canadian Forces  –  Security for Civilians New US troops are arriving at  Kandahar Air  Field  to be deployed  in Southern Afghanistan  Throughout the summer of  2009, US troops will be deploying  to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) in advance of  an  Afghan  presi-  dential  election  to  be  held on  20  August.  On 15  May,  the  82nd  Combat  Aviation  Brigade ( 82nd  CAB ) took command  of  air  operations  in  southern  Afghanistan.  A  more  recent  arrival  is the 2nd  Marine  Expeditionary  Brigade ( 2d  MEB ),  currently  training at Camp Leatherneck in  Helmand  Province.  In  June 2009, the  2d  MEB  will begin its  counter-insurgency  operations in the southern regions of  Kandahar and Helmand  provinces.  Then,  during  July and  August,  the  US  Army's  fast - moving  5th  Stryker Brigade Combat Team  ( part of  the  2nd  Infantry  Division)  will  begin  operations  in  Kandahar – focusing on those rural parts of  Kandahar  familiar to the CF. Editorial  on the  implications  of  new  US  deployments  for  the  CF  Afghan  Mission Afghanistan  Air  Wing  –  Tactical  Helicopters  –  Counterinsurgency  –  February  2009 Afghanistan  Air  Wing:  New  Air  Assets  could  make  the  Canadian Forces Far  More  Effective  in  the  Counterinsurgency  in  RC–South CF  ISR  assets may  prove useful  considering  changes to the strategy of  the US military [ Now that  Canada has an  'Air  Wing'  stationed at  Kandahar  Air  Field,  perhaps we might consider how the CF can be more effective at counterinsurgency in RC-South. Canada might also coordinate the activities of our air and ground forces with those of  the  United States in the coming months.  If  our  Forces  show  some degree of  success at containing the Taliban insurgents,  Parliament  might  debate whether the CF should  stay in  Kandahar  –  especially if  none of  our  NATO allies are willing  to deploy  combat  troops  to Afghan border areas. ] Commentary  on  excerpts  from  an  article  published  in  the  Small  Wars  Journal Defence Spending  –  Strategic Industries  –  Domestic Production  –  January  2009 Canadian Sovereignty is Rooted in Canada's Manufacturing Sector Defence Spending is one way to Support such Strategic Industries Canadian Heavy-Duty Truck Builders are Leaving the Country or are  Being Shut Down  No  one  would  compare  the  Second  World  War  with  the  current  CF  involvement  in  Afghanistan.  But Canadian soldiers are fighting and  dying  over-  seas.  So,  where is our sense of  urgency?  For  that  matter,  where is our desire for self-sufficiency?  We  are told that Canadian industry can no  longer  build  military  vehicles and we are asked  to believe this at  face  value.  Producing a  modern  tank  or  armoured  fighting  vehicle  from  scratch  may  be a  stretch for our industry.  But simple, heavy-duty military trucks? Editorial  comments  on  recent  government  decision  to  buy  trucks  built  in  Texas Editorials  &  Opinion  ~  Archives  2008