CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
Review

Canadian Army  –  South Afghanistan  –  Military Aircraft  –  September 2006 US Military Aircraft Sales  (Even Used Aircraft)  Take Forever Time for the Canadian Army to own its own Tactical Aircraft? Dianne  DeMille,  Editor,  Canadian  American  Strategic  Review  (CASR) In July 2006, DND announced its intention to buy 16 newly-built CH-47F Chinooks from Boeing. CF Air Staff have now realized that delivery of  these medium/heavy-lift helicopters can’t be completed until late in 2012. Belatedly, the search was on for Chinook lease opportunities. It is no big surprise that there were none to be found. Until the end of the current commitment to the Afghan mission in 2009,  Canadian troops  must  continue to rely on low-priority access to the transport helicopters of our allies. How did this happen? The only 'army' transport helicopter is the CH-146 Griffon light utility aircraft operated by the Air Force.  None have deployed to Afghanistan. Many other nations’ armies are in control of  their own  essential  tactical  helicopters. US Army Aviation (based at Ft. Rucker, AL) operates tactical transport and  assault  helicopters for the US Army.  Like- wise, the US Army  National Guard and  US Marine Corps own the aircraft they need to do the job. They aren’t ham- strung by the often-at-odds priorities of the US Air Force. The Army determines its priorities, and  the Marines interventionary forces, theirs. How do our other NATO allies arrange themselves?  The British Army controls its own attack and transport helicopters with one exception – the RAF holds on to the prestigous Chinook HC.2s (access is shared between the British Army and Royal Marines). The only NATO ally involved in South Asia to follow Canada’s Air Force-dominated  pattern is the Dutch – the Chinooks of 298 Sqn assist the Dutch army but belong to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht  (as do the Dutch Apache attack helicopters). Other NATO allies ‘in-theatre’ are flown  by  Army Aviation units. A recent arrival  to Kandahar Airfield  are the Chinooks of the Australian Army.  Australian Army Aviation makes for an excellent case study for Canada. Like the CF, the RAAF retired its Chinooks “to reduce defence expenditure”. That left the Army flying Griffon-sized Hueys until  more power- ful Blackhawks arrived. The Australian Army then realized that it still required a medium-lift helicopter. Instead of  having to go ‘cap-in-hand’  to Air Force planners,  the Australian Army simply ordered the Chinooks that  it required. [1] Since then, Army Aviation has also ordered  transports (to replace the Blackhawks) and armed reconnaissance helicopters.  The latter  is  already in Australian service, the transport is to begin arriving in 2007.  The speed of these programs should  be noted by  Canadians  –  this is one effect of giving the Army autonomous control over its own tactical aircraft. [1] RAAF No 12 Sqn flew 12 CH-47Cs from 1974 until sold off  in June 1989. Army aviation (5th Aviation Regt) had been formed in early 1989 to fly the Blackhawks. A third squadron was formed in 1995 to fly six new ’D-model Chinooks.  Contrast this with the Canadian experience. Eight ’C-model Chinooks served from 1974-’91. When the Mulroney Conservatives demanded cost cutting , the Air Force offered up the Chinooks (they were sold to the Dutch KLu while the CF introduced utility Griffons). Now that the CDS has demanded Chinooks to reduce the CF casualties in Afghanistan, we are told that  they cannot be fully operational until late in 2012. Not sharing  the Army’s urgency,  the Air Force prefers to await the  latest  model.