CASR
Canadian American
Strategic Review

In  Detail  ~  Strategic  Context  ~  2009 Armoured Vehicles  –  Denmark's  CV9035  –  Afghanistan  –  November  2009 Denmark prepares new IFVs for Afghanistan – DND plans for the CCV Our  European allies don't experience problems buying military vehicles the way DND does  – as outlined  by the Auditor General.  A case in point is the Danish CV9035 IFV  (equivalent to DND's Close Combat Vehicle project ). After a review, the Danes chose the CV9035. This was not an Urgent Operational Requirement, it was merely a vehicle purchase. An order for 45 was placed in late 2005, with final deliveries in 2009. Meanwhile, 18 months of  familiarization training was underway for a 2010 Afghan deployment. Read New Armoured Vehicles: Denmark prepares to deploy CV90s while DND plans CCV Canadian Aerospace  –  DND Procurement  –  Procurement & Industry  –  Sept 2009 Canadian Aerospace as a Strategic Industry: CSeries as a Case Study  The Government of  Canada is paying  for at least  part of  the development costs for the Bombardier  CSeries. If Bombardier knew that a military variant  was of  interest, all role-dictated elements could be  incorporated  into the airframe  before final  design  work  was completed.  The  necessary adaptations  would be similar to those performed for the Boeing  P-8A Poseidon for maritime patrol variants. Airbus  has adapted its airliners for in-flight refuelling – as seen on  Canadian Forces  CC-150 Polaris  MRTTs. Read Steve Daly's overview of the CSeries and its potential as a military aircraft Armoured Vehicles  –  Sweden's  CV90 Family  –  DND  Procurement  –  July  2009 New Armoured Vehicles: Should we Choose Sweden's CV90 for CCV?   The CV90 series is among  the best-protected of   its class –  the Infantry Fighting Vehicle.  Levels   of  crew protection can be further enhanced with   'bolt-on' panels of  composite armour ( first used   on Sweden's UN CV90s).  The energy-absorbing   panels are the very same composite armour used   on Canada's latest  Leopard 2A6M tanks. Those   panels add protection  to the hull's bottom, front,   upper sides, and suspension as well as the turret. Read New Armoured Vehicles: Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway chose the CV90 Canada's Arctic Sovereignty  –  Denmark's Claims in the Arctic  –  July 2009 Danish Air Force Aircraft on a Mission over Canada's High Arctic "Over the past few days, a Challenger [604 MMA] aircraft from the Royal Danish Air Force's  Esk  721 (721 Squadron) completed a mission to very distant and   isolated  gravel  airstrips  in  the wilderness of northern Canada.  This was the first mission of  this kind ever flown over Canada by Danish aircraft. The mission was  flown  in collaboration  with Greenland Command  (the Grønlands Kommando)  by Esk 721. Read Danish Military Aircraft on Familiarization Flights over Canada's Arctic Canada in Afghanistan – Allied Armour in Southern Afghanistan  –  April 2009 An Overview of Denmark's Afghanistan Deployment of Leopard Tanks Denmark's 2 ESK  (or Second Tank Squadron )  has now deployed  to Helmand and seen action. In March of  2007,  the squadron and  the Hærens Kampskole (the HKS, the Combat School ) completed a joint Fact-Finding mission in  Helmand Province  to clarify details  for a  possible deployment.  This  Fact-Finding mission  also gave the team a chance to talk with Canadian tank crews. Canadians deployed their old Leopard C2s in November 2006 and were [ at the time of  writing]  busy upgrading to the new Leopard 2A6M CANs. Read Danes Deploy Leopards,  Canada Helps,  Why no DND Press Release? Canadian Forces FWSAR Project  –  SAR Country Comparison  –  Italy  –  February 2009 FWSAR:  Italian Style  —  Aerial Search-and-Rescue in Italy  [ Part 1 ] The online magazine, l'Italia nel mondo,  informs Canadians that "the  C-27J is the best answer to the need of  renewing the Search and Rescue airlift fleet". No further justification of the claim is deemed necessary –  Italians have judged the C-27J as the answer to  fixed-wing SAR. So, do the Italians use that Alenia tactical transport as their primary aerial SAR aircraft?  In a word: No. So, what do the Italians use as the primary FWSAR aircraft? Well, Italy employs an Italian-made aircraft wherever possible and buys similar models for most government air services. Until recently,  the primary Italian  FWSAR  role was  performed exclusively by search radar-equipped Piaggio P.166s, diminutive Italian twin-pusher turboprop with gull wings. Read FWSAR: Italian Style — Italy's Aerial SAR and the Piaggio P.166-DL3 / P.166-DP1 Canadian Forces FWSAR Project  –  SAR Country Comparison  –  Italy  –  February 2009 FWSAR:  Italian Style  —  Aerial Search-and-Rescue in Italy  [ Part 2 ] In keeping with Italy's policy of employing an Italian aircraft wherever possible and buying similar models of aircraft for most government air services, Alenia's ATR 42 MP  was  bought  for the Guardia Costiera and Guardia di Finanza. This will be Italy's primary FWSAR aircraft. Military ATR 72 MPs, another Alenia airliner conversion, will fly back-up SAR. Military pilots may prefer something more 'martial' but they will continue to fly an Italian aircraft. The one aircraft  that  Italy won't use for primary fixed-wing SAR  is the C-27J tactical  transport. Read FWSAR: Italian Style — Italy's Aerial SAR and Alenia's ATR 42 MP and ATR 72 MP In  Detail   ~   Previous   Articles   ~   2008