Canadian Military Thread

[MattJVD]

On 7/13/2024 at 9:35 AM, DSVII said:

 

The war in Ukraine is also showing the value of those naval drones to sink ships. I'd probably invest in that as well as a good option for potential Russian capital ships that violate our waters.

 

As per retired US admiral James Stavridis:

 

"The Ukrainian navy is using surface boats, drones to strike Russian warships and drones go all the way to the bottom of the sea. And we're seeing the edges of [artificial intelligence warfare] emerging now in Ukraine where AI is being used to direct these drone swarms on both sides of that firing light."

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ukraine-russia-black-sea-drone-naval-warfare-1.7196566

 

 

I think the threat of surface drones to Western Navies might be over stated. (underwater drones are a different story, they're just as threatening as a torpedo). Most modern western ships have weapons systems specifically designed to engage small, fast, surface targets at short range. The new River Class Destroyers have 2 30mm autocannons with very good electro-optical targeting systems. 

 

The most vulnerable ships are those missing a 'medium' gun system. Many, especially older vessels, have their large main gun and manually operated machine guns, without a 'middle ground' system. Depending on the caliber of the main gun, it might be il-suited for engage fast targets in close. And manually operated machine guns are much less accurate and have much less range than autocannons with good targeting systems (especially at night).

[Gurn]

Close 

In

Weapon

System

 

Likely some kind of even higher speed Bofors style  weapon.?

 

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/gen-jennie-carignan-officially-takes-over-command-of-armed-forces-in-ottawa-ceremony/ar-BB1qca7k?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3ce3d84aca38452d9bfd88a0fe4ee824&ei=57

OTTAWA — Gen. Jennie Carignan has officially taken over command of the Armed Forces in a ceremony at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

Carignan was promoted to the rank of general during the change-of-command ceremony.

She was chosen by the federal government to become Canada's first female defence chief, and she's no stranger to firsts.

Carignan was also the first woman to command a combat unit in the Canadian military, and her career has included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Syria.

For the last three years, she has been the chief of professional conduct and culture, a job created as a result of the sexual misconduct scandal in 2021.

Gen. Wayne Eyre, who is set to retire from the Armed Forces later in the summer after leading the military for about three years, says Carignan brings "highly relevant experience" to her role.

He spoke at the museum on Thursday morning, with dignitaries including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon looking on.

"You know it's time to go when the majority of the platforms you've served on are here in a museum," he said, getting laughs from attendees.

Eyre said the circumstances when he came into the position were "not ideal," and recalled Trudeau describing what he inherited as a "turd sandwich."

He said his rejoinder to the prime minister at the time was: "Yes, sir, but you forgot the bread."

That joke aside, he thanked leaders for the opportunity to serve and witness history at the highest level of the Canadian military.

"The security situation out there is not getting any better and we will continue to face many crises, often stacked one upon the other," said Eyre, emphasizing the massive threats that war in Ukraine and online disinformation continue to pose.

"To do our part in the free world, we need to be at our own peak capability and readiness, and thus peak deterrence, to meet that threat."

It will take the whole of government and the whole of society to support the military's urgent mission, he said, to ensure that is the case.

He told Carignan in French: "You are ready for this role, and you deserve it."

[MattJVD]

Carignan is well experienced and educated, sounds like a good fit for the role. I haven't spoken to anyone who served under her, but she sounds like the right fit on paper.

• Did UN peace keeping in the 90s as a Junior Officer
• Cleared mines in Bosnia in the early 2000s
• Commanded a multi-national combat engineer task force in Kandahar Afghanistan at the height of the war
• Commanded the training Mission in Iraq to improve the capability of Iraqi forces to handle their own security
• Good staff officer experience as the Chief of Staff for Army operations
• Engineering degree from the Royal Military College, an MBA from Laval, and a Masters of Military studies from the US Command and Staff College

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/one-of-canada-s-new-navy-ships-stopped-in-hawaii-after-taking-on-water/ar-BB1qv922?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=00cb399160f546e69fbc0e8fb79375ef&ei=10

"

OTTAWA — One of the country's newest navy ships is tied up in a U.S. port after it took on 20,000 litres of water because of a leak.

HMCS Max Bernays is one of Canada's new Arctic and offshore patrol ships, built in Halifax by Irving Shipyards.

It was taking part in an international exercise called the Rim of the Pacific Exercise when the incident happened July 12.

A Defence Department spokesperson said a valve and pump in one of the ship's seawater cooling systems was leaking for about half an hour.

It's not clear how long the repairs will take, and the navy is still trying to determine if the other seawater cooling system is affected.

The ship, delivered to the navy in late 2022, is one of three vessels sent to support Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy this spring.

[Kootenay Gold]

1 hour ago, Gurn said:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/one-of-canada-s-new-navy-ships-stopped-in-hawaii-after-taking-on-water/ar-BB1qv922?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=00cb399160f546e69fbc0e8fb79375ef&ei=10

"

OTTAWA — One of the country's newest navy ships is tied up in a U.S. port after it took on 20,000 litres of water because of a leak.

HMCS Max Bernays is one of Canada's new Arctic and offshore patrol ships, built in Halifax by Irving Shipyards.

It was taking part in an international exercise called the Rim of the Pacific Exercise when the incident happened July 12.

A Defence Department spokesperson said a valve and pump in one of the ship's seawater cooling systems was leaking for about half an hour.

It's not clear how long the repairs will take, and the navy is still trying to determine if the other seawater cooling system is affected.

The ship, delivered to the navy in late 2022, is one of three vessels sent to support Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy this spring.

I'm not overly concerned as new ship/ planes/ tanks etc.  all have issues to resolve in the 1st few years of operation. Better that it happens now rather than when it is way up in the Arctic on patrol.

 

[Gurn]

Just now, Kootenay Gold said:

I'm not overly concerned as new ship/ planes/ tanks etc.  all have issues to resolve in the 1st few years of operation. Better that it happens now rather than when it is way up in the Arctic on patrol.

 

I'd bet big, big money, that an e mail went out to all the other Dewolfe class ships to double check the vale and pump  for possible problems.

New ship story:

Captain, myself and 3 others on the bridge doing a training cruise in Jervis Inlet. Captain says-"Hey look at this, and tell me what you see"

Everyone takes a look at the radar he was pointing at, and most couldn't see a problem.

The actual issue was the radar wasn't showing any problems--- like the land a half mile ahead of us. lol.

A bent wire and a $3  resistor got replaced and presto - all better.

[Gurn]

Should also mention comedian John Pinette, had a bit where he points out that "taking on water" is when you bring aboard a case of Perrier; and the ship he was on, was sinking.

Very, very funny man.

worked clean, and is missed by thousands of fans.

[Gurn]

Supply ships price tag goes up:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/o ... aa87&ei=32
The cost to build the navy's often-delayed, long-anticipated supply ships has shot up once again — this time by almost $1 billion — the federal procurement department announced Friday.

Successive federal governments have tried for almost two decades to deliver joint support ships (JSS) to the navy — vessels used to replenish warships at sea.
After years of delay, the Liberal government awarded Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. a build contract in June 2020 for two ships — HMCS Protecteur and HMCS Preserver — at an anticipated cost of $2.44 billion.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) chose to announce in a media statement on Friday — the eve of the August long weekend — a major amendment to the contract which drives up the price tag to $3.3 billion.
And that figure does not include the design cost, in-service support and other expenses related to the program. When those numbers are added, the total bill for taxpayers for owning and operating the ships is now expected to exceed $5.2 billion.
"This increased contract value was calculated by considering a number of factors, such as lessons learned from developing a new type of warship for the [Royal Canadian Navy], COVID-19 impacts that resulted in labour and supply chain disruptions, economic price adjustments, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, and changes in labour rates," said the statement.
PSPC did not rule out further cost increases, saying the federal "continues to actively monitor progress on the JSS project and is working with [Vancouver Shipyards] to ensure timely delivery of both vessels to the RCN."
The new ships are meant to replace the navy's long-retired original replenishment vessels, which were taken out of service a decade ago or more after 30 years at sea.
Ottawa began the process of acquiring new ships two decades ago. The first program was scrapped by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government in 2008 — by press release on a Friday night in the middle of August, on the eve of the federal election that year.
The program was restarted, but not before the old supply ships had to be retired.
-----------------------
more at link

[Warhippy]

46 minutes ago, Gurn said:

Supply ships price tag goes up:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/o ... aa87&ei=32
The cost to build the navy's often-delayed, long-anticipated supply ships has shot up once again — this time by almost $1 billion — the federal procurement department announced Friday.

Successive federal governments have tried for almost two decades to deliver joint support ships (JSS) to the navy — vessels used to replenish warships at sea.
After years of delay, the Liberal government awarded Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. a build contract in June 2020 for two ships — HMCS Protecteur and HMCS Preserver — at an anticipated cost of $2.44 billion.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) chose to announce in a media statement on Friday — the eve of the August long weekend — a major amendment to the contract which drives up the price tag to $3.3 billion.
And that figure does not include the design cost, in-service support and other expenses related to the program. When those numbers are added, the total bill for taxpayers for owning and operating the ships is now expected to exceed $5.2 billion.
"This increased contract value was calculated by considering a number of factors, such as lessons learned from developing a new type of warship for the [Royal Canadian Navy], COVID-19 impacts that resulted in labour and supply chain disruptions, economic price adjustments, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, and changes in labour rates," said the statement.
PSPC did not rule out further cost increases, saying the federal "continues to actively monitor progress on the JSS project and is working with [Vancouver Shipyards] to ensure timely delivery of both vessels to the RCN."
The new ships are meant to replace the navy's long-retired original replenishment vessels, which were taken out of service a decade ago or more after 30 years at sea.
Ottawa began the process of acquiring new ships two decades ago. The first program was scrapped by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government in 2008 — by press release on a Friday night in the middle of August, on the eve of the federal election that year.
The program was restarted, but not before the old supply ships had to be retired.
-----------------------
more at link

This also includes the investments and training for the yards to build them.

 

Each one built will be built faster than the last bringing costs down marginally and making the ability for shipbuilding in Canada to be easier and more competitive across the industry 

 

Investments are investments 

[Gurn]

55 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

This also includes the investments and training for the yards to build them.

 

Each one built will be built faster than the last bringing costs down marginally and making the ability for shipbuilding in Canada to be easier and more competitive across the industry 

 

Investments are investments 

The comments, at the linked story, are kind of funny

"why not just buy a freighter?"

How about because a freighter doesn't have a helicopter flight deck, carry ammo, have a hospital, have a large repair shop, and on and on.

Plus there is the whole-replenish at sea thing, which does make a difference.

[Warhippy]

45 minutes ago, Gurn said:

The comments, at the linked story, are kind of funny

"why not just buy a freighter?"

How about because a freighter doesn't have a helicopter flight deck, carry ammo, have a hospital, have a large repair shop, and on and on.

Plus there is the whole-replenish at sea thing, which does make a difference.

it's the equivalent of government subsidization by paying these shipyards to upgrade to be able to build these and to be able to maintain repair and build future ones but it's worth it in the long run.

 

Never should have sold off or privatized the shipbuilding or steel industry

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

An interesting read over at The Conversation.  Too bad its articles are formatted such that copying/pasting results in malformed documents.

 

https://theconversation.com/chinese-warships-off-alaska-and-cambodia-highlight-the-role-of-near-and-far-waters-in-sea-power-dominance-234953

[Gurn]

https://www.marinelink.com/news/irving-shipbuilding-orders-meter-shiplift-515698

"

Irving Shipbuilding has awarded Bardex Corporation a contract for a 165-meter shiplift drydock to support its River-class destroyer shipbuilding program for the Royal Canadian Navy.

With a capacity of over 27,000 metric tons, the OmniLift Shiplift will include fifty-six 575-metric ton chain jack lift stations. According to Bardex, the shiplift drydock will be the largest in the Americas.

“A reliable, long-term shiplift asset is vital to the success of the River-class program and partnering with the world class Bardex Corporation to implement this project is the first step. We now look forward to working closely with Bardex and their chain jack technology moving forward,” said Charles Clow, Director of River-class destroyer infrastructure at Irving Shipbuilding.

“We’re honored to have been selected to support this mission-critical piece of marine infrastructure. Our chain jack technology has a decades-long proven track record for boosting fleet readiness. As we rebrand our lift systems with the OmniLift name, we’re on a mission to rewrite how the world thinks about shiplifts and drydocks. Our collaboration with Irving and our local agent, NOSO, is the next chapter of delivering a technology unlike anything else on the market.” said Thomas Miller, CEO & President at Bardex.

Irving was selected in 2011 to build the new fleet of combat vessels for the Canadian Navy. To date, four Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) have been delivered and a further two are under construction. The company is also building two variants of the AOPS for the Canadian Coast Guard before commencing the larger River-class destroyer Fleet.

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/news/take-a-ride-on-the-oldest-commissioned-ship-in-the-canadian-navy/vi-AA1oUObt?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=2372a95bb35148acb9fc8a1c5326974e&ei=74

 

The HMCS Oriole is based in Nova Scotia and The Weather Network's Nathan Coleman was invited on board to check out the oldest comminssioned ship in the Canadian Navy. 

[MattJVD]

The fifth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), HMCS Frèdèrick Rolette, was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy on August 29th.

 

https://shipsforcanada.ca/our-stories/the-future-hmcs-frédérick-rolette-canadas-fifth-arctic-and-offshore-patrol-ship-is-delivered-to-the-royal-canadian-navy

[Gurn]

Not Canadian- but U.S. navy involved:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/commander-of-navy-warship-relieved-of-duty-months-after-backward-rifle-scope-photo-flap/ar-AA1pW79j?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=98cd38bc0a514ab5b3db6970532f7c36&ei=11

"

S

AN DIEGO (AP) — The commander of a Navy destroyer that’s helping protect the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Middle East has been relieved of duty about four months after he was seen in a photo firing a rifle with a scope mounted backward.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Cameron Yaste, commanding officer of the destroyer USS John McCain, was removed on Friday.

The Navy said Yaste was relieved of duty “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer” that's currently deployed in the Gulf of Oman.

In April, a photo posted on the Navy's social media showed Yaste in a firing stance gripping the rifle with a backward scope. The image brought the Navy considerable ridicule on social media.

The military news outlet Stars and Stripes reported that the Marine Corps took a dig at the Navy, sharing a photo on its social media of a Marine firing a weapon aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer. The caption read: “Clear Sight Picture.”

The post featuring Yaste was ultimately deleted. “Thank you for pointing out our rifle scope error in the previous post,” the Navy later wrote on social media. “Picture has been removed until EMI (extra military instruction) is completed.”

Yaste has been temporarily replaced by Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, which is part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group that's also in the Gulf of Oman.

The Pentagon sent the carriers to the Middle East to be in position should Israel need help repelling an attack by Iran or other countries, if such a thing happens, military officials said.

The Roosevelt is the flagship of a strike group that has recently included three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, $2 billion vessels that are designed to shield carriers from attacks by air, sea and land.

--------------------------------------

 

Damn- do they expect the guy to be able pilot an F-35 as well?

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/russia-takes-notice-of-canada-s-plan-to-buy-12-submarines-that-could-lie-silent-under-arctic-ice/ar-AA1qk0tg?ocid=msedgdhphdr&cvid=3d32aea7c91249899dbe5192bf9a0ecb&ei=8

"

HMCS Chicoutimim in Esquimalt 2017

 

"

With an aging and depleted fleet, Canada’s navy is unlikely to strike much fear in the hearts of its adversaries these days.

But a new government plan to purchase 12 modern, non-nuclear submarines that could do service under the Arctic ice has suddenly made Russia sit up and take notice.

As Moscow increasingly probes into Arctic waters, the planned expansion of Canada’s underwater force poses a “radically” altered threat, says Russian defence journalist Alexander Timokhin in an intriguing new article.

Equipped with the West’s latest torpedo and sonar technology, the proposed new Canadian subs would be difficult for Russian vessels to counter, and could even lie silent on the sea floor near Russia’s naval bases, says Timokhin.

“Today, Canada has three submarines based in the Pacific Ocean, and another in the Atlantic. Due to their obsolescence and wear, the threat they pose to us is not so significant,” he wrote in Vzglyad, an online newspaper with reported ties to the Kremlin. “But new submarines can radically change everything – and not in our favor.”

-----------------------

quite a bit more at link.

[King Heffy]

15 minutes ago, Gurn said:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/russia-takes-notice-of-canada-s-plan-to-buy-12-submarines-that-could-lie-silent-under-arctic-ice/ar-AA1qk0tg?ocid=msedgdhphdr&cvid=3d32aea7c91249899dbe5192bf9a0ecb&ei=8

"

HMCS Chicoutimim in Esquimalt 2017

 

"

With an aging and depleted fleet, Canada’s navy is unlikely to strike much fear in the hearts of its adversaries these days.

But a new government plan to purchase 12 modern, non-nuclear submarines that could do service under the Arctic ice has suddenly made Russia sit up and take notice.

As Moscow increasingly probes into Arctic waters, the planned expansion of Canada’s underwater force poses a “radically” altered threat, says Russian defence journalist Alexander Timokhin in an intriguing new article.

Equipped with the West’s latest torpedo and sonar technology, the proposed new Canadian subs would be difficult for Russian vessels to counter, and could even lie silent on the sea floor near Russia’s naval bases, says Timokhin.

“Today, Canada has three submarines based in the Pacific Ocean, and another in the Atlantic. Due to their obsolescence and wear, the threat they pose to us is not so significant,” he wrote in Vzglyad, an online newspaper with reported ties to the Kremlin. “But new submarines can radically change everything – and not in our favor.”

-----------------------

quite a bit more at link.

Can't think of a better sales pitch to buy them.

[Optimist Prime]

Recruiting ramping up, job faires in major cities will see an increased CAF presence. I like this print ad image:

[MattJVD]

2 hours ago, Optimist Prime said:

Recruiting ramping up, job faires in major cities will see an increased CAF presence. I like this print ad image:

It's a good image, but I do get a little laugh that the Navy pretends to be the Army in recruiting posters. (NTOG patch below the Canadian flag on his left arm).

 

Edit, he is wearing a life jacket though. So they kept it somewhat Navy hahah

Edited September 10 by MattJVD

[Gurn]

Join the Navy- see the world.

Meaning 

see an awful lot of ocean, then a couple of days, in a port somewhere; followed by more ocean.

[Optimist Prime]

11 minutes ago, Gurn said:

Join the Navy- see the world.

Meaning 

see an awful lot of ocean, then a couple of days, in a port somewhere; followed by more ocean.

and woe to the sailor who brings crabs back on the ship after a weekend in Lisbon. o.O

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/canada-working-on-military-ai-blair-says-as-he-endorses-international-agreement/ar-AA1qoX8I?bncnt=BroadcastNews_TopStories&ocid=00000000&FORM=BNC001&pc=U531&cvid=bdd33f5700c642fea8dd647bf9cacb85&ei=14

"

OTTAWA — Defence Minister Bill Blair says Canada is working on incorporating artificial intelligence in its military, but the technology won’t replace humans.

Blair made the remarks at a summit in Seoul, South Korea where Canada was among 61 countries that endorsed a new document on responsible military use of AI.

Canada is working on making the Canadian Armed Forces an "AI-enabled" organization by 2030 under a strategy launched earlier this year, Blair said.

He said it’s "critical that we harness this technology both effectively and ethically," according to a copy of his remarks at the Responsible AI in the Military Domain summit.

That includes using AI to "improve the work of our military personnel but not to replace it," Blair said.

------------------------------

11 more, short, paragraphs at link.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

Ruh-roh.  You know fit hit the shan when people clown you about getting better gear at Crappy Tire!

 

Quote

Canadian Army says new military sleeping bags not suitable for 'typical Canadian winter'

'I wonder if they should have just gone to Canadian Tire,' says defence expert

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Sep 13, 2024 1:00 AM PDT | Last Updated: September 13

Canadian Army soldiers from 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, prepare to move out from a landing area after disembarking from a CH-147 Chinook helicopter in the training area of Fort Greely, Alaska, during training at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center on March 16, 2022. (Master Sailor Dan Bard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera, CAF photo)

 

Despite the defence department spending more than $34.8 million on new sleeping bags, the Canadian Army asked late last year that hundreds of soldiers headed to a joint northern exercise in Alaska with the Americans be issued with old, 1960s-vintage bedrolls.

 

Troops who had used the recently issued General Purpose Sleeping Bag System (GPSBS) late last fall in a preparatory exercise found "several critical issues," according to an internal briefing note obtained by CBC News.

 

More than 350 soldiers belonging to the 3rd battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) deployed to Ram Falls Provincial Park, west of Red Deer, Alta., in late November last year, where they spent several days training for northern operations.

 

Temperatures during the deployment ranged from – 5C during the day to – 20C at night.

The "critical issues" discovered by the soldiers "related to lack of warmth with the new GPSBS," said the briefing note, written on Dec. 5, 2023.

 

The general unsuitability of the new sleeping bag system has prompted the Department of National Defence (DND) to start looking to buy additional bedrolls that can be used in the Far North.

During the training exercise last fall, soldiers reported that even though they used both the inner and outer shells and slept in tents heated by stoves, they were still cold.

 

According to the internal briefing note, 3 PPCLI's quartermaster concluded the new sleeping bags were "better suited for use in weather conditions that are characteristic of late spring to early fall" and were not practical "for typical Canadian winter conditions nor the extreme cold of Alaska," where the troops deployed for further training in January.

 

The Canadian Army's recently-issued General Purpose Sleeping Bag System (GPSBS). (DND Handout)

 

The briefing note recommended that soldiers deployed on that exercise with the U.S. be "loaned" 500 of the army's old Arctic sleeping bags — the ones the new system was meant to replace.

 

The Liberal government has placed renewed emphasis on defending Canada's Arctic and the recent defence policy update — Our North Strong and Free — promised a series of new equipment purchases for cold weather operations. Specifically, the policy promised to acquire "new vehicles adapted to ice, snow and tundra."

 

But several soldiers who contacted CBC News with complaints about the sleeping bags said they're skeptical about those promises, given DND's failure to deliver on something as basic as a sleeping bag suitable for a Canadian winter.

 

In a statement, DND said 3 PPCLI was actually the second unit to complain about the new sleeping bags. Troops belonging to the 2nd battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) also found the new sleeping bags flawed on a separate exercise.

 

Still, the department said it's not giving up the new bedrolls and has started a second, separate procurement for sleeping bags that are suitable for a Canadian winter.

 

"The GPSBS remains a core component of the Canadian Armed Forces' sleeping system and is expected to stay in service for many years," the statement said.

 

"However, we recognize the need for enhanced protection in extreme environments, which is why we have issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an Extreme Cold Weather Sleeping Bag system (ECWSBS) initiative. This additional procurement will complement the GPSBS, ensuring coverage across all climatic conditions, including the Arctic."

DND hasn't said if bags were weather-tested

Defence expert Rob Huebert of the University of Calgary said he wonders what sort of cold weather testing was conducted on the new sleeping bags before they were ordered.

 

"I wonder if they should have just gone to Canadian Tire," said Huebert, an expert in Arctic military affairs. "You test to make sure that the new kit works, because it does not always work."

 

In its statement, DND said it sought feedback from soldiers — but the department did not answer directly when asked what sort of cold weather testing was done before it chose to purchase the sleeping bags.

 

"The GPSBS was chosen following a rigorous competitive process," said the department's statement. 

 

"The technical requirements used to make the selection included insulation value, weight of the bags and the packing volume."

 

Sgt. Robin Marlow, a CH-147 Chinook Loadmaster with 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, looks out while on a reconnaissance flight during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Capability 22-02 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska on March 4, 2022. (Corporal Angela Gore/Canadian Armed Forces)

 

The problem, Huebert said, is that defence planners sometimes feel they need to reinvent the wheel when looking for replacement equipment.

 

The so-called "legacy" sleeping bags, which the army first acquired in 1965, are an example of something simple that required a straightforward procurement solution, he said.

 

"We're getting such difficulties and challenges from a no-brainer, such as sleeping bags," said Huebert. "And when you start thinking about the over-the-horizon radars, the F-35 and its parts, and presumably the submarines, at one point — I mean, it just does not fill one with too much confidence."

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/army-sleeping-bags-arctic-1.7321680

 

...does this still count towards the 2% of GDP?