Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
Part of the Canada's strategy is to move away from that strategy which is frankly stupid.
Canada is trying to build a self reliant military force not a ######ed token UN peace keeping force which is failed thinking anyways.
Logistically Canada has decided that it has to be self dependant on deployed forces and be able to provide their own methods of transportation and supply instead of paying inordinate rental dollars to foreign countries. This also improves Canada's ability to be able to respond to natural disasters and other issues in this country.
One thing that we learned in Afghanistan is that we can't depend on other countries to provide support for our forces there in terms of fire support and in terms of in field transportation, and we can't keep renting these capabilities
Artic Sovereignty is also becoming a large issue and to do that you need to have a efficient interdiction force which includes a fairly robust airforce. People can deny it but Russia is spending a lot of money in upgrading their frontal aviation which includes long range bombers.
On the naval front the focus is on replacing our command and control 60 year old destroyers and enhance our frigate force so that we can patrol and protect all of our shores.
We are also repairing the damage not just caused by successive liberal governments but also the BM consevative government that nearly lead to the rust out of the armed forces and its destruction as an effective force in any way.
the thinking on your part is the same thinking that put our troops in the field in Afghanistan in woodland camo with inadequete vehicles that effectively killed our soliders.
the strategy of a smaller force with top line equipment is the smarter and long term more cost effective method.
On top of that, I think its ridiculous that we have an expectation of another nation protecting our sovereignty with no cost.
It leads to the quote by a president in our former CDS' book where he stated that in one of his first meetings with the President of the United States the newly incoming prime minister was told "Some day a man in this office, and maybe not this president will get sick of footing Canada's defense bill"
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We don't spend nearly enough to be self reliant and there is no chance Canadians would be prepared to make the sacrifices neccersary (health care higher education etc) to build a military that can defend the country and fullfill our political obligations.
I would actually argue the purchase of the F 35 signals that we are planning on continueing to use our military as little more than a diplomatic chips, there is little need for a multi role aircraft if we arn't planning on following the US around like a puppy, the defence of the arctic would call for a specific role aircraft, a long range interceptor, and little else.