[Baron von Kriterium]

We can debate what the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) needs or doesn't need but it is a pointless exercise. Why? Because the Government hasn't communicated in a very, very, long time what it wants the CAF to do exactly. The Government needs to define the CAF's mission and until it does so, the military cannot figure out how to execute the mission and what it needs to execute the mission.

The CAF strategic perspective is that you build your defences from the inside out. In order of importance for Canada:

(1) Defence of the National territory;

(2) defence of the North American continent;

(3) Fulfillment of our defence treaty obligations (eg NATO); and

(4) Any other international commitment that we may see fit to undertake.

Now (1) and (2) are Navy/Air Force dependant because Canada, and North-America, is an "Island" in terms of defence.

Nobody is invading Canada any time soon driving tanks/APCs. That means we must have a strong Navy and a strong Air Force. I am sorry to have to say this as an Army guy but the permanent Army of Canada is for the purposes of (3) and (4) only. That means the the primary role of the Army is expeditionary in nature - not a "defence" force in the way continental European armies are.

Now, you can have an Army that meets (1) and (2), but it needs to be light, adaptive and intimately tied to the Air Force.

It is rumored that Gen (retd) Leslie will be the new MND (God forbid). One of his last acts while still in service was to write a transformation report. This report recommended supporting the Army to the detriment of the RCN and RCAF. The report was shelved, thankfully, because it would have been a disaster. Will it be resurrected? Dunno.