Canadian Senate defense committee releases a report with several recommendations
http://www.citynews.ca/2017/05/08/co...idence-motion/
This report just piles on to the defense minister ripping him on the Super Hornet Decision. It also makes some recommendations
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The report was the second in a series published by the committee over the last month, the first of which called on the government to double defence spending to two per cent of GDP over the next decade.
This latest volume provided a veritable laundry list of items that senators felt the government should buy with the extra $20 billion such an increase in spending would entail.
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Not likely to happen, though I do believe that there has to be a compromised rise in defense spending, and not just a token one like I believe the Liberals are going to release. I asked a question that was asked in this article. How could the government go so far into deficit in their last budget and really not accomplish anything?
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That included purchasing 12 new submarines, acquiring attack helicopters and increasing the Air Force fighter-jet fleet to 120, among other things.
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I believe that the Upholders that we bought from the British were probably the right submarines at the time, but the government badly bungled the procurement. The Upholders were a unique combination in that they had the combat systems of the British Trafalger SSN in a diesel electric boat. In theory this would make a very quiet boat with very good sensors and combat systems. Unfortunately these boats have had a lot of trouble since day one, and I don't think they have the range or ability to do what we really need which is arctic deterrence and intelligence gathering.
I do believe that Canada would be smart to have an expanded fleet of submarines but 12 is probably unnecessary. a fleet of 6 boats would probably allow for a good operational tempo. while allowing coastal patrol and fleet security.
Something along the lines of the Gotland AIP boat that's creating a big reputation for itself, or even looking at what the french are doing with the SMX boat that's on the drawing board is stark improvement over what we have now.
While I like the idea of attack helicopters, I don't see a need for them. Most of our army deployments are overseas and bringing attack helicopters with them without something like a helicopter or troop carrier would be extremely costly or time consuming.
The idea behind purchasing the F-35 is that you don't need an airforce of 120 conventional planes. Instead you create an advanced and smaller airforce that can inter operate, sneak into combat situations and accomplish their mission.
The Senate in this case is almost still thinking conventional 4th generation fighters.
The Senate committee report basically slams the government on this super hornet thing.
Anyways interesting read and its possibly counter to the Liberal Defense white paper that's coming.