Passing of Commodore (Ret’d) Eric Lerhe

By Timothy Choi, 25 November 2022

It is with regret that I share this news of the recent passing of Commodore Eric Lerhe. Those who have been involved in the Canadian naval and maritime space would know the name well, as Eric was a prolific author on issues close to CNR's heart. He has published numerous articles within the pages of this and other publications, playing a key role in sustaining Canadian discourses on naval affairs. Fair winds and following seas, Commodore. You will be missed dearly.

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Now Available: Fall 2022 CNR issue

Canada and Australia have much in common but we differ in many ways, and we can see this in naval strategy and capability. The fall issue includes an article by Justin Burke, entitled “Sea Change: Australia’s Naval Ambitions.” In this article Burke walks us through the capabilities, plans and progress of the Royal Australian Navy. In another article, “The Future Prospects of the National Shipbuilding Strategy,” Jeff Gilmour examines the delays and cost increases of the NSS in an attempt to explain them. He concludes that, among other things, they are the result of a shortage of experienced personnel to work at shipyards, the management of the process by shipyards themselves, extensive re-design of supposedly mature designs, and an unwieldy procurement process. In another article, “Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Submarines,” David Dunlop describes how AUVs have grown in importance and relevance, and asks if they will replace submarines. He outlines the utility, trends and technology of these vessels but concludes that there will still be a role for submarines in the near future. In the final article, “The LPA: The RCN’s Arctic Linchpin,” Major (Ret’d) Les Mader makes the argument that Canada should consider – or at least study the possibility of – procuring a Landing Platform Arctic to ensure that the RCN is ready to respond to threats in the Arctic.   

This is just a taste of the material in this issue. We also include commentaries. One commentary argues that the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships should be split into two types – patrol and enforcement. The enforcement ships would have enhanced military capabilities in order to fill any capability gap created by the retirement of the Halifax-class frigates before the Canadian Surface Combatants are built. Another commentary examines why building warships in Canada is so expensive relative to other countries. A commentary looks at how Russia-China cooperation complicates Japan’s defence. Dave Perry discusses the defence budget increases in 2022, and Doug Thomas examines the sinking of RFS Moskva, the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet flagship. 

And, of course, we have amazing photos that you won’t want to miss.

Click through to check out the table of contents and download the new issue!

CNR resources

Read more: CNR Archives (60+ magazines in PDF) and Subject Index (600+ articles)

Looking for Books about Maritime Matters?

Over the last 15 years, Canadian Naval Review has published over 180 book reviews. These books cover a variety of topics but they all relate to maritime matters, history, or security and defence at sea. This is an amazing resource. Go through the list of reviews, pick out a few books that look interesting, read the reviews, and then order the books from your nearest bookstore or from the publisher. See the list of book reviews at https://www.navalreview.ca/book-reviews/