Moderator, 04 May 2020
In an article published by War on the Rocks, entitled “Five Ways the US Military will Change after the Pandemic,” authors David Barno and Nora Bensahel examine the US military after the dust has settled (for now) on COVID-19. They argue that “There are at least five key changes that will shape the choices and decisions that lie ahead for Pentagon leaders: cyber and space will be higher priorities than land, sea, and air; reliance on forward presence will diminish; the reserve component will become much more important; legacy programs and end strength will be cut — by a lot; and the prestige of the U.S. military will be dimmed.”
What will be the implications of the pandemic on the Canadian military? Some of these points are not really relevant for Canada, but some are. Will Canada focus more on cyber and space than before? The authors argue that the United States will do this as it realizes that external threats from the land, sea and air are lower security priorities than protecting against threats from “newly emerging and unconventional dangers” and/or a large-scale cyber attack on critical infrastructure. Will the Canadian Reserve force get more attention? And the burning question, will the Canadian defence budget be cut, and if so, by how much?
See “Five Ways the US Military will Change after the Pandemic,” https://warontherocks.com/2020/04/five-ways-the-u-s-military-will-change-after-the-pandemic/?utm_source=WOTR+Newsletter&utm_campaign
7 thoughts on “Changes to the Canadian Military after COVID-19”
Yes, I fear you could be right on this one. The defence budget undoubtedly will be slashed because of this pandemic and we very well may lose planned NSS capital programs because of COVID-19 such as the CSC Frigates which still will be built, but numbers of ships may be cut from 15 down to 12 or even 10. The air force may have to live without a new fighter for years longer and the CCG may not get their Polar Icebreaker and even CF personnel may be cut back. A doom and gloom out-look to be sure, but just being realistic.
I don’t see that at all, the NSS with all its issues is still a program putting Canadians to work and important to our economy. Its going to be steady state.
Arctic Guy: Unfortunately COVID-19 has forever changed our world, including our military, in so many ways. Yes, the NSS will put “Canadians to work” as you say, and the CSC Type 26 program will still be there, but in what form or numbers. The “steady state” as you say, may have to be changed in order to more realistically envision what we can afford……and what we can’t, because of COVID-19. Air Force & Army renewal programs may also be affected. This is not to say this will happen, just that it may happen with changing government priorities because of COVID-19. The military may get to take the brunt…..again. Just trying to be realistic but hoping for the best. Cheers!
I think the NSS will probably go on. However funding of some major capital projects like CSC will be adjusted. In the light of recent events this 65B dollar capability projected forward seems less relevant. I’m also curious to see how crew members on a frigate will exercise ‘social distancing’ during Action Stations, never mind daily routine at mess decks or the galley.
During Action Stations crew has anti-flash masks and gloves on, which is in essence a non-medical PPE. ‘Stand Easy’ at 10am will be challenging…
The whole idea of sequestering crews 14 days before a deployment is so they won’t have to socially distance.
CNR Fan: Yes you may be right on NSS. The crew always have their PPE along with Chemical Warfare masks on their ‘War-Bags’ belt whenever out of their mess, and always at the ready whenever ‘Action Stations’ occur. The policy now is that the whole crew must self-isolate for 14 days prior to deployment. Once at sea, they should all be good-to-go. The only problem would be that if foreign visits were included in the schedule, precautions and/or daily testing by the on-board medical staff would have to be in place with suspected cases isolated or flown home. Another way would have the whole crew self-isolate again upon arrival back to Halifax/Esquimalt as they did prior to sailing.