There is an article in the press that suggest completely different views on when the first operational H-92 ‘Cyclone’ helicopter (CH-148 in Canadian military terms) will be delivered to the Canadian Forces by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. Greg Weston’s article for CBC News is entitled ominously “New helicopters may not be […]
Royal Canadian Air Force
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* Moderator’s Note: This article was original published in The Nova Scotian on 21 March 2012. Over the past year I have used this column to discuss the role of your navy in contributing to Canada’s maritime security, defence and prosperity. I have written about the need for your navy […]
* Moderator’s Note: This is an excerpt of an article originally published in Airforce Magazine, (Winter, 2008): 11 – 16. It is reprinted here with the permission of the publisher. The article provides an analysis of the fates of the lost Sea Kings. My thanks to Christine Hines, Curator at […]
The Call for Papers has been issued for the 18th Annual Royal Canadian Air Force Workshop, which will be held in Halifax, 13-14 June 2012. The title of the workshop will be “Wings For The Fleet: Fifty years of the Canadian Sea King.” The workshop theme reads as follows: “In […]
[Thursday, 10 November 2011] There have been few aircraft in Canada’s aviation history that have provided enduring and outstanding service worthy of note more than the Sea King maritime helicopter. In 2013, the Sea King’s Golden Jubilee will commemorate 50 years of service to Canadians and Canadian interests throughout the […]
On 16 August the government of Canada announced its decision to restore the historic names of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces; Maritime Command is now the Royal Canadian Navy. Those of us wearing naval uniforms are all members of the Canadian Forces first, but we have always […]
The ‘Strategic and Operating Review’ underway in the Department of National Defence is primarily a cost-cutting exercise. A message sent to DND and CF members on Friday, 5 August, under the signatures of Deputy Minister Fonberg and Chief of Defence Natynczyk, outlines two potential outcomes: reductions to meet at least […]
I agree with much of Ken Hansen’s analysis. While we have indeed done badly at maintaining leading edge capabilities after purchase (note, however, exceptions of Halifax-class, CP-140, and CF-18 mid-life projects), I would not immediately accept your second point that the F-35 is entirely for conflict against a peer competitor. […]
In late 1988 at the height of Canada's controversial plan to acquire nuclear submarines, Captain Richard Sharpe, RN, the Editor of Janes' Fighting Ships, gave a talk about submarine operations to a Financial Post conference. His views on operating any form of submarine under the ice are worth bearing in […]
The navy's plan to replace the existing fleet on a one-for-one basis plus a couple of extra ships over the next 30 or so years is ambitious and very expensive. A useful number hasn't been suggested yet, but I would think it has to be around $60 billion. To a […]