Joint Supply Ship announcement
The JSSs announced today are being rather oversold. Their main role is still supply of ships at sea (auxiliary oiler replenishment--AOR) with an additional, limited capability to support things on land.
Relevant DND sites:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1958
http://www.forces.gc.ca/admmat/dgmepm/pmojss/index_e.asp
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/mspa_news/news_e.asp?id=182
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/mspa_news/news_e.asp?id=164
See this from the last URL:
'-A support ship with some intrinsic fighting capability.
-Provides fuel, supplies, food and ammunition for ships in order to keep them at sea.
-Can carry up to 155 people in addition to the ship's crew.
-Can disembark equipment and personnel relatively slowly and methodically using Roll-On Roll-Off (RO-RO) and Lift-On Lift-Off (LO-LO) capabilities.
-Can offload equipment and personnel in a "permissive," or peaceful, environment.'
In other words, it cannot transport a significant number of troops such as a battalion and could not launch an amphibious assault. One really wonders if we might not be better off buying less complicated AORs and one or two Amphibious Ships (also described at this URL):
'-A fighting ship with some intrinsic support capability.
-Consumes fuel, supplies, food and ammunition in order to project Canadian Forces ashore.
-Can carry a significantly larger military force with equipment and vehicles in 'fighting order,' enabling Canadian Forces to face armed opposition ashore.
-Can rapidly disembark personnel and equipment in 'waves' using 'connector systems' such as landing craft and/or helicopters.
-Can rapidly disembark personnel and equipment in 'waves' using 'connector systems' such as landing craft and/or helicopters.
-Project in early stages. Initial Concept of Operations under development.'
Moreover, there is a lot of doubt how capable Canadian shipyards (Davie in Quebec may be the only one) are of building a ship as complex as the JSS--especially on time and on budget. It might well make a lot more sense to build less complex AORs here and simply have Amphibious Ship(s) built abroad. See:
"Military procurement: Here's really hoping"
And also a 2005 Fraser Institute paper:
"The Need for Canadian Strategic Lift"
Relevant DND sites:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1958
http://www.forces.gc.ca/admmat/dgmepm/pmojss/index_e.asp
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/mspa_news/news_e.asp?id=182
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/mspa_news/news_e.asp?id=164
See this from the last URL:
'-A support ship with some intrinsic fighting capability.
-Provides fuel, supplies, food and ammunition for ships in order to keep them at sea.
-Can carry up to 155 people in addition to the ship's crew.
-Can disembark equipment and personnel relatively slowly and methodically using Roll-On Roll-Off (RO-RO) and Lift-On Lift-Off (LO-LO) capabilities.
-Can offload equipment and personnel in a "permissive," or peaceful, environment.'
In other words, it cannot transport a significant number of troops such as a battalion and could not launch an amphibious assault. One really wonders if we might not be better off buying less complicated AORs and one or two Amphibious Ships (also described at this URL):
'-A fighting ship with some intrinsic support capability.
-Consumes fuel, supplies, food and ammunition in order to project Canadian Forces ashore.
-Can carry a significantly larger military force with equipment and vehicles in 'fighting order,' enabling Canadian Forces to face armed opposition ashore.
-Can rapidly disembark personnel and equipment in 'waves' using 'connector systems' such as landing craft and/or helicopters.
-Can rapidly disembark personnel and equipment in 'waves' using 'connector systems' such as landing craft and/or helicopters.
-Project in early stages. Initial Concept of Operations under development.'
Moreover, there is a lot of doubt how capable Canadian shipyards (Davie in Quebec may be the only one) are of building a ship as complex as the JSS--especially on time and on budget. It might well make a lot more sense to build less complex AORs here and simply have Amphibious Ship(s) built abroad. See:
"Military procurement: Here's really hoping"
And also a 2005 Fraser Institute paper:
"The Need for Canadian Strategic Lift"
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 8:13 p.m.
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