New Close Combat Vehicles for the Army--and the coming budget crunch/Lagging Leopards
Only to be expected, I'm afraid:
DND vehicle purchase hits speed bumpOne AFV that has been a prominent CCV candidate: photo of Danish CV9035 (35mm gun version, more here):
With Afghan pullout soon, military brass, bureaucrats dispute need for multibillion-dollar project
Five months after Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced a multibillion-dollar project to buy new armoured vehicles, the program has run into trouble as government officials start questioning the value of the purchase as the 2011 troop pullout from Afghanistan nears.
Military officers privately acknowledge the Defence Department's program to buy more than 100 close combat vehicles (CCVs) has fallen about a year behind schedule and there are concerns within the Canadian Forces the project might be scuttled [the CCVs are in fact one part of a broader program to upgrade armoured vehicles].
In addition, a Dec. 2 letter from Public Works, obtained by the Citizen, confirms the timetable for the program has slipped at least six months...
Industry representatives and military officers say the delay is because of an internal battle in government and the Defence Department over the project.
The army argues that the vehicles, which would accompany its Leopard tanks into battle, are a priority for future missions.
But others at the Defence Department question whether the project is the best way to spend defence dollars when other more important equipment is needed. Some in government have also questioned whether the vehicles are still a priority since the military mission in Afghanistan finishes in July 2011 and a large-scale mission requiring close combat vehicles would likely not be planned anytime soon after [no shooting, Sherlock!]...
In addition, DND is asking for bids to repair and overhaul Leopard 2 training tanks. But the first of those tanks won't be delivered for at least another year and a half.
In March, army commander Lt.-General Andrew Leslie expressed his frustration during a Senate defence committee hearing that Leopard 2 tanks purchased from the Netherlands had been sitting in storage for nearly two years. "Quite frankly, it's taking an awfully long time," Leslie said [see previous bracketed interjection]...
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 9:32 a.m.
1 Comments:
Really not related, but I find it interesting.
The issue with the US drone video feed (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126102247889095011.html) is also effecting Canada.
As detailed here -
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/12/insurgents-intercept-drone-video-in-king-sized-security-breach/
and here
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/12/not-just-drones-militants-can-snoop-on-most-us-warplanes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WiredDangerRoom+%28Blog+-+Danger+Room%2z
- this is a problem derived from the ROVER system used in most military aircraft.
Canada's UAVs, the Herons, utilise this ROVER system, and are thus equally vulnerable.(http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2009/01/afstan-herons-ready-to-take-wing.html)
I suppose this is all intersting in relation to the recent post, and article in the Economist, about the militaries use of civilian technology.
An intersting comment on the logistics and strategic issues: http://www.informationdissemination.net/2009/12/unmanned-systems-security-by-obscurity.html
Anyway, it strikes me as really remarkable, and a bit depressing.
Post a Comment
<< Home