| Royal United Services Institute of Vancouver Island | ||||||||||||||
  |
|
|||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
Canadian Gunners in Afghanistan swear by their new gun - the M777 Lightweight 155mm howitzer, delivered last November. It has extended the range and effectiveness of artillery fire missions supporting ground operations. Its lethality has been confirmed by several Canadian media reports from Afghanistan.
The Triple 7, as the gunners call it, is a lightweight 155mm towed howitzer that is air-portable and airdroppable. The design is the result of a joint British-American project with the guns being manufactured in the USA following extensive testing by the US Marine Corps. However, its first use in a combat area has been with Canadian gun detachments.
Firing conventional munitions,
the gun has a range of 30 km (19
miles) with an improved round
weighing 98 pounds. The newlydeveloped
”smart“ Excalibur rocket
assisted projectile reaches out to 40
km with first round hits expected.
The increased accuracy of the Excalibur
round is due to the integrated
Digital Fire Control (DFC)
system of the M777 and the Global
Positioning System (GPS) locations
for both the M777 and its target.
This eliminates the surveyor team
that normally provides such information.
- Maple Leaf and files.
The Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute has released
a report outlining overall
world military spending in 2005.
New defence spending was highest
in the Middle-East and the
United States and overall military
expenditures were up in
most other parts of the world excluding
Europe, where military
spending decreased by 1.7 percent.
Canada ranked 12th in
spending after South Korea but
ahead of Australia.
- Khaleef, 12 Jun 2006
The Canadian Forces launched
its largest-recent Arctic exercise
dubbed "Operation Beaufort"
near the western approaches to
the Northwest Delta. Participants
during the week-long exercise include
20 members of the Canadian
military, 20 local reservists,
patrol aircraft and boats, and
RCMP and Coast Guard personnel.
The CF is conducting the
exercise to affirm Canada's
sovereignty claim to the Northwest
Passage. A separate exercise,
"Operation Lancaster", will
run in the Eastern Arctic beginning
11 August.
- CBC, 09 Aug 2006
Canada's newest regiment, the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) is poised to complete its first-ever advanced special operations basic qualification course near Kamloops, British Columbia at the end of the week. Following the completion of the 16-week course, the roughly 250 soldiers will join the high-readiness regiment whose mandate includes "support to counter-terrorism operations, direct action, special reconnaissance, non-combatant evacuation as well as defence diplomacy and military assistance". A helicopter squadron and the Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Company are also attached to the new unit.
As American and allied intelligence services have expanded humint networks in the region where al Qaeda's leadership is believed to be hiding, they have begun to offer even larger quantities of cash and visas to potential recruits. (Yes, visas. An opportunity to move one's entire family to the United States, Britain or Australia, with all expenses paid, is a powerful motivator to work for a time as an informant.) As a result, the jihadists now are finding it necessary to counter this new Western "offensive."
Canada will equip its Halifax-class frigates with the jointly developed Canada/Netherlands Sirius Long Range Infrared Search and Track System. The passive device uses infrared technology which can help detect any object that radiates heat. The system will be used for search and rescue, air operations, navigation and patrols. It can automatically detect and track small surface targets, low flying aircraft and missiles which might be missed by radar.
Israel is in the process of designing new technology for its Arrow Mark IV missile defence system that would make it more effective against ballistic missiles. Some of the technical changes include new radar systems, improved interceptor missile performance and a conversion of the system from theatre antiballistic missile defense to an integrated nationwide anti-missile system. The Arrow Mark IV could be operational by as early as 2009, so long as Washington agrees to provide some financial assistance for the project.
The Pentagon's Defence Security Cooperation Agency told Congress today that the Australian government has requested a military hardware sale worth an estimated USD$2 billion. In the deal, Canberra has requested four Boeing C- 17 cargo planes, up to 18 F-177 Pratt & Whitney engines, and up to four AN/AAQ-24 infrared countermeasures systems. Congress has 30 days to block the proposed sale, however observers note that the legislative body has rarely done so in the past.
Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Hilmi Ozkok is in Australia this week, visiting his Australian counterpart, Chief of the Defence Force Angus Houston. During the visit, the two inked a bilateral deal to increase material cooperation and educational exchanges amongst their defence forces.
HALIFAX (CP) - The Canadian military has relaxed some of the background security checks it does on potential recruits and is considering easing others as it tries to speed up enrolment and meet ambitious recruitment targets. ... The military recently received an exemption from the Treasury Board that allowed it to shorten the period of time it covers when doing an applicant's background check, according to Defence Department officials.
|
Top | | | Index | | | Previous | | | Next | © RUSI VI 2006 | |
