MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 24 Nov 11

• Afghanistan (1)  The latest quarterly report is out, this time tabled by the Defence Minister in the House of Commons (unlike the past few released by either the Foreign Affairs Minister or others) – more from media here.
• Afghanistan (2)  Another Canadian unit packs it in at Kandahar Airfield (via CF Info-Machine, only 8 days after the ceremony)
• Afghanistan (3a)  Toronto Star continues pressing story of Afghan interpreter rejected for “fast-track move to Canada” program.  “An Afghan interpreter turned away from Canada says he has been hunted by insurgents on motorcycles because of his work with the Canadian military.  Sayed Shah Sharifi disputes the accounts of Canadian officials who have played down the threat he faces for aiding allied forces in Kandahar.  Indeed, Sharifi, 23, says he was forced to move his family out of Kandahar for more than two months last year for safety after motorcycle-borne insurgents left a chilling warning with his father.  “Your son works with the Canadian Forces and we will kill him,” Sharifi recalled Wednesday in a telephone interview with the Star ….”
• Afghanistan (3b)  TorStar back stops coverage with letters.
• Afghanistan (4)  Rabble.ca columnist complains about CBC call-in show featuring anti-Taliban writer Terry Glavin.  I’m still waiting to hear if the columnist even tried to call in.
• Libya  Columnist shares kudos for Canadian mission commander as preparations continue for today’s “well done on the mission” parade at Parliament Hill.
• Let’s not forget we have troops in Darfur, too – more on Operation Saturn here.
• Mark Collins:  “Canadian Defence Spending–Less There Than Proclaimed”
• Armenian media reports Canadians (military and/or civilian staff) helping NATO help Armenia.  “The NATO-sponsored international expert group is in the Armenian capital Yerevan, from Wednesday to Saturday, within the framework of assistance to Armenia’s reforms in military education. The group comprises military and civil representatives from US, Canada, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania, Switzerland, and NATO ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  Wanted:  someone to design and build “Infrastructure for Tactical Control Radar Modernization, Primrose, AB”
• F-35 Tug o’ War  “The Conservative government insists all of its new F-35 jets will arrive with the hardware needed to talk to ground troops and prevent friendly fire, but some will still need upgrades to make it work.  Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino said the stealth jets will be ready to do whatever the government asks, when it asks. “All of Canada’s F-35s will not only be capable of operating overseas the moment we get them, but be able to communicate with aircraft and know where friendly ground units are well in advance of deployment on operations,” Fantino said under questioning in the House of Commons ….”  More from yesterday’s exchange in the House of Commons here.
• Canadian plane engine company STILL gets some business from an American buy.  “An unusual turn of events on a U.S. military procurement contract has lightly side-swiped three of Quebec’s largest aerospace firms. Wichita-based aircraft maker Hawker Beechcraft Corp. was excluded without explanation last week from a competition to supply 20 AT-6 Texan II light-attack and training planes to the Afghan air force. Its four main suppliers on the bid to the U.S. air force – which would then turn the aircraft over to the Afghan forces – were all Canadian: Longueuil’s Pratt & Whitney Canada for the PT6A-68D 1,600-horsepower engine, St. Laurent’s CAE Inc. for the crew training, St. Laurent’s CMC Esterline for the flight management system, as well as Burling-ton, Ont.-based L-3 Wescam, which was to provide day-light sensors, infrared cameras with zoom and various lasers. The elimination of Hawker Beechcraft apparently makes a winner of the Super Tucano trainer and light-attack aircraft produced by Brazil’s Embraer, the only other bidder for the contract. Matthew Perra, spokes-person for Pratt & Whitney Canada, said by email that “as with any competition there was some investment made, but this amount is not material to P&W Canada.” But it does not signify a loss for Pratt & Whitney Canada – it also supplies the same engine for Embraer’s Super Tucano ….”
• My favourite bit from this piece from CBC.ca on monitoring efforts during the G8/G20:  “…. (an undercover police officer) told the court about how he attended a meeting prior to the Toronto summit. There, a protest-planning group that included several of the 17 main G20 defendants was discussing whether to lend their support to a First Nations rally. Adam Lewis, one of the 17 accused conspirators in the G20 case, interjected, “Kill whitey!” The group chuckled. Lewis, like all but one of his co-accused, is white. When a Crown lawyer asked the officer what he thought Lewis meant, Showan said in complete seriousness, to “kill white people.” “Deliberately or accidentally, the undercover officers misinterpreted hyperbolic jokes as literal statements of belief,” said Kalin Stacey, a community organizer, friend and supporter of the defendants ….”  Really?  I’m guessing is a similar statement was made about the protesters, it would NOT be taken as “hyperbolic jokes”.
• Credit where credit is due:  CBC.ca shared the documents it’s writing about in the above-mentioned story via documentcloud.org (like here for example).  Hello?  Reporters?  News outlets?  Are you listening about sharing ATIP’ed documents?
• Private Members Bill C-354, An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989), makes it through First Reading in Parliament after being introduced by NDP MP Carol Hughes:  “Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to reintroduce this bill for the establishment and award of a defence of Canada medal for the men and women who served in the defence of Canada during the cold war. This act represents the hard work and vision of one of my constituents, retired Captain Ulrich Krings of Elliot Lake, who presented me with this proposal shortly after I was elected in 2008. Its purpose is to formally honour the people who defended Canada from within Canada for the period from 1946 to 1989. As such, it is intended to be awarded to individuals who served in the regular and reserve forces, police forces, emergency measures organizations, as well as civil organizations, such as St. John Ambulance, all of whom were concerned with the protection of Canada from the threat posed by the countries behind the Iron Curtain. This medal will recognize the support of the men and woman who gave countless hours to Canadians as they trained and prepared in case of an attack on Canadian soil, which fortunately never took place. Their service to our country came at a time when we became aware of how fragile peace can be and how vulnerable we may become to advances in weapons of warfare. This medal would give something back to all those who worked in those years to keep us safe and prepared. I thank my colleague from Thunder Bay—Rainy River (John Rafferty) for his continued support on this bill and for seconding this item for a second time.”  Caveat:  most Private Members Bills do not end up becoming law.  Discussion at Army.ca here.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 Sept 11

• Afghanistan  Finally, a bit of info (from a visiting Canadian academic) from Herat, one of the spots where Canadian troops are helping train Afghan security forces during Operation Attention.  “…. Our participation in this training process, while likely the best course of action in a very challenging situation, simply adds to both the moral responsibility we owe Afghanistan and the strategic corner we have backed ourselves into. If we build this army, we had better be willing to fund it and support it long into the future. This will be added to the long-term development and humanitarian engagement we also have rightly committed to and have the obligation to maintain. Afghans, of course, have been taught to shoot RPGs before.”
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  New statement (link to non-terrorist web site):  child suicide bombers?  What child suicide bombers?  We have rules against that kinda stuff, ya know….  Meanwhile, here’s what Human Rights Watch has to say about using kids to blow themselves up:  “The Taliban’s use of children as suicide bombers is not only sickening, but it makes a mockery of Mullah Omar’s claim to protect children and civilians. Any political movement or army that manipulates or coerces children into becoming human bombs has lost touch with basic humanity.”
• Libya Mission  Sun Media columnist says time to go home, not extend mission.  “…. Do Canadians really need to be mixed up in another protracted foreign military effort with an uncertain outcome? We may be headed into another recession. The federal government should keep its powder dry and focus now on the home front.”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (1)  “Canada is better positioned today to thwart a terrorist attack than before 9-11, but remains vulnerable to ever-evolving threats to national security — especially those targeted from within the country, says Public Safety Minister Vic Toews. Billions invested in beefed-up security measures, more information-sharing with allies and tighter controls on the movement of passengers, cargo and vehicles since Sept. 11, 2001, have all helped detect threats before they become too far advanced. But Canada must keep “alert” to new sources of danger — including home-grown terrorists and cyber-attackers. “Relatively speaking, we’re in a better position. I think back in 2001 we had no idea about the possibilities and types of threats,” Toews told iPolitics. “I think we’ve become much more sophisticated in recognizing potential threats than we were able to 10 years ago, so in that sense we’re in better shape. We’re also in better shape because we share information with our allies on a more regular and consistent basis.” ….”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (2)  “…. The consequences of 9/11 are a bit like the tip of an iceberg.  What you see is less important than what lies below the surface.  The most visible reminder of 9/11 is the inconvenience travellers face crossing the border …. The other major legacy of 9/11 is the resuscitation of hard power in Canada’s foreign policy …. That horrible day 10 years ago is a lasting reminder that Canada needs both hard and soft power to advance its interests in the world.”
• 9/11 Plus Ten (3)  EU, NATO:  World is safer post-9/11.  “…. A decade after Al-Qaeda traumatised the United States, the terror network has lost its leader, Osama bin Laden, and proved irrelevant in the revolutions sweeping the Arab world, said EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove. “The main finding is the real failure of the Al-Qaeda project,” he said. The once mighty group has been worn down by the NATO-led war in Afghanistan, which served as its safe haven prior to 9/11, and reinforced international cooperation, de Kerchove said. “Today an attack of the scale and sophistication of 9/11 is no longer possible,” he told a news conference. “Does it mean that we’re completely out of the threat? Probably not.” He added: “Are we safer today than before? I can say yes.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Wanted:  someone to plan and develop the next CF recruiting media campaign.  This from the bid document’s Statement of Work (PDF available here):  “…. the focus of advertising messaging will shift with the evolving focus of Canada’s military. Ongoing recruitment continues to be the priority and the emphasis will change to accurately reflect the reality of life in the CF. As Fight portrays the CF with a combat focus, and Priority Occupations promotes specific careers, future advertisement campaigns propose to showcase the CF’s readiness and proficiency in humanitarian efforts and domestic defence and support.  The readiness message should demonstrate that CF personnel are trained and the right equipment and necessary infrastructure are available when and where it is needed ….”  Check out the Statement of Work for suggested key messages and target audiences.
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Jobs for east coast folks from one of the wanna-be TAPV competitors?  “A Dieppe company could be adding at least 120 new jobs to its roster if the Canadian government picks the Timberwolf as the newest tactical armoured patrol vehicle for the Canadian Forces. A prototype of the Timberwolf, a tactical armoured patrol vehicle designed specifically for the Canadian Forces, is seen in action. Dieppe’s Malley Industries Inc. will be the vehicle’s manufacturer if the design is selected. Specialty vehicle manufacturer Malley Industries Inc. will announce Tuesday that it has penned a deal with Force Protection Industries Inc., a leading United States designer and developer of military tactical vehicles. Malley Industries now joins a team of companies to potentially manufacture the Timberwolf – a tactical armoured patrol vehicle designed specifically for the Canadian Forces. There are at least three other teams vying for their vehicles to be picked. The government has until next July to choose a design. Up to 600 vehicles could be purchased ….”
• What’s Canada Buying (3)  Wanted:  someone to build Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) building in Petawawa.
• What’s Canada Selling?  “CAE today announced that it has been awarded a series of military contracts valued at more than C$100 million, including a subcontract to design and manufacture four additional C-130J simulators for the United States Air Force (USAF) as well as contracts in Germany to provide support services for the German Air Force’s Eurofighter simulators and to upgrade Tornado flight simulators …. Under terms of a subcontract from the prime contractor, CAE will design and manufacture four C-130J weapon systems trainers (WSTs) to support the USAF’s Air Mobility Command (AMC), Air Combat Command (ACC), and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Three of the simulators will be HC/MC-130J WSTs for ACC and AFSOC, and one will be a C-130J simulator for AMC ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 2 Sept 11

• Libya Mission (1)  The PM talks tough to the troops in Trapani, Sicily – here’s my quick-and-dirty analysis of some of the messaging (via Army.ca).  More on the speech here, here, here and here.
• Libya Mission (2)  NDP want any new or extended mission debated, voted on by Parliament.
• Libya Mission (3)  Welcoming home HMCS Charlottetown.  Note the message development – we’ve gone from deploying to “Enforce UNSCR 1973″ through deploying “In Response To Situation In Libya” and “(Enforcing) A No-fly Zone Over Libya” to now “Fighting The Gaddafi Regime”.  More on the ship’s homecoming here.
• Libya Mission (4)  An editorial reminder:  “…. The first priority for leaders such as Mr. Harper, Mr. Baird and their NATO counterparts should be to examine the circumstances of this victory as closely as they would have a defeat, and to dedicate sufficient resources to helping Libya make the best of its post-Gaddafi existence. We’re only in Act One.”
• Libya Mission (5)  Canada lifts sanctions against Libya (but can’t unfreeze assets yet) – more on this here, here and here.
• Libya Mission (6)  One vet who’s been there, done that, watches Libya.  “As the world watches with horror and hope as North Africa is torn by revolution and war, retired air ace James (Stocky) Edwards is remembering as well as watching. The Comox resident, still going strong at 90, flew over the desert lands still under siege during his days as a Second World War pilot, ultimately earning the third-highest number of aerial victories in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Among other exploits in 1942, he bombed 200 Nazi vehicles parked “mostly in the desert in North Africa — in the land where they’re getting rid of [Moammar] Gadhafi,” he says. More importantly, he shot down 13 German planes on his own, along with eight “probables” downed and damaged another eight ….”
• New boss – LGEN Stu Beare – over at Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM).  More on the handover here.
• The Leslie Report/CF Reorg  Canada’s CF military boss says he’s behind the report, even if his isn’t the last word on some of the proposed changes.  “…. Speaking about the proposed cuts, (Chief of Defence Staff Walt) Natynczyk said: “Everything’s on the table.” He added: “I can’t implement all of this. A lot of this is government decisions.” ….”  More on this one here and here.
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Another entry in the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) sweepstakes.  “Force Protection Industries, Inc., a FORCE PROTECTION, INC. group company, today announced the submission of a bid and test vehicle to the Canadian Forces for the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) project. Force Protection is offering the Canadian Forces a 6×6 variant of the battle proven Cougar wheeled combat vehicle developed by Force Protection to meet the TAPV requirements. Force Protection will be the design authority and have overall responsibility for the acquisition contract to supply the TAPV vehicles and maintain configuration control. As Force Protection’s main Canadian partner, CAE will have overall responsibility for the comprehensive in-service support (ISS) solution, including: vehicle operator and mission training systems; engineering information environment; fleet management services; systems engineering support; and, lifecycle and integrated logistics support services. CAE will also be responsible for assembling a pan-Canadian team of companies to develop and support any country-specific requirements for Canada’s replacement fleet of tactical armored patrol vehicles ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Wanted:  someone to help run kitchens at at USS Montreal, St Jean-sur-Richelieu, Farnham, Valcartier and Quebec.
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Mark Collins shows the half-empty glass that is the Joint Strike Fighter’s prospects outside Canada.
• Marc Hani Diab, 1986-2009, R.I.P.:   “More honours continue to roll in for the documentary, If I Should Fall, produced and directed by Londoners. The film, about Trooper Marc Diab, 22, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 by an improvised explosive device, will be screened at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin on Remembrance Day. International guests and military personnel will be at the Berlin screening. “There is no higher recognition than being asked to represent one’s country to other nations of the world,” said producer Paul Culliton. The poignant feature-length film, which includes interviews with Diab’s family and comrades and with retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie, was created by three Fanshawe College graduates: Brendon Culliton, director; Dan Heald, assistant director; and Brock Springstead, photographer of the documentary ….”
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  Lookit the cool charts in the Taliban’s (alleged) stats summary for August 2011 (links to Sribd.com)
• Westjet supports the troops by not charging them for extra checked luggage.  “Canadian soldiers traveling in uniform won’t have to lighten their pockets to pay for excess baggage when flying via WestJet. The Canadian airline will allow military personnel to check in a maximum four bags at no additional charge. Oversize and overweight charges will also be waived. It’s WestJet’s way of honouring the men and women who serve the country. “The reason we chose to do this is to demonstrate support for the men and women of our armed forces, and to thank them for their service to Canada,” Westjet spokesperson Rob Palmer said. “It is a small gesture compared to what they do for us, certainly, but it’s something we wanted to do to express our appreciation to them.” ….”
• 9/11 Plus Ten  “As the horror of Sept. 11 sank in, it was a refrain repeated over and over for months: the world would never be the same. As a close relative, neighbour and trading partner to the anguished, grief-stricken United States, Canada was emphatically a big part of that world. “We were terrified,” recalled Janna Trosman, who was a 12-year-old elementary student in the Toronto area at the time. “Toronto is like a main world hub as well.” Now 22, Trosman said she will never forget the horror and shock on the faces of her classmates as they sat in her elementary school library watching the Twin Towers crumble. “That is like an everlasting effect. I remember the day very, very clearly,” she said. Ten years after terrorist attacks reduced the Twin Towers in New York City to rubble in one of those I-remember-exactly-where-I-was moments, some things are no longer the same for Canadians ….”
• Globe & Mail opens story about vets having trouble finding work by talking to….  a veteran of the British army living in Toronto.  “During three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Captain David Mack commanded dozens of combat troops on missions in unpredictable situations, often amid the whiz of bullets and the scream of shells. Throughout his 10-year military career, the Torontonian’s leadership skills and experience were never questioned by fellow soldiers in the British Army’s Royal Regiment of Scotland, in which he served as a platoon commander. But when he made the transition back to life in Canada, employers couldn’t easily see how his military skills and experience would translate to a civilian workplace. “Whenever I started describing to employers what I did in the military, people would just scratch their heads,” said Mr. Mack, who had been studying theology at Oxford University when he enlisted in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks …. “  Don’t worry – by paragraphs 20 and 21, we hear from a Canadian vet who’s found work and is helping others do so as well through a non-profit networking group he helped set up, Treble Victor Group. Insert slow clap here….

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 Jul 11

Please excuse today’s delayed distribution – internet connection was not co-0perating.  Thanks for your patience!

• Afghainstan (1a)  “Combat mission’s over” stories from Postmedia News/National Post (more), the Globe & Mail, Agence France Presse, United Press International, and CNN (more).
• Afghanistan (1b)  “…. Americans are concerned about that development – at least, those Americans who know about it.  In U.S. military circles, Canada’s withdrawal is viewed as an added burden to carry while the Americans are scaling back their involvement in Afghanistan, says Faheem Haider, Afghanistan analyst for the U.S.-based think tank, Foreign Policy Association. He says U.S. military leaders believe Canada has done “a brilliant job” meeting its objectives in Afghanistan, and adds that the absence of troops from Canada and other Western countries is going to become a serious issue for the Americans in the coming months. But Haider confirms that, outside military circles, there is virtually no awareness in the U.S. of the Canadian withdrawal from Afghanistan. In fact, the conflict is viewed as an American war because the U.S. has the lion’s share of troops there ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  The fighting’s over, but the fight isn’t over for some.  “The
  pain in his voice cuts through the stark words. “My three colleagues were hit by an IED. The vehicle was on fire, the driver was still trapped inside. “So basically we had to sit there and watch a friend burn to death and not be able to do anything . . . . “Instantly I felt myself die. That’s when everything changed for me.” Wayne McInnis, a 24-year-old combat engineer in Afghanistan’s lethal Panjwaii district, is back in Canada now, one of thousands of NATO
  troops to depart the modern world’s longest conflict. But like countless others, he felt the stranglehold of a war whose tentacles never loosed their grip, long after leaving the battlefield. The stories of McInnis and his colleagues are featured in the documentary, War in the Mind, to be aired on TV Ontario July 6. It explores the post-traumatic stress that leads some veterans to contemplate, or even commit, the ultimate act of violence against themselves. And as Canadian troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan, it’s a timely reminder that for some the battle is only beginning ….”
• Afghanistan (3)  “When “improvised explosive devices” became the Taliban’s weapon of choice in Afghanistan, not only did our military commanders have to adjust their strategy, so did military doctors. Trauma surgeons and medics in the
  field made changes that have allowed soldiers to survive injuries that, even 10 years ago, would have been fatal. And now, some of those medical developments are being put to use in civilian hospitals back home in Canada …. Suddenly, medics and surgeons at Canada’s Role 3 hospital at the Kandahar Airfield were dealing not just with gunshot wounds, but with devastating blast injuries, such as amputated limbs and serious abdominal wounds. As surgeons and medics were forced to refine their approaches, they revived the use of a simple medical device that had fallen out of favour for years: the tourniquet.  When asked to name one medical advancement that has had the most impact in this war, trauma surgeon Dr. Homer Tien replies: “The biggest difference was by far the tourniquet, in my opinion.” ….”
• Afghanistan (3)  One letter-to-the-editor writer suggests a test to see how dangerous it would be for interpreters to be able to immigrate here via the (allegedly) fast-track system:  “…. Allow me to suggest a simple test to determine the danger: how dangerous would it be for a Canadian soldier to walk through Kandahar at night, alone and unarmed? How many nights would he be able to walk the same route before his neck was sliced from ear to ear? If it would be dangerous for a Canadian in that situation, why would there not be much more risk of death for an Afghan interpreter, considered by the Taliban as a “traitor” for assisting the “infidel” Canadian military?”
• Afghanistan (4)  One academic’s view:  “…. Regardless of what our war in Afghanistan may have done for Afghans, it has eroded our civilized instincts. It has not left Canada a better place.”
  
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  Array of attacks and assassinations alleged in Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul and Daikondi.
• One wounded warrior’s next challenge.  “Making it to the top of Africa’s highest summit could prove difficult for anyone, let alone for a soldier who has lost limbs while on tour in Afghanistan. But Cpl. Mark Fuchko said stubbornness and determination will get him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. “I’m extremely stubborn, and I want to make it to the top of this mountain,” he said. “I don’t care if I have to climb on all fours with two broken artificial limbs, I will make it to the top.” Fuchko lost both legs in
  March 2008, while on duty in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. He’s among four soldiers leading the way as part of a group of 37 people that is set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next month to raise funds for the Orthopedic Surgery Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital ….”
• “With Canada pulling its fighting troops out of Kandahar this month, there’s growing interest in whether the government’s enthusiasm for defence spending might wane once the heat of combat cools. Over at the National Post, for
  example, Mercedes Stephenson warns against “nickel and diming ourselves into another decade of darkness.” That’s a reference to former chief of defence staff Rick Hiller’s evocative characterization of the supposedly dismal era of military spending restraint, imposed by Jean Chrétien’s deficit-fighting Liberal government, which is often said to have brought the Armed Forces such a low point in the 1990s and early in this century. Voices on the right
  tend to see the Liberals as inherently unsympathetic to the military, while viewing the Conservatives as naturally inclined to spend more freely on the Forces. But can this pattern be seen in the historical data? ….”
• What’s Canada Buying – Big Honkin’ Ship Version (1)  “The Harper government’s long-promised fleet of vessels to patrol the Arctic has seen two of its project deadlines formally pushed back in recent weeks, meaning Canadians will have to wait even longer before they see any of these vessels in the water. The Canadian Navy currently does not have the capability to robustly patrol Canadian waters in the Arctic Ocean year-round, a fact that has always been a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Stephen
  Harper’s Arctic sovereignty strategy. That is why he promised in 2005 to equip the military with such warships. But the Department of National Defence has now made it official that it expects the delivery of the first of the $3.1-billion Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships to occur a year later than it previously forecast. The ships are one of the three large Navy construction projects expected to be handed to two Canadian shipyards this fall under the government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy ….”
• What’s Canada Buying – Big Honkin’ Ship Version (2)  “Despite facing a tight deadline, a St. Catharines shipyard is hoping a partnership can help secure a piece of Canada’s largest shipbuilding contract. The federal public works department recently announced proposals for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy would be extended two weeks to July 21.  That, despite two potential bidders for the $35 billion worth of contracts requesting the deadline be extended to Sept. 12 from July 7. John Dewar, a vice-president for Upper Lakes Marine and Industrial Inc., has not said if his company asked for the longer extension. However, media accounts suggest Upper Lakes, which owns the Seaway Marine and Industrial dry docks, is among two that made the request. “We are still exploring all options for a partnership that will allow us to secure work … that (we can do),” said Dewar in an e-mail Tuesday ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  “There are no plans to set up a single defence procurement agency, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday. A media report the day before said an independent analysis done for the Department of National Defence agreed with an industry recommendation to centralize military purchases, for which the government has earmarked $240 billion. Asked whether
  the government plans to open a new agency to handle procurement, a spokeswoman for Harper said it would be unnecessary. “There are no plans to create another bureaucracy or more red tape in Ottawa,” Sara MacIntyre said. “I think the question is answered by the fact that Julian Fantino has specific responsibility for military procurement.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Initial specs out for CF to replace wheeled vehicles (but this is NOT a call for bids) – spec package here (via Army.ca).
• What’s Canada Buying? (3)  Wanted:  a swack of hotel rooms for CF personnel working at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.
• “CAE …. announced it has been awarded a series of military contracts valued at
  more than C$115 million, including a contract from the United States Navy to develop two MH-60R helicopter simulators, a contract from Boeing to design and manufacture training devices as part of the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) for the United States Air Force, a contract from Professional Way in Malaysia to build a CAE 3000 Series AW139 full-flight simulator and a contract from the United States Army to develop a suite of Abrams tank maintenance trainers ….”
• CF-Royals Link (1)  Minister of National Defence meets Royals in Yellowknife.
• Pakistani Taliban bad boy group now officially considered terrorists in Canada – more from Canadian Press, National Post, and QMI/SUn Media.
  
• “This summer, a torpedo-shaped robot will try to do what 160 years of navy expeditions, RCMP search parties and eagle-eyed Northern hunters could not. In August, when the Arctic ice is thinnest, a small icebreaker filled with Parks Canada archaeologists will make its third attempt to find the Erebus and Terror, the long-lost vessels of the Franklin expedition, a doomed 1845 voyage to find the Northwest Passage. While underwater searches in 2008 and 2010 relied largely on sonar, this year researchers will be bringing along an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle to “dramatically increase the size of the search area.” “This is the year I hope we will solve one of the great mysteries in the history of Arctic exploration,” said federal environment minister Peter Kent in an announcement last week ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 26 May 11

• Libya Mission (1):  “Canadian fighter jets have dropped 240 bombs over Libya in 324 flights, the military says. The figure was released in a defence department briefing one week after air force officials said such information might compromise the safety of Canadian pilots and the success of the mission to support rebels who are trying to topple Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi. But as doubts grow about the political and military purpose of the mission, the Canadian Forces is still refusing to say where Canadian bombs have been dropped, whether they’ve successfully struck their targets and how much the whole endeavour has cost taxpayers so far ….”  More from the Canadian Press here and CBC.ca here.
• Libya Mission (2):  “…. A spokesman for the Libyan rebels said he wanted to see Canada supply more fighter jets to the mission and more support to the rebels fighting forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. “It’s the people trying to protect themselves against an army and it’s not equal at all. If NATO suspends its mission, there will be a slaughter,” said Sufyan Maghur, who is the liaison between the rebels and the Canadian government. The Canadian Libya Council, organized in response to the conflict, said it believes an increase in NATO strikes is necessary to avoid a prolonged conflict ….”
• Libya Mission (3):  “A Canadian frigate stopped and boarded a ship off the coast of Libya, but then let the vessel go despite the fact it was ferrying a large amount of arms and explosives to the rebel movement fighting Moammar Gaddafi’s regime. The revelation, stemming from a video posted on NATO’s website on May 24, has some experts fearing Canada and the military alliance are picking and choosing how they apply the UN-mandated arms embargo—and effectively allowing the ongoing Libyan civil war to continue. The video, which was also posted on YouTube follows the men and women of the HMCS Charlottetown in early April as they stop a tugboat in international waters near the Libyan port of Misrata. The Charlottetown has been patrolling in the Mediterranean since April and is Canada’s major contribution to enforcing the UN arms embargo. In the video, the Charlottetown’s captain, Craig Skjerpen, says he has received information that the ship—flying the flag of the Libyan rebels and appearing in the video jam-packed with people—is carrying weapons. The Canadians subsequently send a boarding team that uncovers what the video’s narrator describes as “lots of weapons and munitions on board,” including “small ammunition to 105mm Howitzer rounds and lots of explosives.” However, when the Canadians relay the findings up the chain of command to NATO headquarters, they are ordered to let the tugboat go without confiscating the arms. When asked to explain why NATO chose not to enforce the resolution in this instance, a NATO official who asked not to be named said “obviously it’s a fairly fine line.” NATO says it does not consider internal movements between Libyan cities to be a breach of the arms embargo at sea, especially between Misratah and Benghazi, two rebel-controlled cities that the alliance says has fairly frequent maritime traffic now ….”
• Libya Mission (4):  “Two Canadian soldiers in Italy were under medical observation Wednesday after they walked away from a car crash that killed an Italian fighter pilot. The Department of National Defence said the two Canadians were unharmed in the accident. The accident happened a little after 9 p.m. Tuesday about 100 metres outside the entrance to the Trapani-Birgi airbase where Canada’s air force for the Libyan mission is stationed, the department said. Local Trapani newspaper Telesud reported Wednesday that the two Canadian women were in a car that collided with a Ducati motorcycle. Telesud reported that 33-year-old Francesco Rinciari, a sergeant in the Italian air force, was killed in the accident. On Wednesday, Canadian Forces spokesman Brig-Gen. Richard Blanchette expressed his condolences to Rinciari’s family ….”  Note to Postmedia editors:  Telesud 3 is a local TV station, not a newspaper (check the video of the story here about 9:15 into the newscast).  Also, although I stand to be corrected, Italian media aren’t saying the man killed was a pilot, they’re saying he was a senior NCO (who don’t tend to fly planes).  More in the Italian media here, here, here, here and here.
• Afghanistan:  “After nearly a decade of “tremendously successful work” in Afghanistan, the general commanding Canada’s elite, secret special forces says they are to end combat operations here at the same moment as the country’s regular combat forces. “The Taliban cannot operate with impunity anywhere in Kandahar largely because of all the SOF (special operations force) community, because it is an alliance, but certainly because CANSOF was focused on it,” Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, commander of the country’s clandestine military community, said in a rare interview. After the Taliban lost badly on the battlefield to mostly Canadian troops in 2006 and early 2007, the insurgents “essentially changed their tactics from holding ground and trying to be the shadow government in a large part of the province and directly challenging the authorities with formed units” to using “intimidation tactics,” Thompson said. “They started to go after the Afghan leadership and upped the ante with IEDs and suicide bombings and became much more asymmetrical. “That’s when their leadership became the more critical component and that’s when SOF began to play its role.” ….”
• Robert Giruourd, 1960-2006, Michelle Mendes, 1978-2009, R.I.P.:  Planting trees to remember the fallen.
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  More attacks claimed in Kandahar, Zabul.
• Flooding/Quebec:  “Defence Minister Peter MacKay toured the flood-ravaged Richelieu Valley south of Montreal on Wednesday, but his appearance did little to tamp down a controversy over the military not taking a role in the eventual flood cleanup. While hundreds of Canadian troops have been in the area for weeks sandbagging and helping out locals, the Quebec provincial government has requested that the troops stick around to help with the aftermath, too. The request comes as both the provincial and federal governments deal with anger and resentment over the way the flooding of 3,000 local homes has been handled by authorities in both Quebec City and Ottawa ….”  More from CBC.ca here, and the Canadian Press here.  The CF’s Fact Sheet on the flood assistance work in Quebec, OP Lotus, is here.
• “Canada’s defence minister says information about the delivery of the country’s new maritime helicopters will be released at a news conference Thursday. Peter MacKay made the comments Tuesday night in New Glasgow, where he and Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defence staff, met with a group of cadets and reservists from MacKay’s Central Nova riding. The helicopters, the CH-148 Cyclone, are being produced by Sikorsky and are to replace the aging fleet of Sea Kings. MacKay admitted the helicopter program has faced a number of challenges. “There’s a long and, dare I say it, tortured history when it comes to the maritime helicopter program,” he said, calling it “one of the worst examples of a military procurement that went badly.” ….”  Last week’s announcement that “we finally have one (but not for using on ops just yet) here.
• F-35 Tug o’ War:  As Mark Collins asks, who do you believe?
• “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, tactical reconnaissance radars, and surveillance systems, and CAE today announced that the companies have signed an exclusive teaming agreement to offer the Predator® B UAS to meet Canada’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance needs …. Under the program presently referred to as the JUSTAS program, the Canadian Government will establish a requirement to field and support interoperable, network-enabled UASs to provide ISTAR and all-weather precision-strike capabilities in support of its operations worldwide. GA-ASI and CAE will jointly compete for this program, with GA-ASI serving as the prime contractor supporting a U.S. Foreign Military Sale procurement. The teaming arrangement between GA-ASI and CAE is designed to offer the best combination of experience and proven capability to meet program and Canadian-specific requirements while reducing technical, cost, and schedule risks ….”  A bit more on this here.