Vanguard Magazine

20 JUNE/JULY 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com interview Image: SAAB Aerospace Sea Giraffe AMB 3D-RADAR DNR, to develop effective and innovate ideas, projects and equipment that will ensure the RCN meets the challenges of the future security environment. This has been an exceptional year for the Directorate Naval Requirements for ad- vancing projects and reaching objectives. The Canadian defence team as a whole continues to make great strides in order to ensure that the SSE objectives are be- ing achieved and that the Canadian Armed Forces is able to meet the defence and se- curity needs of Canada. Q Do you see a mid-life refit similar to HCM/FELEX for the Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs), and if so, what are some of capabilities that will be needed? The Kingston-class life extension was ex- amined in 2017 by Assistant Deputy Min- ister Material (ADM(Mat)) Group staff and the in-service support contractor (who has detailed knowledge of the state of the ships). This examination determined that a full mid-life refit was not necessary, but that some systems would become obsolete and therefore required replacement. ADM(Mat) has since pursued a number of initiatives as part of the ongoing mainte- nance of the Kingston-class, including up- dating the RADARs and the heating, ven- tilation and air conditioning systems, and replacing sections of the fire main (which is the sea-water piping system that provides water to fight fires and cool equipment). Additional improvements are being ad- vanced in concert with work being done for the Halifax-class, including projects related to personnel support such as the creation of a personal fitness space (a gym), and in- ternet support for sailors (i.e. WiFi at sea). The Canadian Armed Forces' intent is to continue operating the Kingston-class even after the Harry DeWolf-class is in service, as it will continue to provide the RCN with operational capability at an af- fordable operating cost. Q A number of small vessel projects have been on the books for quite a few years, such as Naval Inshore Support Vessel. Can we expect movement of these projects in the near future, or will they be rolled into other evolving projects? The Royal Canadian Navy has a num- ber of small vessel initiatives in either the 'Identification' or 'Options Analysis' phase. Our focus is to advance these proj- ects in alignment with the overarching priorities of the RCN. In some cases, operational priorities force us to quickly identify interim solutions for these initiatives. In one such case, the Na- val Security Team required force protection boats to deploy on operations and conduct training. In response, DNR executed a mi- nor project for a buy-and-try evaluation of an interim boat capability, which resulted in the purchase of five Defender-class boats from the United States Coast Guard in 2017. This enabled the team to reach its initial operating capability in the same sum- mer. Although only an interim solution, this provided valuable information and les- sons learned for the follow-on project that will eventually see permanent force protec- tion boats acquired. Larger and costlier vessels, such as the Dive Tender Replacement/Naval Reserve Boat (formerly known as the Naval In- shore Support Vessel), are still being pro- posed as major capital projects, and will be addressed as resources become available. Q Where do you see equipment projects in support of the Naval Reserves moving to, for example, Naval Reserve Boat Training? SSE emphasizes the need to strengthen CAF Reserve Forces, including the Naval Reserve. The RCN is working towards this objec- tive by embracing a 'One Navy' approach, in which Regular and Reserve Forces are closely aligned in policy, procedure, training and operations. 'One Navy' means that a de- ployed or employed sailor could be Regular Force or a Reservist depending on availabil- ity and qualifications. Naval Reservist are no longer limited to crewing any single class of ships and have the opportunity contribute to operations around the globe. We are also considering options to strengthen the Naval Reserve by updating training aids, such as our Marine Diesel Training Units, Naval Part-Task Trainers, and more hands-on training aids such as small boats and communications equip- ment, to ensure that they meet today's operational training needs. The RCN is investigating the use of Virtual and Aug- mented Reality to better prepare our sail- ors for proceeding to sea. One project, which is currently in the identification phase, would provide the Naval Reserve with vessels to maintain at- sea skills such as seamanship, navigation and technical maintenance. These vessels are envisioned to be comparable to the Orca-class, which are about 200 tons and 33 meters in length, and based in Esqui- malt, B.C. The plan would be to station the new vessels in the Great Lakes and/or on the East Coast, to support the training of the large number of Naval Reservists from Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, and to also provide the RCN with a platform for engaging with Canadi- ans in Central and Eastern Canada. Q The introduction of a new organiza- tion last year, headed by Rear-Admiral Casper Donovan in the capacity of Direc- tor General Future Ship Capability (DGF- SC), to ensure the smooth transition of the new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS), Joint Support Ships (JSS) and Canadian Surface Combatants (CSC) to

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