Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/139409
S sit rep Black Watch receives new commanding officer Chris Phare, right, with Prince Charles during meeting in Scotland. On May 3, Chris Phare assumed command of the Black Watch, the oldest royal highland regiment in Canada, at a ceremony in Montreal. The manager of business development for 3M Defense received a promotion to lieutenant-colonel from the Colonel-in-Chief of the Black Watch, the Prince of Wales, during a meeting in Scotland. The regiment's roots date back to 1862 as the 5th Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada, the oldest of eight infantry companies that were raised to provide border service as a counter to growing American military strength during the Civil War. Since then thousands of Canadians have served in the Black Watch, which fought in the Boer War, WWI, WWII, and the Korean War; bolstered NATO operations in Europe and UN peacekeeping worldwide; and provided aid-to-the-civil-power, most recently during the Quebec and Eastern Ontario ice storm disaster. RCN unfurls new naval ensign The Royal Canadian Navy marked the anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic with the unfurling of a new Canadian Naval Ensign to be worn by Her Majesty's Canadian Ships, naval vessels, Naval Reserve Divisions, and other designated units. "The adoption of a new Canadian Naval Ensign demonstrates our deep attachment to a widespread tradition among navies of the world. The new Canadian Naval Ensign will become the flag under which our Navy will defend Canada's interests at home and abroad," said Defence Minister Peter MacKay during a gala dinner hosted by the Naval Association of Canada to honour veterans of the six-year battle. Canadian previously flew the White Ensign from 1911 until the adoption of the national flag in 1965. It featured the cross of St. Geroge and the Union Jack. "Today, the flag previously known as the Naval Jack is adopted as the new Canadian Naval Ensign, and the National Flag becomes the new Naval Jack," the Navy said in a statement. The new Canadian Naval Ensign will be 6 JUNE/JULY 2013 www.vanguardcanada.com worn at the masthead while at sea, or at the stern when alongside, moored, or at anchor. The National Flag will be worn as the Naval Jack at the bow when the ship is alongside, moored, or at anchor. The first ship to fly the new ensign was HMCS Toronto, deployed on operations in the Arabian Sea. At a press conference in Ottawa, RCN commander Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison said that most Commonwealth nations wear a distinctive naval ensign on their warships that includes elements of their national flag in recognition of their special status under international maritime law, which stipulates that warships on the high seas have complete immunity from the jurisdiction of all states other than their flag state. The new ensign would distinguish RCN warships from other Canadian vessels and allies around the world. "Canada is now returning to that international practice," he said, which is part of a wider government effort to recognize the heritage of the Canadian navy. In 2010, the executive curl was returned to navy uniforms and "Royal" was restored to the official name of the service. More anxiety for CCV contenders Anxious. In a word, that's the best way to describe most of the companies contending for the Close Combat Vehicle program. A week before CANSEC, the Ottawa Citizen revealed that the Canadian Army, facing a 22 percent budget cut, had considered using the money from the $2 billion program to offset training and other program cuts. While the idea gained some interest with Treasury Board, the government opted to proceed with the program, the Citizen reported. But executives from the three competing companies, Nexter, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada and BAE Systems, were still waiting for further information from the government as the trade show began in late May, despite rumours a winner had already been selected. The CCV program has been started and stopped twice now, but executives with all three companies, which have spent millions on the bid process, said this latest round had gone smoothly. "We're anxiously waiting for a decision," said Doug Wilson-Hodge, manager of international business development for General Dynamics Land SystemsCanada. Though Army 2021, the army's future operating concept, requires mobility and network-enabled platforms, all attributes of the CCV, budget pressure could well mean another delay. Nexter's CCV candidate, the VBCI, on display at CANSEC.