Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/653616
G GlOBal DEFENCE www.vanguardcanada.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016 31 The current practice of designing a mid-range capability war- ship that can be had for a reasonable price is an approach that will not satisfy anyone but the Treasury Board. Future naval combat requirements will be for advanced capabilities which will be very expensive. Anything less will mean relegation to the sidelines or backlines of mission plans. The idea that frigates are cost-effective because of their multi- purpose nature will founder on their escalating cost to procure and high cost of operation for local tasks, for which they are vastly overqualified. The major problem will be their under qualification for their principal purpose, rendering the entire strategy at least a military failure, if not an industrial one. Walk before you run Understanding the nature of technolog- ical change raises an important question about whether or not the Canadian industrial base is currently capable of producing cutting-edge technical defence applications of the latest technical innovations. As part of the ongoing developmental process, the maritime in- dustrial base will need to "walk before it runs". If the generation of appropriate naval capabilities for a wide range of defence and security missions is the strategic goal, then uniformity does not logically support the future organizational intention. If respon- siveness to change is not part of the vision for the industrial plan, then a strategic partnership with the most capable and reliable source, likely the United States, should be negotiated. Knowledge transfer of information for key industrial capability development must be part of the agreement. There are ways that variable geometry and flexible technology can be built into ship design but the need to update capabilities must be a stated intention from the outset. The very idea that technology will provide new and essential options should be a key ingredient of naval force development. The costs will be great and will limit the notion of fleet-wide implementation. As the shipbuilding process develops, the three key naval capability concepts to watch are in the development of global communications and broadband information handling systems, high en- ergy generation and electrical weapon systems, plus significantly expanded logistical sustainment, all incorporated within a diversified fleet structure. Advanced combat capability will be a crucial component of the naval future fleet, but its extraordinary cost and transient character will make it relevant to only a small and elite element of the navy. The remainder should be focused on supporting joint force operations and enabling whole-of-government missions. This is what the future security study shows and what is the most logical and cost-effective response. A member of the Naval Boarding Party stands watch as Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg participates in an SNMG1 port visit to Karachi Pakistan to increase awareness of NATO activities in the region. Photo : Warrant Officer Carole Morissette. 'Cheaper, lighter and smaller' will be the watchwords for those who advocate the use of nanotechnology in the defence field