Vanguard Magazine

The Canadian Army (CA) continues to take a seri- ous look at the latest in laser technology and is finding plenty of promise. The key priorities for the CA are finding safer ways to deal with impro- vised explosive devices (IEDs), unexploded ord- nance and unmanned threats such as drones. Michel Szymczak, Director of Science & Tech- nology (Army) at Defence Research and Develop- ment Canada (DRDC), oversees the Army's sci- ence and technology portfolio, within which new technologies are studied. DRDC is investigating potential new uses for high-energy laser (HEL) technology. As Szymc- zak pointed out, they have come a long way from the liquid-cooled 10-watt laser he used as a grad- uate student in the mid-1980s. "It burnt paper and wood if you kept it long enough on the target. And now we're at tens of kilowatts," or a thousand times more powerful, he explained. Researchers recently broke "the 100-kilowatt barrier," he added, though the CA is working with kilowatt-class lasers. HEL technology is widely used in the civilian world sector for welding work, Szymczak said. The CA already has other laser tools in its ar- Army eyes lasers in dealing with IEDs and drone threats RCAF gets its first woman deputy commander Vice Chief Mark Norman removed from duty senal, including range finders, target acquisition systems, and Visual Warning Technology. "We're working to see how we could neutralize unmanned vehicles using lasers," Szymczak ex- plained. "You could have an effect on the sensors and the optics by delivering that concentration of energy on the target. You could disrupt or destroy it. It's been demonstrated by the United States 10 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 www.vanguardcanada.com s sIt REP that you can track and disable air platforms." Szymczak said lasers could also be used to detonate IEDs. "For example, if you see wires, you could cut the wires from a distance," he said. "The advan- tage is that you do it while keeping the soldiers out of harm's way and neutralize the threat in a timely manner." For the first time in history, the Royal Canadian Air Force now has a female deputy commander. Maj. Gen. Tammy Harris was named second in command of the RCAF in a record-breaking ap- pointment of new generals and flag officers, which also saw the largest ever number of female dep- uty commander being promoted in the Canadian Armed Forces. The female officers are: Lt. Gen. Chris Whitecross, Maj. Gen. Tammy Harris, RAdm. Jennifer Bennett, Brig. Gen. Frances Allen, Brig. Gen. Lise Bourgon, Brig. Gen. Jennie Carignan, Brig. Gen. Danielle Sa- vard, Cmdre. Marta Mulkins, and Col. Virginia Tatter- sall (who will be promoted acting, while employed to the rank of Brigadier General). Maj. Gen. Harris' appointment as deputy com- mander of the RCAF follows on another "first": the promotion in June 2016 of Brig. Gen. Carignan as the first female general in the CAF combat arms. Whitecross is also the first woman to be pro- moted to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Ca- nadian Armed Forces. "As a general officer in the Air Force, it's certainly an extraordinary opportunity and [it's] a privilege and honour that the Chief of the Defence Staff has given me," Harris said in a recent interview. "As a female leader, it's recognition of the changes that were made in policy back in the early 1980s, as my cohort was coming through." In January, the defence community and general public were surprised to hear that the military's second in command has been relieved of his duty. By mid-February, there were still very few details on why Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of defence staff, had ordered the "temporary" relief of Vice Chief of Defence Staff Vice Admiral Mark Norman. Norman was replaced by the current head of the Royal Canadian Navy, Vice Ad- miral Ron Lloyd. It was reported that Norman's relief was tied to an ongoing RCMP investigation into the leak of documents connected to the Navy's shipbuilding plans.

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