Former ADM (materiel), Alan Williams, takes a critical look at the Canadian Surface Combatant procurement from the taxpayer's perspective. Comparing costs and quotes on similar projects from other countries, he finds that Canadian taxpayers are paying 2-3 times more for the CSC ships under the project management of Irving Shipbuilding.
Aug 15
(Ken Pole)
Canadian Armed Forces personnel now have clearly-defined options on how to lodge complaints about harassment, assault or other misconduct outside the traditional and all-too-often frustrating military chain of command.
Aug 08
(ARIE EGOZI)
Iran's very basic drone industry has been boosted by the war in Ukraine. Advanced armed UAVs have recently unveiled for purchase by Russia.
Aug 04
(ARIE EGOZI)
The Israeli Ministry of Defence plans to begin series production of the upgraded version of the Merkava 4 main battle tank this year. FrontLine sources have provided some details of the technological advances and expected innovations.
Sep 20
Less than two months into his new job as Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair has returned from a whirlwind visit to Scotland, England and Germany in what could be construed as a "charm offensive" designed to defuse NATO's frustration that Canada remains well short of the alliance's military spending targets for its members.
Sep 15
(DND News)
In 1993, Canadian soldiers faced what is considered by many to be the toughest and largest-scale action faced by our troops during the half-century between the Korean War and Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Today, we commemorate their sacrifice and their intense commitment to peace and security.
Sep 15
(DND News)
A ceremony, including a fly-past, will mark the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Britain on Sunday, September 17, 2023 from 10:30 a.m. until noon.
Sep 15
(DND News)
15 Sept 2023 is designated Military Family Appreciation Day, and the Ministers of National Defence and Veterans Affairs issued a statement of support to Canadian military families. As an integral part of the Defence community, they bring their resilient spirit to each new posting, and strengthen the places in which they set down new roots. Military families represent Canadian values and embody the best of our country. (english and french messages)
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18 June 2023 –
Politicians, scholars and commentators have sought to explain or justify the apparent delinquency in Canada’s defence effort over the years. It remains unclear whether or how much the promised new defence policy update will address the matter of NATO's 2% minimum defence spending commitment.
18 June 2023 –
Former head of defence procurement at Canada's Department of National Defence, made the following remarks at the Standing Committee of National Defence hearing on 16 June 2023. He says the capital costs of Canada’s new fighter jets and surface combatant ships will exceed $100 billion dollars over a 10-year period, and could effectively bankrupt the Canadian Armed Forces unless new monies are injected.
30 May 2023 –
Chinese election interference is a hot topic in Canada today. Yet, while it is indeed a matter of enormous importance, it is one that must be placed in the context of the new Cold War against the West.
27 April 2023 –
The CAF is in crisis mode, attempting to deal with a lack of personnel and equipment, efforts to change its culture, operational pressures and reputational challenges. This huge machine cannot rapidly ramp up from dereliction when needed – it's time for Canadians to begin to recognize service to country as important, and give it the priority it deserves.
29 September 2023
(UPI)
The U.S. says North Korea remains a “persistent threat” to global security due to its development of nuclear weapons which could be used at “any stage of conflict.” The assessment is part of a Defense Department update of its Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, which also rates the potential threats posed by China, Russia, Iran and terrorist organizations.
29 September 2023
(Military Times)
General Mark Milley, the outgoing chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has taken “appropriate measures” to protect himself and his family after former president Donald suggested Milley would have been executed for treason “in times gone by” for having talks with Chinese officials. An Arizona Republican member of the House of Representatives echoed Trump’s hyperbole, calling Milley a “traitor.”
29 September 2023
(Defense News)
Derek Chollet, the U.S. State Department Counselor and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, has been tapped by President Joe Biden to become Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, succeeding Colin Kahl who had held the position since April 2021. When Kahl will take over is unknown due to a Republican Senator’s blockade of all senior U.S. military nominations.
29 September 2023
(Defense News)
The U.S. Department of Defense said today that its F-35 Joint Program Office recently completed a long-delayed series of crucial tests which could pave the way for Lockheed Martin to move to full production next year.
29 September 2023
(National Post)
General Wayne Ayre, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said September 28 that the military is having difficulty coming to terms with proposed budget cuts. “There’s no way that you can take almost $1 billion out of the defence budget and not have an impact, so this is something that we’re wrestling with now,” he told a parliamentary committee. “Our people see the degrading declining security situation around the world and so trying to explain this to them is very difficult.”
29 September 2023
(Quinte News)
Colonel Leif Dahl, commander of 8 Wing at Trenton, Ontario, has been fired by the head of the RCAF, Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny. The terse announcement followed Dahl’s September 28 civilian court appearance on firearms charges arising from an off-base incident in August. He has been replaced by Colonel Leighton James, a former commander of 424 Transport 7 Rescue Squadron at Trenton.
28 September 2023
(CNN)
Slovakia, a NATO member since 2004, is about to elect its fifth prime minister in four years and the apparent front-runner is Robert Fico, a Russian sympathizer who says “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” provoked Vladimir Putin into invading Ukraine. Landlocked Slovakia has a 97-kilometre eastern border with Ukraine, which it has supported up to now.
28 September 2023
(Breaking Defense)
The U.S. has approved the sale of 24 Lockheed Martin F-35s to the Czech Republic. The procurement itself is valued at some US$5 billion while an additional $1.5 billion will be spent on airbus upgrades and other related projects.
28 September 2023
(Reuters)
Prime Minister Trudeau apologized September 27 after a Nazi-allied war veteran was formally recognized by then House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota during last week’s visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Embarrassed at home and abroad, the PM also said the government had reached out diplomatically to Ukraine.
28 September 2023
(Breaking Defense)
Taiwan has high hopes for a planned fleet of at least eight submarines, the first of which is being readied for seat trials in October. “If we can build up this combat capacity, I don’t think we will lose a war,” says Admiral Huang Shu-kuang, the program coordinator and national security advisor to President Tsai Ing-wen.
