Derek 2.0

Between work/a move/sale and purchase of several homes I’ve been time limited in my MLW time allotment……Not a quibble per-say, but stating accuracy……..the engines will not be replaced, but the portions that failed in several of them, will be replaced by P&W at no cost……….if it turns out their supplier was using substandard alloys and this is the cause of the several failures, they should be prosecuted!!! That runs counter to both the roadmap and comments suggesting that though the NAVAIR flight restrictions have increased turnaround time between flights, delaying some of the flight requirements, there has been no indication that next year’s IOC won’t be met. That’s an obtuse request………why would a country purchase aircraft, that it intends to purchase. LRIP 9 will fall under the 2015 fiscal year........and of course, you do know there will be a likely change in control of the Senate in November right? At this time I can't provide contract details.........because they're still ongoing......Once they're finalised, I will gladly oblige though. Certainly, with growth in fleet size, both the rate of testing and training will increase exponentially……..A year from now, I’m certain you’ll argue the lack of progress because the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, the Dutch, Japanese, Israel and Australia have yet to complete their entire ordered deliveries. Flyaway, right now for the F-35A, ~98 million + ~17%.........Sans training, spares and support. Of course that will change in the next several months as the LRIP 9 contract is complete, likewise the next block purchase from P&W.

An interesting opinion piece: Though these two ships have the added benefit of an ice strengthened hull, my main concern would be to what extent these ships have been built to not only Russian, but French standards and in turn, how difficult it would be to “Canadianize” them. Aside from ensuring Western electronics, power generation and propulsion systems could be installed (and not at great cost), we’d also require new radars, weaponry, communications and combat management & control systems……and these would be expensive. Of course, in an attempt to find some savings, we could purchase and install the identical suite found on the FELEX Halifax class, in addition to purchasing new air traffic control radars, recycle both the 76mm, CIWS and decoys from our soon to be retired destroyers and AORs….After that, and in my view would be key, would be to install refuel at sea (RAS) gear, in addition to the required plumbing and partitioning of the fuel tanks. Doing this would facilitate the ships being able to partially replace the loss of our supply ships, in addition, the command & control capabilities that we’ll lose in the retiring of our destroyers, until their replacements are delivered. In addition, it would introduce numerous new capabilities to our armed forces……An interesting idea, but of course would be predicated on cost and how much of these potential issues could be reversed/altered (and how much work could be done in Canadian yards!!!)

How so? We quite enjoyed the old Stanley, parking was a PITA there though......by far, my personal favourite was a production of Waiting for Godot about seven or eight years ago....What is grotesque by people donating money to the arts? I'm sure the late Ms. Griffiths benefited throughout her career from both private and corporate donors.

I fully admit, I probably haven't heard of even a fraction of all women in theatre........none the less, I fail to see why you continue to attack me in this, as such, I'll stop responding to you in this thread since it's clearly an emotional topic for you. All the best.

Agreed......I see no reason to create a subset based on sex, with that said, I feel WCR’s concerns can be addressed by various threads started in the current categories……..i.e. Women in Cabinet in Federal Poltics or Women athletes in Sports and Rec etc……

Prior to leaving the Lower Mainland, my wife and I were both season ticket holders and donors to the Arts Club.........Does that count?

No, I forget her name, but from what I remember, she did a segment on 22 minutes or Air Farce, and often "ambushed" various people in politics......I remember the skits of her's that I've seen were quite funny........Comedy, is that not a form of art?

There is no section dedicated to ships, boats and guns..........the topics come up in various sections. Is there someone stopping you from creating topics in the various sections, on issues and affairs directly related to women? I could be wrong, but the creation of said topics that interest you, should be something that you start........If you build it, they might come.

Isn't there that woman on CBC that dresses like a Viking?

The rant against this forum's lack of topics on women.......Was this not a topic on a women artist? Are you unable to create further topics on women? Perhaps, if you did, and a great deal of interest was shown, another sub-forum would be worthwhile........I wouldn't oppose it.

I guess I missed your "case"..........It appears, from the timeline of posts, that you started a thread on the passing of an artist........then a few minutes later, derailed your own topic.........

I had no idea who she was/is.......googled her, and now I know, I'm sure she will be missed by family and friends........like most other victims of cancer.

That's just it........they would have got something along the lines of TRUMPed 280/Halifax radars and combat system and we'd have 6 ships that would be hard pressed to contend with 70s era Soviet subsonic cruise missiles........and four obsolete destroyers.

How so? I’m sure if there is a demand for obituaries for obscure female artists, Greg/Charles could create one easy enough.....

Maybe, maybe not.......The added cost would likely have forced DND in the 90s to cancel TRUMP and/or retire the 280s...........More so, the Trudeau Government should have snapped up the offer for the Kidd class destroyers before they were swallowed up into Reagan's 600 ship navy......Then of course, we could have forgone TRUMP (which never met-up to expectations) and retired the 280s (or offered them for sale) in the 1990s...

Once the Conservatives came to power, that Halifax program had been completed for nearly a decade, with the root design being from the early 80s........12 post FELEX frigates are more capable than 18 pre upgrade frigates.... Why would I include the subs? You stated "surface combatants"..............None the less, there is a thread on the Victoria class.....Ultimately, based on the financial investments made by the current Government, coupled with the reduced overseas tempo, the Victoria’s are finally operational within the fleet and will remain viable until the end of the 2020s to early 2030s. 48 operational aircraft is all that is needed to meet our current NORAD and NATO missions....... As to attrition reserves for the fighter fleet, I've no doubt near the end of production for the F-35s (mid 2030s), we'll have within our initial contract the option to purchase additional replacement aircraft....based on losses from the Hornet fleet, 10-15 additional will likely need to be purchased at some point. Like our current and future icebreakers.......again, the AOPS is not intended to be an icebreaker, but an ice capable patrol vessel. What ship(s) do you think the AOPS will be based on? I agree to an extent.....But understand the AOPS will fill a niche role for the remainder of the surface fleet, not only taking over more mundane tasks that a frigate is wasted on and as something when more than an unarmed CCG OPV is needed, but also increasing our ability to conduct military operations in the Arctic, well replacing the four Destroyer Escorts that formed the training squadron on the West Coast since the 70s (lost in the Cold War draw down)...

That's incorrect, when "Harper took over", the navy had 3 x destroyers and 12 x frigates....15 surface combatants and 6-8 AOPS will be bought, bringing our navy's hull numbers to that we had in the 80s, but far more capable. Operationally that is incorrect, we currently have two operational squadrons with 48 Hornets between the two........Once they're replaced, we'll have two operational squadrons of 48 F-35s. The USCG doesn't have armed ice capable ships.........none the less, the AOPS doesn't require a large armament for its intended role, namely sovereignty/pollution/fisheries/SAR patrols along our three coastlines………roles that our old destroyer escorts performed, and roles we currently rely upon our frigates to fill in for………It’s doubtful we need a modern warships to monitor and engage drug smugglers, polluters, poachers and people smugglers. You are the one that suggested they wouldn’t be capable in the “open sea”….answer the question.

That of course isn't true, the existing engines will have the portions found defective on the several engines that failed, replaced. The roadmap per earlier this month: and LRIP 9 talks should be finalised next month, with purchases for not only the three American services, but also Israel, Japan, the UK, Italy and Norway………The South Koreans, from my understanding, might sneak into LRIP 9, but more likely a larger buy in LRIP 10……….Likewise the next two (delayed) lots of F135s from P&W. As to the rest of this years roadmap: -Carrier trials should start next month -The USMC squadron in Yuma now has a squadrons worth of aircraft -Cost reductions will be released with the details of LRIP 9......from my understanding, the price reduction for LRIP should be ~4% overall, with ~6-8% for the F-35A.......

I admit, that was a good one

Yet the modern yard that will build them is near complete, and the builder has signed contracts with renowned industry giants in the field.... Yet they continue to serve throughout the Western Hemisphere, as not only training vessels, but also conducting sovereignty patrols on all three of our oceans, coupled with deployments to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Europe….. And I thought you just stated they were rinky dink......Why do you feel they won't be capable in the "open sea"? The root design, already is in operation with the Danes, well having no problems reported with operation in the "open sea" of the North Atlantic or Arctic oceans.....

Wouldn't surprise me......they also installed the largest gantry crane in Canada several months back for the larger vessels. edit to add....the change to the North Vancouver skyline and waterfront:

Like they say about great minds: As I said several months back, before the announcement, the United States might retire several of their large fast supply ships eary..........If a purchase or lease is not doable, perhaps an offer to pay a portion of the operating costs and contribute some of the manning might allow both Canada and the United States to Bridge (pun intended) the gap....

Not quite, with détente, the last 6 of the 12 CPF were to have been lengthened ~30ft with a mk41 VLS installed forward of the gun, coupled with a more extensive air defense suite…….the TRUMP modifications to the 280s were twofold, first to modernise the vessels at their midlife point and second, to address the navies shortage in air defense, which prior to the Halifax class, was largely non-existent. That's not accurate either........One of the 280s will remain, and replacement plans have been ongoing since the 90s. However, it was initially planned to replace the 280s with a design based upon the Halifax class, equipped with the APAR/Smart-L radars, developed by us, the Dutch and Germans. As the development of the radars matured, it was found to function as required, the APAR would have to be mounted so high, it would create severe instability with the root Halifax class hull-form……..so this forced a reboot in the 2000s. And there certainly is a program to replace the 280s (and Halifax class) underway……….look no further then here: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Halifax+Shipyard/@44.6679819,-63.5974678,250m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x16abc7bc145e7ec The new building, where the AOPS, Destroyer and Frigate replacements will be built will dwarf the previous facilities that built our current Halifax class. Though the final designs for both the AOPS and surface combatants have yet to be released publically, one can assume the direction of both programs by the contracts Irving Shipbuilding has signed (that are public) with Lockheed Martin (As electronic systems and surveillance (radar) integrator), GE Canada (propulsion) and Odense Maritime Technology (Naval architecture). Based on these companies products and mature (yet evolving) designs, the RCN will succeed in renewal in the years ahead………though I’m sure we will pay a premium for domestically produced vessels. There is nothing small about the AOPS, and they will dwarf the ships they replace (Kingston class)........and of course, the destroyers and frigates will be replaced by a common class..........built in a building nearly three times the size of the building where our current frigates were built, with a final displacement of that of a WW II cruiser or WW I battleship…..there will be nothing small about them.

There you go, it's now official: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/the-royal-canadian-navy-issues-details-on-retirements-of-ships I'm not surprised with Preserver's condition, and getting ride of the last two steamers in the fleet will save money In terms of training and sustainment……..somewhat surprised that they’re keeping the Athabaskan, but with that said, they could sustain and crew the remaining Tribal with the leftovers from her two sisters…..I still wouldn’t be surprised if she was decommissioned after she returns from her current deployment, or once the remaining frigates have completed the HCM/FELEX program……..end of an era for sure, having served or been aboard all of the girls (including Huron and Provider), feeling somewhat nostalgic but they are all very tired. As I’ve said numerous times though, I would hope the feasibility of leasing interim replacements is being explored, if not one for one, at least replacing the AORs or making arrangements with the USN/MSC that is also looking at decommissioning several supply ships early.

A indirect jab directed at the Trudeau Liberals: Will the Trudeau Liberals respond? Layout their own firearms policy? Or will they support the Governments "Common sense" firearms legislation? Remember the words of Liberal MP Wayne Easter at the Liberal policy convention: