[Freakinoldguy]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

This article got me to thinking and I realised that every ship I ever sailed on is either an artifical reef, a target for badly aimed missle tests or razor blades used by hairless metrosexuals to keep themselves looking like an egyptian queens quiff.

Huron?

That one and about 10 more before it, none of which are still afloat or even museums which is probably why I'm waxing nostalgic about the good old days.

The only plus is I'm as close to my favorite one as I can get without drowning.

Maybe my nostalgia is all psychological and that's why I moved up here.

[Gunnair]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

This article got me to thinking and I realised that every ship I ever sailed on is either an artifical reef, a target for badly aimed missle tests or razor blades used by hairless metrosexuals to keep themselves looking like an egyptian queens quiff.

Huron?

That one and about 10 more before it, none of which are still afloat or even museums which is probably why I'm waxing nostalgic about the good old days.

The only plus is I'm as close to my favorite one as I can get without drowning.

Maybe my nostalgia is all psychological and that's why I moved up here.

What years on Huron?

Saskatchewan, by the way?

[ShepherdsDog]

My dad served on the Saskatchewan. His last posting was to the Terra Nova until 75. He did the Westploy 73 tour as part of the ICCS military contingent when the yanks were deserting South Viet Nam. I remember my mom, and other moms, freaking out because they didn't know where the was going on such short notice and under a shroud of 'secrecy', or how long they'd be gone.....but they had their suspicions.

[Freakinoldguy]

Huron 94 till 95 and then again 98 till 2000. My Career managers had no imagination when it came to my postings since I also did 3 tours on the Saskatchewan, 76 till 78, 87 till 89 and 92 till 94 so yes you are right about her.

BTW Shep, I was roundsman on the Restigouche the night Squadron Staff came through looking for volunteers to go to Vietnam with the Terra Nova. I volunteered but was told to "shit in it and finish my fucking rounds" by the POOW, which pretty much ended my trip to Viet Nam before it got started.

[Gunnair]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Huron 94 till 95 and then again 98 till 2000. My Career managers had no imagination when it came to my postings since I also did 3 tours on the Saskatchewan, 76 till 78, 87 till 89 and 92 till 94 so yes you are right about her.

I was on her 88-90.

[Freakinoldguy]

Gunnair Gunnair:

I was on her 88-90.

A little before my time on her. But just as an aside, I still can't watch the documentary about her sinking because everytime I try to it's like watching a close friend pass away before your eyes.

I might be a little bias but it just pisses me off no end that the money pit Algonquin is still around while they made a target out of the better ship.

[Gunnair]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Gunnair Gunnair:

I was on her 88-90.

A little before my time on her. But just as an aside, I still can't watch the documentary about her sinking because everytime I try to it's like watching a close friend pass away before your eyes.

I might be a little bias but it just pisses me off no end that the money pit Algonquin is still around while they made a target out of the better ship.

I hear ya. When I sailed on her, the motto was Ain't no fun on 281. Then i got married on her so she had a place in my heart.

Hard to watch her sink but it was better than watching her sit and rust for years in the harbor.

[Freakinoldguy]

Gunnair Gunnair:

I hear ya. When I sailed on her, the motto was Ain't no fun on 281. Then i got married on her so she had a place in my heart.

Hard to watch her sink but it was better than watching her sit and rust for years in the harbor.

Actually she didn't rust all that bad. Before I left her we had the hull done with zinc rich expoxy and then painted. It was costly but I can honestly say she had the best looking hull of any target the Canadian Navy has ever used.

[Gunnair]

It was all that paint. No metal left to rust maybe.

[ShepherdsDog]

My uncle was quartermaster on Rusty Guts for two years.

[PENATRATOR]

Christaned on Rusty Guts

[QBall]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

$1:

The navy is putting in place plans to ensure the loss of the destroyers won't negatively impact the maritime force's capabilities, and Warden said Canada's 12 Halifax-class frigates can take on many of the tasks currently assigned to the destroyers.

Except the tasks that make these three dinosaurs important.

Command and Control and Area Air Defence.

Amen. Loss of the ability to use the SM2's (and SM3 if we ever had the money to upgrade) is huge. The short range of the Sea Sparrows (even the ESSM) always gave me an uneasy feeling. I say maximize your ability to react to threats as much as possible.

[bootlegga]

QBall QBall:

saturn_656 saturn_656:

$1:

The navy is putting in place plans to ensure the loss of the destroyers won't negatively impact the maritime force's capabilities, and Warden said Canada's 12 Halifax-class frigates can take on many of the tasks currently assigned to the destroyers.

Except the tasks that make these three dinosaurs important.

Command and Control and Area Air Defence.

Amen. Loss of the ability to use the SM2's (and SM3 if we ever had the money to upgrade) is huge. The short range of the Sea Sparrows (even the ESSM) always gave me an uneasy feeling. I say maximize your ability to react to threats as much as possible.

Yep, look at how well the RN did with its short range SAMs in the Falklands conflict. Sure, that was twenty years ago, but it's still an issue in my opinion.

If the RN had had something long range like the SM2, the Argentinians would have had much more problems using their Exocets and bombing the fleet at anchorage.

You want to be able to take down enemy planes and missiles as far from the ship as possible.

[BartSimpson]

bootlegga bootlegga:

You want to be able to take down enemy planes and missiles as far from the ship as possible.

If there's another dustup in the Falklands I hope the leadership in London doesn't hesitate to hit the airbases and runways in Argentina. I say it's better to stop the enemy from getting their planes in the air to begin with.

Have to say, I'd not hesitate to target the civilian runways, too, just to prevent the Argies from running ops from those airstrips if their military strips are cratered.

[Zipperfish]

bootlegga bootlegga:

The lack of funding for the Navy since Harper got into office six years ago has been a frequent gripe of mine here at CKA.

Frankly, it was a joke that he issued the "Canada First" defence plan and then didn't bother to fund many of the items included in it.

As I've have said, the CF has been screwed over by the government of Canada (and by extension, Canadians) since the 1960s. No matter which party is in office, the promises always come way faster than the money does - and that's largely because most Canadians don't see a real need for a large well-equipped CF.

Sure it's myopic and short-sighted, but most people here want better health care or cheaper daycare instead of new ships for the navy or new fighters for the air force.

Wow, you've been posting some sharp posts lately. And there I was PMing Thanos about a fuckwit you were. Joking.

But I think you nailed it. The government, I think, senses that it gets most mileage from talkaing a big game at defence, while realizing that most Canadians aren't going to care.

Personally, I almost feel for the government on this one (almost!) The numbers for planes and ships have to pretty scary.

By the way, was chatting with Major-General Farron last night at St Jean Baptiste Day BBQ. I don't really know all the Canadian insignias yet, so after about five minutes I asked him if this




was like a Chief Warrant Offcier or something. The camp Sargeant-Major subsequently face-palmed. The General was quite gracious about though.