[EyeBrock]

Come on andy.

You don't know that Canada has a fleet of C130's and 4 C17's as well as the Polaris (Airbus) and the tac airlift in theatre of Griffons and Chinooks?

Very,very basic stuff.

You should look outside your current sources for info, there are large gaps in your knowledge on this subject.

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Come on andy.

You don't know that Canada has a fleet of C130's and 4 C17's as well as the Polaris (Airbus) and the tac airlift in theatre of Griffons and Chinooks?

Very,very basic stuff.

You should look outside your current sources for info, there are large gaps in your knowledge on this subject.

I don't look for info such as this - not really of much interest to me.

Did you miss those stories in the paper about how we didn't have planes to transport our troops, had to hitch a ride with the yanks? Maybe we just don't have sufficient capacity, or our planes don't have the required range, but there was some problem.

[EyeBrock]

andyt andyt:

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Come on andy.

You don't know that Canada has a fleet of C130's and 4 C17's as well as the Polaris (Airbus) and the tac airlift in theatre of Griffons and Chinooks?

Very,very basic stuff.

You should look outside your current sources for info, there are large gaps in your knowledge on this subject.

I don't look for info such as this - not really of much interest to me.

Did you miss those stories in the paper about how we didn't have planes to transport our troops, had to hitch a ride with the yanks? Maybe we just don't have sufficient capacity, or our planes don't have the required range, but there was some problem.

It's NATO and the Yanks have the most kites and choppers. Brits ferry Canadians and Canadians ferry Brits etc. Yanks take everybody as they have choppers up the ying-yang.


AT is always at a premium and reporters are at the bottom of the list to get a seat.

The military tend to think that getting soldiers into combat, medevac-ing injured soldiers back and re-supplying ammo and rats more important than getting CTV and CBC reporters an nice seat.

Just a thought and I’m not trying to be snotty. If it's not of much interest to you and you know little about the subject, why comment? You look a bit silly on this and I know your not.

[andyt]

Gen. Hillier wants the Canadian Forces to be able to respond faster to missions at home and abroad. The Canadian Forces, however, is lacking the long-range planes to move troops and vehicles overseas, and to some parts of Canada, and in the past has had to rely on renting giant Antonov cargo aircraft from a Ukrainian company.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/politics/article ... z0zQbE61Zp

That was 2005, maybe they bought some planes after that, but I do remember it being an issue, so not sure how silly I look here. That particular blog also talks about the military considering using Air Canada planes. The poor bastards.

[EyeBrock]

Well, before the C17's, the much vaunted Lib created DART had to deploy using rented aircraft. Good in theory but when the Tsunami hit in 2005, those rentals were all rented out and DART couldn't deploy for over 2 weeks. The C17’s have greatly added to our capabilities, as will the C130J’s.

Transport aircraft are key to any military.

Without them we just have well trained soldiers that can't go anyway further than they can march.

We should have enough transport aircraft to deploy a battle ready battalion within 24 hours at the least.

We should also be able to support that battalion in theatre with rotary-wing transport and air support.

We also need combat aircraft such as our CF18’s (currently guarding the St Lawrence Seaway), doing close-air-support for our troops. Something they have barely done in combat since Korea.

The Libs were pretty bad on this, EH101, no strategic lift etc but the Tories under the Great Chin sold our battlefield tac lift (the Chinooks) and now we have 6 second hand ones and Griffons that can just about take off in the hot-high conditions of Afghanistan, but with a negligible payload.


We have AT but not enough. We need more and I think all military commanders, even our air-mobile Yank allies will agree that too much AT is never enough.

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

We have AT but not enough. We need more and I think all military commanders, even our air-mobile Yank allies will agree that too much AT is never enough.

Which was really the point of my throwaway question about whether we had transport planes.

[EyeBrock]

And the answer is we do and we always have. It's like asking if we have fighter aircraft.

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

And the answer is we do and we always have. It's like asking if we have fighter aircraft.

Unlax, will ya. I was under no illusion that we had absolutely no transport aircraft. I didn't think I'd get the military version of a trekkie (who knows exactly what color underwear Kirk was wearing in episode 3, season 2) answering what was just an aside.

[EyeBrock]

I'm well unlaxed mate. I was just astounded at the question but I'll have your explanation. I knew you weren't that dumb.

Oh and I worked in the AT (fixed and rotary) for ten years. Not a trekkie, just an Airman.

[SprCForr]

I'm wondering if it's residue in their kit that's setting off the dogs.

[BartSimpson]

In Andy's defense, up until the CF JTFA Air Wing deployed to Afg. in 2008 there was precisous little in the way of CF air transport over yonder. As I recall, up until that time the CF was getting around in leased Mi-8 helicopters that were of dubious functionality at least until the Canadian mechs got their hands on them. No offense, but I still would rather walk than take a ride in some 40 year old POS leftover from the Soviets.

[EyeBrock]

SprCForr SprCForr:

I'm wondering if it's residue in their kit that's setting off the dogs.

Good point but there's always the risk that some squaddie etc might try and make a bit of cash by smuggling some shit back.

A chick in the RN recently got court-martialled for smuggling. Interesting read.


http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/WR ... ticle.html



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8207755.stm

[EyeBrock]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

In Andy's defense, up until the CF JTFA Air Wing deployed to Afg. in 2008 there was precisous little in the way of CF air transport over yonder. As I recall, up until that time the CF was getting around in leased Mi-8 helicopters that were of dubious functionality at least until the Canadian mechs got their hands on them. No offense, but I still would rather walk than take a ride in some 40 year old POS leftover from the Soviets.

Bugger off yank!

We still had C130's and they count as air transport for smuggling drugs.

[andyt]

I wasn't talking about freaking helicopters anyway. Note I said planes - you experts should be able to understand the distinction. It was just a joke about our lack of heavy air transport.

I have no doubt there is some smuggling going on, as I said, the question is if it is at a significant level. And I would have thought our much more enterprising American brothers would be moving the big volumes if anybody is.

[BartSimpson]

SprCForr SprCForr:

I'm wondering if it's residue in their kit that's setting off the dogs.

Indeed. It's like the bank workers in the US who got fired some 20+ years back for testing positive for cocaine and then it was determined that they were exposed to cocaine because they were handling money that was practically covered in blow.

Same goes for the troops. If they're running ops in poppy fields or if they're around locals who're smoking hash then they're going to make the dogs tweak even while they pass testing for exposure.