[EyeBrock]

Does anybody use CH-47's for SAR? As in dedicated SAR, not just chucking a life raft off the ramp at a sinking yacht.

[Canadian_Mind]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:

In the article it states that they could be used to fill in holes the new ones were originally going to fill, thus freeing up up to 5 new ones with all the latest bells and whistles for the SAR role.

Cormorants ain't cutting the mustard?

I can't believe you have to ask that question.

[bootlegga]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

bootlegga bootlegga:

Why, oh qhy would our pro-military Conservatives ever cut the defence budget Eyebrock? Aren't they the ones who spend like drunken sailors on the military while every other party cuts their spending?

Well, I guess they might so that they can give away $60 billion in taxes if their corporate tax cuts go through! After all, Conservatives NEVER, EVER run a deficit...oh wait!

Well, I would say that Harper is 'pro-military' to a point. Times are way better than the 'decade of darkness' under Chretien.

An incredible understatement EB. Chretein wanted to provide the military with "inexpensive" equipment and make it work. at least, so far, Harper seems to understand that we need good equipment, and that costs money. I honestly believe if he was to get a majority we would see our military restored to numbers we had pre-Chretein and would have the best kit possible.

Yes, but when discussing defence spending comparing the mid-1990s to the 21st century (even more so after9/11) is akin to comparing the 1920s to 1940s.

One was a period of relative peace when most (if not all) nations in the world were paring back the size of their military, while the other was one of conflict and strife (which demanded increased defence spending).

If you're going to dredge up the 90s, then to be fair you should also include the huge increases in defence spending that the Liberals (under Chretien!) made when it became necessary to do so. Defence spending went from a low of $10.8 billion (1997) to just over $16 billion (2005) under the Liberals.

Regarding your belief in the Conservatives spending willy-nilly on defence, I personally doubt it. He has scaled back promise after promise in the past 5 years and even when presented an opportunity (like using some of the hundred billion or so in stimulus funds for defence projects), he has balked from doing so. No, Harper has learned, as have Liberals, that massive defence spending does not win seats in Canada and as such is not a true priority.

There's a reason he's pushing for $60 billion in corporate tax cuts right now...

[bootlegga]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Does anybody use CH-47's for SAR? As in dedicated SAR, not just chucking a life raft off the ramp at a sinking yacht.

Boeing proposed it (the HH-47), and it won a contract with units becoming operational in 2012.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... /hh-47.htm

[EyeBrock]

So nobody is using a SAR version of the Chinook then.

Boots, I checked out your link, the HH-47 is a 'combat' SAR response to a US competition.
It's trying to replace the CH-53's which are used now for recovery of downed pilots or SF teams, not really an SAR role we could utilise as much as the Yanks.

Basically we are talking about a heavily armed kite designated to go pick up high value military assets in bad places. Not your traditional SAR role but very interesting.

[bootlegga]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

So nobody is using a SAR version of the Chinook then.

Boots, I checked out your link, the HH-47 is a 'combat' SAR response to a US competition.
It's trying to replace the CH-53's which are used now for recovery of downed pilots or SF teams, not really an SAR role we could utilise as much as the Yanks.

Basically we are talking about a heavily armed kite designated to go pick up high value military assets in bad places. Not your traditional SAR role but very interesting.

Nope, other countries have used the Chinook in a SAR role.

According to Wikipeda, South Korea has a squadron of them dedicated to SAR;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CH ... _operators

The US Army used regular Chinooks in the past to support SAR operations;

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... y/gray.htm

It's not a primary SAR bird, but used to support other SAR helos in special situations - which is what the analyst in this piece suggested too.

I'm not saying we have to keep them, but seeing as how the government hasn't had any interest in them yet, we should think about using them for a while longer.

[ShepherdsDog]

$1:

So where do we cut the budget to pay for these old aircraft's upkeep Boots?

I'm all for cutting off grants to self proclaimed artists and musicians.

[Tman1]

Cutting corners. Funny, the military reminds me of Canadian road work or filling in pot holes. Do the job that needs to be done then, then when it wears out, find another cheap replacement to fill it in and so on.

[Gunnair]

Tman1 Tman1:

Cutting corners. Funny, the military reminds me of Canadian road work or filling in pot holes. Do the job that needs to be done then, then when it wears out, find another cheap replacement to fill it in and so on.

Military works with what it can get and they make it last as long as they need to. Look up the Sea King debacle then point fingers at the military like its their call.

[Tman1]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Tman1 Tman1:

Cutting corners. Funny, the military reminds me of Canadian road work or filling in pot holes. Do the job that needs to be done then, then when it wears out, find another cheap replacement to fill it in and so on.

Military works with what it can get and they make it last as long as they need to. Look up the Sea King debacle then point fingers at the military like its their call.

Sorry, let me rephrase that. The government in question, not the military. I know its not easy for the military to 'work' with what they've got but the govt should be spending top dollar for the best equipment instead of the easy cut corner fix and then try to weasel their way out whether it be the Libs or the Cons.

[saturn_656]

Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:

saturn_656 saturn_656:

Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:

In the article it states that they could be used to fill in holes the new ones were originally going to fill, thus freeing up up to 5 new ones with all the latest bells and whistles for the SAR role.

Cormorants ain't cutting the mustard?

I can't believe you have to ask that question.

I know they aren't.