EvanL
07-17-2004, 12:20 PM
RCMP, navy to use $250-million vessels to guard shoreline
By DAVENE JEFFREY / Staff Reporter
Canada needs up to 10 new, mid-sized ships to perform armed non-military tasks along the offshore, says the navy's director of maritime strategy.
"In the last year and in this upcoming year, we have seen the demand on the the Atlantic fleet alone increase from 150 sea days to over 290 sea days for support of other government department operations," said Capt. Kelly Williams.
Capt. Williams, who is based in Ottawa, is in charge of a study to look at the navy's future fleet mix.
"This is very exciting stuff," Capt. Williams said.
"The ships would enhance our maritime security posture ... and work with other departments," Capt. Kelly said.
Such interdepartmental operations include protecting against over-fishing in Canadian waters and participating in RCMP operations such as the large-scale drug bust off the Eastern Shore last week.
The low-cost, multi-functional offshore vessels would fulfill those functions and free up Canada's warships.
The 1,500-tonne ships would be about 75 metres in length and require a crew of between 50 and 60 sailors, Capt. Williams said.
He estimates the ships could be built for the modest price of $250 million each.
How many would be based on the East Coast and the West Coast would have to be worked out.
Staffing would also be an issue. The navy is short of sailors, he said.
Innovative crewing structures, as well as recruitment, have to be reviewed, he said.
The addition of the mid-size vessels would fill the gap between the smaller, coastal-defence vessels and the larger, powerful frigates.
The frigates would then be able to expand Canada's naval commitments in foreign waters, Capt. Williams said, while at home, the mid-size vessels would help ensure our national sovereignty.
Talk of this type of ship is not new, says military analyst Joel Sokolsky of the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont.
"The Senate has issued several reports that Canada has the largest unguarded coast in the world," Mr. Sokolsky said.
An armed, medium-size vessel would be a Canadian equivalent to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is armed, he said.
Such a vessel would also be similar to military ships found in many European navies, which are designed to maintain national sovereignty only.
Canada is one of the few countries in the world that maintains naval warships capable of action on the high seas, he said.
But as far as guarding our own waters, that hasn't been of much concern until the recent threat of terrorist attacks in North America, he said.
Canadian armed offshore naval vessels would help secure Canadian coasts as well as North American coasts, he said.
If the study gains top military approval and then goes on to win support and funding from Parliament, the earliest these vessels could hit the water would be six to eight years, Capt. Williams speculated.
He envisions the vessels being able to accommodate helicopter landings, as well as someday providing platforms for unmanned, remote-controlled surveillance-type planes.
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By DAVENE JEFFREY / Staff Reporter
Canada needs up to 10 new, mid-sized ships to perform armed non-military tasks along the offshore, says the navy's director of maritime strategy.
"In the last year and in this upcoming year, we have seen the demand on the the Atlantic fleet alone increase from 150 sea days to over 290 sea days for support of other government department operations," said Capt. Kelly Williams.
Capt. Williams, who is based in Ottawa, is in charge of a study to look at the navy's future fleet mix.
"This is very exciting stuff," Capt. Williams said.
"The ships would enhance our maritime security posture ... and work with other departments," Capt. Kelly said.
Such interdepartmental operations include protecting against over-fishing in Canadian waters and participating in RCMP operations such as the large-scale drug bust off the Eastern Shore last week.
The low-cost, multi-functional offshore vessels would fulfill those functions and free up Canada's warships.
The 1,500-tonne ships would be about 75 metres in length and require a crew of between 50 and 60 sailors, Capt. Williams said.
He estimates the ships could be built for the modest price of $250 million each.
How many would be based on the East Coast and the West Coast would have to be worked out.
Staffing would also be an issue. The navy is short of sailors, he said.
Innovative crewing structures, as well as recruitment, have to be reviewed, he said.
The addition of the mid-size vessels would fill the gap between the smaller, coastal-defence vessels and the larger, powerful frigates.
The frigates would then be able to expand Canada's naval commitments in foreign waters, Capt. Williams said, while at home, the mid-size vessels would help ensure our national sovereignty.
Talk of this type of ship is not new, says military analyst Joel Sokolsky of the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont.
"The Senate has issued several reports that Canada has the largest unguarded coast in the world," Mr. Sokolsky said.
An armed, medium-size vessel would be a Canadian equivalent to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is armed, he said.
Such a vessel would also be similar to military ships found in many European navies, which are designed to maintain national sovereignty only.
Canada is one of the few countries in the world that maintains naval warships capable of action on the high seas, he said.
But as far as guarding our own waters, that hasn't been of much concern until the recent threat of terrorist attacks in North America, he said.
Canadian armed offshore naval vessels would help secure Canadian coasts as well as North American coasts, he said.
If the study gains top military approval and then goes on to win support and funding from Parliament, the earliest these vessels could hit the water would be six to eight years, Capt. Williams speculated.
He envisions the vessels being able to accommodate helicopter landings, as well as someday providing platforms for unmanned, remote-controlled surveillance-type planes.
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