Canada to Spend $5.0Bil on AEW Aircraft

[Quirky]

Well, Whitehorse is about 25+% bigger than Cold Lake.

Also quicker to major cities when you factor in that nonsensical 3.5 hour drive from CL to YEG.

 

[suffolkowner]

Somethings definitely up. It wasnt that long ago that many were convinced that we would not get AEW aircraft. Perhaps we were read the riot act

 

[dimsum]

This is a Boeing 737 airframe? curious

Well, no one specifically said what the AEW&C aircraft will be. Unlike the CMMA, Bombardier (paired up with Saab and others) also has an operational AEW&C aircraft.

GlobalEye - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Now, I have no idea what the requirements are and if the Bombardier GlobalEye will meet them, but at least it’s a real aircraft this time.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Somethings definitely up. It wasnt that long ago that many were convinced that we would not get AEW aircraft. Perhaps we were read the riot act

About 7-10yrs late but hey, I’ll take it.

 

[lenaitch]

What are they going to be used for? When we send fighters abroad? The parts of the country where we experience ongoing intrusions by unfriendly foreigners?

So . . . near universities?

 

[Brad Sallows]

Well, no one specifically said what the AEW&C aircraft will be.

$5B worth of two-seater biplanes with a pair of binoculars for each in the passenger seat?

 

[OldSolduer]

$5B worth of two-seater biplanes with a pair of binoculars for each in the passenger seat?

Ah yes!!! back to the good old days!!!!

 

[Maxman1]

Well, no one specifically said what the AEW&C aircraft will be. Unlike the CMMA, Bombardier (paired up with Saab and others) also has an operational AEW&C aircraft.

GlobalEye - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Now, I have no idea what the requirements are and if the Bombardier GlobalEye will meet them, but at least it’s a real aircraft this time.

Or it could even be the E-2 Super Fudd.

Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Maxman1]

Yes, I hear you and yes it would be a concern. But how do you propose that our airspace be actually defended? The Americans station thousands and thousands of troops in Alaska, don't they?

Maybe similar to Alert and use 3-6 month rotations?

 

[CBH99]

meanwhile in the UK

https://twitter.com/x/status/1782808680594808951

https://twitter.com/x/status/1782769618425135130

Bruh...thats TODAY...

Give it until around the same time tomorrow, and the UK will be talking about further force reductions

 

[dimsum]

Maybe similar to Alert and use 3-6 month rotations?

No, they actually have bases and people (and their families) up there. Anchorage, Eielson, Fairbanks, Fort Greeley, etc.

There are some Canadians up in Anchorage too for NORAD.

 

[YZT580]

Maybe similar to Alert and use 3-6 month rotations?

do that and you will exacerbate the retention problems. Be better to establish your squadron headquarters in or near civilization and use the 295s' to shuttle on-duty crews. Use a rotation scheme similar to the ones used by the northern mines

 

[Eagle_Eye_View]

Alert desperately needs significant updates and repair due to its age and harsh environment. It wouldn’t help retention. We’d be better to use Yellowknife and have access to amenities.

 

[armrdsoul77]

I wonder if anyone is eyeballing the Aurora for the AEW role? Like working at Walmart in your retirement.

 

[calculus]

Stumbled across this CFC paper from a few years ago. It contains a lot of interesting information on the rationale for AEW, the numbers of aircraft (6), the type of aircraft, some suggestions on basing, and a rough staffing model. Quite well written, and an interesting comparison between the E-7 and Globaleye.

https://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/259/290/24/192/Lafontaine.pdf

 

[Maxman1]

Alert desperately needs significant updates and repair due to its age and harsh environment. It wouldn’t help retention. We’d be better to use Yellowknife and have access to amenities.

No, I wasn't saying to base them in Alert, I was suggesting Yellowknife be staffed by pers there for a few months instead of posted there for years.

 

[Fabius]

Assuming all the programs come to pass, there is an interesting opportunity for the RCAF to develop a model that sees them deploy and train to fight as an integrated Canadian Air task force with attendant national persistent ISR UAS, AEW&C, AAR and then fighters for both counter air missions, CAS, and interdiction or strike operations.
That would be an interesting development vs the relatively single fleet deployments that have been the recent past defaults.

 

[lenaitch]

Depending on the size of the trade, that could be a few months, every few months.

'Hi honey, I got my wings/battle manager certification/operator certification'
'See you in 4 months.'

One of these things may be good news, the other non-so-good news'.

 

[OldSolduer]

No, I wasn't saying to base them in Alert, I was suggesting Yellowknife be staffed by pers there for a few months instead of posted there for years.

That is all well and good but you still need a permanent facilities crew. Perhaps local residents could fulfill some of the requirements BUT you still need a permanent not temp military presence.

 

[CBH99]

Alert desperately needs significant updates and repair due to its age and harsh environment. It wouldn’t help retention. We’d be better to use Yellowknife and have access to amenities.

What are the thoughts on Whitehorse, rather than Yellowknife?

Closer to Alaska to state the obvious, and I'd argue Whitehorse is just a way cooler town than Yellowknife...

(I categorize them both equally as being cold as f**k for 6 or 7 months of the year)