The Navy To Borrow USS Gunston

[tomahawk6]

The Navy is borrowing the USS Gunston Hall for amphibious training.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/532661.html

 

[Sig_Des]

They’ll be working on a scenario that involves sending troops ashore to secure a failing state, he said.

Their job could entail everything from dealing with narco-terrorists to evacuating innocent civilians. It could also include "low-intensity to mid-intensity combat operations."

That's pretty interesting. Wonder if that's a focus in training we may see more in? Are we looking at having an amphibious-capable operational unit, and if so, to what end?

Something akin to a USMC MEU ?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

This is likely in support of SCTF trials.  There are a couple of threads on this already.

 

[tomahawk6]

The USN may provide Canada with a ship from either the LPD-4 class or LSD-36 class that are due for decommissioning until the amphibious warship that Canada may build comes online.

 

[Sub_Guy]

This is in support of the SCTF, you can read about all of this on the DIN.  There is a great website about the SCTF and the upcoming exercise involving the Gunston Hall.  Even if we were given one until the so-called BHS comes online I doubt we could man it.

 

[Crown-Loyal]

Well that does seem very interesting indeed. IMO this shows that the CF is really pushing for a make over and aquire new abilities. The article says we might train with an assualt ship again in the future and mentions it could be another ally. Now obviously the Americans would be first choice, who could the other ally be? Great Britian?

I can see the Americans wanting to help us because they want Canada to "beef-up". It makes sense because we are neighbours in the "new world" and they want an independently strong forced neighbour. As for other allies helping what would be the their motivation to help us train? Does the CF pay these governments to help train?

I am just  curious, sorry if the questions sound stupid. Can i hide behind the fact i am a civilian. sure why not.

 

[Sub_Guy]

Canadians have conducted amphibious operations on the USS Gunston Hall before, I think it was Unified Spirit back in 2000....My (RCR the navy is for fat guys) brother was onboard for that.  I do believe that this would be first time that Canadians have conducted this type of exercise using Canadian assets as an all Canadian force. (obviously we don't have the BHS, so our big brother is letting us use one of his)...

Honestly though lets be real here, there isn't a chance in hell that this ship is going to sneak past the Windsor!  DBF!  :skull:

Motivation for other allies helping out? My guess would be force interoperability, most missions are not conducted by one nation, but by many, if we all train to fight as one, the chances of blue on blue are decreased and the success of the mission is increased.

 

[HItorMiss]

I did  days on the Gunston Hall back on 01 with 1 RCR, back then some full Colonel was on t asking what we thought of the ship and about amphib op's in general. He said it was something being looked at very seriously by the CF. Well 6 years later and bam it's less and idea and more an implementation and trials.


As for who other then the U.S Marines we would work with, well that's simple the other famous (some say harder but it's apples and oranges) Marine unit in NATO, the Royal Marine Commado's. Personally I hope we go more the route of the UK Royal Marines and less the U.S Marines, I don't think we need "shock troops or "storm troopers" I think we need the capabilities more in line with what the RM's have to offer.

 

[Danjanou]

When they say “borrow” is that like when my neigbour “borrows” my power drill, or are the cousins actually expecting us to give this thing back when the exercise is done. 8)

Seriously good to see. Another skill set that may, no most likely will be needed in the future and another one we seen to have let fade. I wasn’t aware of the RCR ex’s Oakley boy mentioned, and the only really large regular amphibious exercises I recall were the Potlach ones in the 1970s-1980s with 3 PPCLI and USMC in the Pacific.

 

[3rd Herd]

Your right Danjou
Potlach 1- was in California
Potlatch 2- was the invasion of Amchitka island, all PPCLI involved received a deed to 1 square yard of the island.
Several amp assaults were also done over the years involving the liberation of the Jordon River/Port Renfrew from the dreaded Fantasians

 

[ringo]

IMHO its high time Canada had amphibs, SIr Galahad could be had from UK for a song commissioned 1987, recently decommissioned, crew only 50.
If the big US ships are on the table I'd shy away from Austin and Anchorage types and try for Harpers Ferry or Whidbey Island type.
Of course 2 ships are required and one should be Juno Beach the other Vimy Ridge.

 

[TCBF]

Name them after Landings.  Dieppe, Normandy, Sicily, etc.

 

[ringo]

Juno Beach was the Canadian part of Normandy, besides there is already a USS Normandy.
Dieppe was a disaster while Vimy Ridge was certainly one of the most important Canadian battles of WW1.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Dieppe might have ben a disaster but do you have a problem of honouring those soldiers who fought and died there? Even those that lost their battles deserve to be honoured....

Personally I am glad we never got the Sir Galalhad, speaking with my RN buddies the damn thing apparently spent the last few years alongside broken down then she actually sailed. Where is the benefit with another broken down ship???

 

[vonGarvin]

Given that these (if they were to come our way) would be naval vessals, IF they were to be named in honour of battle honours, then those should probably be NAVAL battle honours.  Still, "HMCS Battle of the Atlantic" is a bit winded.  Why not designate them a class (such as Political class), then we'd have the HMCS Conservative, fairly bland, but gets the job done, and HMCS New Democratic.  All flowery and stuff, has "Make Love not War" and other Hippie sayings spray painted on its sides, flies a rainbow flag vice the Canadian Flag and it runs at the first sign of trouble  ;D

 

[Danjanou]

VG would that be followed by HMCS Liberals, always sailing around in circles. I won't even get into the HMCS Bloc Quebecois ;D

If they are Landing Ships then by all means name them after landings, HMCS Dieppe and HMCS Juno Beach do have a nice ring to them. Should we ever buy/commision others then HMCS Husky, HMCS Anzio (FSSF were there), HMCS Attu HMCS Kiska are all available.

If the BHS is more a helicopter carrier, then maybe it's time to resurrect HMCS Nabob, HMCS Puncher, HMCS Warrior, HMCS Magnificent, or even HMCS Bonaventure.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Agreed Danjanou, very fitting names indeed.

 

[rmacqueen]

Given the problems with landing troops during Operation Lancaster in the Artic this summer, it may have put a higher priority on creating an amphibious capability for the CF.

However, getting the soldiers onto a small Zodiac by dangling them from a rope ladder over the side of the ship took hours longer than scheduled.

As well, heavy surf swamped the small boat when it landed on a steep, rocky coastline. The soldiers were forced to bail out with their helmets and stand waist- and chest-deep in the freezing water to push the craft back out to sea and cut loose ropes that had become entangled in the propeller.

"It was very, very cold," recalled Capt. Jonathan Hubble.

After climbing up a 20-metre headwall, the soldiers were then forced to set up their post kilometres from where they had planned. They were moved to the original post by Twin Otter, but the planes landing gear got stuck nearly half a metre deep in unexpected mud.

Arctic exercise reveals military weaknesses
Getting Forces to work well together will take some time
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/523691.html

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Before you learn how to run you must crawl, this is whats happening now.

 

[cameron]

Just  a question, excuse my ignorance (fools ask questions to be made wise ;D), what does SCTF stand for?