Canada goes for Arctic patrol vessel purchase
Streaker @ Tue May 22, 2007 3:03 pm
They won't be in the water before 2015?!? That sucks, and illustrates very well where the government's priorities really lie. Prediction: These ships will never see the light of day.
Random thoughts...
- Subs, whether nuke or conventional, are largely useless for showing the flag - which is mainly what we should be doing in our Arctic. I say forget about subs. Instead we should ensure that any surface vessels we get for the Arctic have some anti-sub capability. Shipboard helicopters should do just fine.
- As for these 6500 tonne "corvettes", I actually think they would be a decent starting point - such vessels wouldn't be able to transit the passage in the dead of winter but would be able to patrol the passage's approaches for much of the year - they would be useful. Regarding armament, they shouldn't need to be the most heavily armed ships, but what weapons they're fitted out with should be modern, even if costs more.
- In addition to the Navy "corvettes", I'd like to see that Polar 8 built for the Coast Guard, so that we can show the flag year round anywhere in the High Arctic.
- As an alternative to the Coast Guard Polar 8, let me suggest a Polar 8 JSS for the Navy.
- My personal favourite scenario would be to scrap all these other proposals and instead build some modern airships for Arctic patrol. They would be inherently ideal for such duties.