The Alternative Canadian Navy of 2030

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(This article represents a speculative interpretation on an alternative shape of the Canadian Navy in 2030, based purely on contemporary security trends and the author’s analysis. It in no way represents the view of Department of National Defence (DND) or Government of Canada.)

Many pundits were surprised by the extent of the 2013 national defence review overdue re-positioning of Canada’s long established defence assumptions, and in particular the revitalisation of the Navy. Afghanistan and Somali had both provided belated impetuses for a doctrinal shift away from conventional Cold War thinking towards that required for today’s irregular security challenges and a focus on expeditionary operations. It followed both the delayed, inconclusive withdrawal of Canadian Forces from Afghan combat operations and the attack on HMCS Ville de Quebec off Somalia.

For a generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Canada, like most of NATO, had enjoyed the peace dividend, the ability to divert fiscal funding into schools and hospitals, away from defence, had created a vibrant and healthy social economy. Fiscal storm clouds remained on the horizon until 2008, when the global economy didn’t just falter; it collapsed into a five-year slump, which heralded the irreversible rise of Brazil, Russia, India and China and the gradual decline of both the US and European economic power-bases. The continued rise of non-state terrorism and its nexus with organised crime ensured that the world became a less secure place as it struggled to deal with global warming and mass famine. 

Afghanistan was to be lost politically somewhere in the corridors of power during 2011, when the real impact of earlier decisions by NATO not to back the MacCrystal plan to wage a fully fledged counter insurgency campaign against the Taliban were realised. The mired battle-field of Kandahar saw the withdrawal of Canada’s last combat troops a year later as it became apparent that an unpopular political settlement with the Taliban was required if “peace” was to be restored to South Asia. The crippling of HMCS Ville de Quebec off Mogadishu in 2012 was to herald a wave in Al Qaeda terrorist attacks against western maritime interests. The realisation that a conventional naval response could no longer contain international maritime terrorism and organised crime forced the issue upon politicians and senior military officers alike. By 2013 the Revolution in Military Affairs was sufficiently discredited to allow the Canadian disciples of Generals Mattis & Patraeus to come to the fore, and a radical defence review was announced.

The review was based on the earlier work of the United States and Australia and pleasingly embraced their findings. Within its pages were the seeds of today’s leaner, capability-based Canadian military and its focus on delivering significantly improved joint expeditionary military effect.  At the time the decision to increase the Navy’s share of the defence budget to 20 percent was met with surprise by an increasingly sea-blind populous. Today’s Navy and healthy ship-building programme are testimony to that far-sighted decision to acknowledge Canada’s maritime dependence and deliver a comprehensive approach to maritime security.

The purchase of four Landing Ships Docks (LSD), built to Canadian commercial design, gave Canada the strategic lift it needed to support the Army’s amphibious, expeditionary focus and complement the Air Forces’ equally brave decision to concentrate assets in air transport and support helicopters. Within 10 years an Army battle-group with full combat and helicopter support could be deployed from sea; a move that catapulted Canada into the premier division of amphibious operations and at a stroke saved the Canadian ship-building industry for a generation. These ships are able to accept containerised stores or munitions as well as a specially constructed deployable command and control suite for the embarked military force. The Chinook (CH-47)/Osprey (V-22) capable flight deck and hangar facilities have been the envy of many other navies, who regret the lack of foresight to build-in space for capability developments. During recent years the occasional presence of one of these ships as a national contribution to Medecins Sans Frontieres has shown the Canadian people the versatility of large naval ships in deployed humanitarian operations.  

The once hard fought over Joint Support Ship (JSS) have proved to be an exceptional investment. They have served Canadian defence interests for nearly two decades, recently emerging from a mid-life upgrade which saw the fitting of landing craft davits and emergency transit accommodation. When employed at the heart of an Amphibious Ready Group, the embarked staffs enjoy the latest in communications and domain awareness equipment to direct littoral operations. As the corner-stone of so many operations they have vindicated the decision to build three hulls as one has been forward based East of Suez for the last five years, in support of the African Union’s stabilisation operation in Somalia and the deployed Small Water Plane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) craft. Canada has led the world in providing deployed engineering capabilities with these ships; across the full spectrum of military operations high readiness engineering support has been provided by deployable naval teams from the dockyards and engineering schools. 

The new air independent propulsion submarines procured as a joint venture with Australia have already been used operationally, their third generation cruise missiles being used as part of recent NATO operations to counter illegal Colombian narcotics operations in West Africa. These missiles surgically destroyed forward operating bases (landing strips, port distribution facilities) of the Medellin drug cartels, an operation only undertaken when it became apparent that corrupt local enforcement agencies were being paid by drug barons. Something still needed to be done by the international community to stem the clear and present danger of mass narcotic distribution. Four of the class of eight have been optimised for under ice operations and provide a significant surveillance capability monitoring Russian naval activity in the disputed waters of the Arctic. But it was the venerable HMCS Corner Brook’s rescue of a stranded USN SEAL team off Yemen some 15 years ago that brought the Canadian Navy’s submarine service to the world’s attention. In a faultless Special Operations extraction she undoubtedly saved the lives of those allied service personnel and denied Al Qaeda a media coup of being able to parade them in front of Arab TV.

The surface ship fleet looks very different to what was envisaged in 2009. Instead of the 15 surface combatants talked about, the Navy boasts just 10 high-end frigates. These are fully equipped general purpose escorts, which represent the very latest technology and automation. With the latest in anti-ballistic missile technology they routinely join their US colleagues as part of North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD’s) defensive posture in protecting the homeland from rogue nuclear states. They weigh in at 7,000 tonnes but are crewed by just 120; their modular weaponry means they are optimised for each mission but can role change in approximately 36 hours if berthed alongside a JSS. These work horses reflect the best of Canadian industry and the export versions are in service with six other nations. Their cutting edge technology and environmentally conscious design has earned valuable export orders for a wide spectrum of home grown firms from gas turbine engine maintenance in Prince Edward Island to surveillance equipment in Newfoundland.

In a direct savings transfer from the then future Canadian Surface Combatant, DND was able to procure eight gun-armed, helicopter/unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV) capable FSF-1 “Sea-Fighter” Fast Sea Frames from L-3. These ships are nearly permanently deployed or forward based, operating on a 42 day cycle which allows their joint Canadian Navy (Reserve) and Police crew of 26 to swap in and out of operating theatres for leave and mission simulating Continuous Professional Development training. Typically five of these are deployed away from Canada operating on counter piracy or counter narcotics type operations. Their employment in law enforcement roles has allowed optimisation of employment and training for the Frigate and Arctic Off-shore Patrol Ships (AOPS) squadrons as well as eradicating problems of manpower dislocation by being crewed from the Reserve Divisions. The capacity and military effect they have delivered has surpassed expectations and revolutionised the deployment strategy of the Canadian Navy.

The AOPS squadrons have continued to operate from all three naval bases and in concert with their Coast-guard colleagues provide year round surveillance of the Arctic. This presence has done much to validate Canadian claims of territorial sovereignty and dissuade other nations from making false claims against this inhospitable but geologically rich region. Their links with the aboriginal peoples of the North has protected a unique way of life and ensured a high degree of environmental protection to this disputed region. These vessels’ crews are supplemented by aboriginal personnel from two new Naval Reserve divisions established in the Arctic. Like their British counter-part HMS Endurance they have also been used to deliver a softer face of the Military for capacity building and humanitarian assistance missions outside the Polar Regions. 

From the unfortunate events of two decades ago was born a Navy that has embraced technology and innovative manning structures to deliver considerable military effect across the full spectrum of conflict and confrontation. Its commitment to joint operations has been proven time and time again, demonstrating the inherent flexibility of naval forces in today’s unconventional warfare. It is far to say the Navy has led the way in joint operations but the laudable commitment of the other armed forces and agencies such as Police and Borders has meant Canada now leads the world in possessing a comprehensive pan government maritime security strategy. The Canadian Navy is truly 3-D–a formidable Deterrent, a face of Diplomacy and a tool to Develop the abilities of those nations in need.                             

Contributor:   David Mugridge

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Report Abuse   Zilwiki 04/20/2010 8:06:05 PM EDT One partial trend in blue water ships will be towards a mini-carrier hull, with weapons suite modules and increased capacity for helicopters and UAV operations. Replies (0) Post a reply Sign in or Sign up to post a comment

Report Abuse   ymr 04/17/2010 7:11:19 AM EDT some thoughts about developments in naval architecture (hull design, power..) would be a welcome Replies (0) Post a reply Sign in or Sign up to post a comment