Canadian Navy to buy 3 new 'Joint Support Ships'

[HammerOfHope]

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=f77a0bfa-f80e-4263-a0dc-6ffe3fe13d20

The article is too long to quote, but the gist is that the Navy is planning to buy 3 new joint support ships to increase the readiness and mobility of the CF. These ships are supposed to be modular for a wide range of mission profiles and should be ready by 2015.

What are your thoughs on this new proposal?

[M. Ward]

Im excitied about them. I have a thing for big military toys, tho. :p I can't wait to be able to drive to Halifax and see them from the bridge. (As in a bridge that crosses over something, not the bridge of a ship. :p) :D

[Bando Commando]

I am happy that the CF is finally getting some decent equipment.

Added to the new helicopters, and submarines (just gotta finish putting the bandaids on) the CF is on the rise!
Makes you proud, doesn't it? :)

[Earlam]

I saw the front page of the National Post on my way home today......
Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyplace that hadn't run out.....

From the online article though, these things look great.
I would prefer to have 4 or 5 coming into service, but I suppose that kind of money just isn't available (well, it is available, but not to the DND).

Go Canada!

[BMaloney]

All I want to see is some kind of picture.. blueprint.. drawing anything!

[HammerOfHope]

I saw the front page of the National Post on my way home today......
Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyplace that hadn't run out.....

From the online article though, these things look great.
I would prefer to have 4 or 5 coming into service, but I suppose that kind of money just isn't available (well, it is available, but not to the DND).

Go Canada!
The front page only had an archive photo of HMCS Bonaventure; I believe the article online is the same as the one in print.


All I want to see is some kind of picture.. blueprint.. drawing anything!
They didn't even name the contractor who'd build these ships for the CF, but hopefully a diagram or schematic will surface soon.

[Neo]

The front page only had an archive photo of HMCS Bonaventure; I believe the article online is the same as the one in print.

The Bonaventure? I believe she was a Carrier, not a supply ship.

[Earlam]

The Bonaventure? I believe she was a Carrier, not a supply ship.

I think the reason they put the Bonaventure on the front page was that they don't have a picture of the new ships (or even a concept drawing, apparently), and these JSS things will be the biggest CF ships since then.

[N. McKay]

They didn't even name the contractor who'd build these ships for the CF, but hopefully a diagram or schematic will surface soon.

I've seen one, but I don't remember where.

Anyway, the ship was shown as being in the order of 500 to 600 feet long, with the flight deck right aft and the superstructure just forward of it. The ship had at least two decks for vehicles and equipment, with roll on/roll off ramps. The deck forward of the superstructure was intended for containers, with appropriate equipment for loading and unloading. The was one RAS position shown, with another presumably on the other side.

In general, the concept is of an AOR married to a ro/ro ferry, with space for containers on the deck.

[N. McKay]

I am happy that the CF is finally getting some decent equipment.

Don't forget the Halifax class, still a pretty decent set of ships fifteen years on.

[MikeM]

2015 though.. we need those ships now.

However, it is good to see some progress coming, now if they could only speed things up just a tad. :)

[frammy]

Yeah you beggars lol

You nicked our submarines

I saw all the victoria class in build when they were the upholder class and i spent 1 week onboard HMCS Victoria aka HMS Unseen and tried all jobs going
shame we had to get rid

well there was a 1/200000 chance of the torpedo tubes failing and flooding the sub!

[LCdr Gene Fedderly]

2015 though.. we need those ships now.

However, it is good to see some progress coming, now if they could only speed things up just a tad. :)I don't know where they got 2015. I personally heard the MND say 2011 with financial incentives for earlier delivery. That being said, there are almost always delays in these projects.

[TBird]

I don't know where they got 2015. I personally heard the MND say 2011 with financial incentives for earlier delivery. That being said, there are almost always delays in these projects.

We should all put $5 in a bucket and then winner takes all when the first one is commisioned. I bet August 2012 :D

Just some quick responses to some previous posts

- 5 AORs would be too much for Canada's needs. I know we like to think big but 3 is a very satisfactory number for the needs of the CF. That statement will be strenghtened if there's only the 12 MCDVs, 4 VICTORIA subs and 12 Halifax's when these 3 ships come to service.
- There is (or was) a schematic drawing at navy.dnd.ca
- "Don't forget the Halifax class, still a pretty decent set of ships fifteen years on." Apparently (can't remember where I read this :( ) The Halifax's are coming to the point that they need mid-life refit deerly, however if class Gov't of Canada fashion the $$$ keeps getting held back. A lot of equipment also has to be moved from ship-to-ship for deployments, there are many pieces of equipement where they may own 12, but 12 don't work.


Even after the excitment of an announcement like this, I'm left with two questions? Will the two current AORs last until their replacement, and what the heck is going to happen with the 3 detsroyers? I sincerly hope that at least 4 are built (ordered) with in the next 2-3 years.

[TBird]

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101-navalsc.htm

[HammerOfHope]

- 5 AORs would be too much for Canada's needs. I know we like to think big but 3 is a very satisfactory number for the needs of the CF. That statement will be strenghtened if there's only the 12 MCDVs, 4 VICTORIA subs and 12 Halifax's when these 3 ships come to service.
These new ships are not strictly AOR, they're supposed to be multi-role vessels. Sure they'll carry extra fuel and supplies, but they won't be dedicated tankers like HMCS Preserver and Protecteur.

[N. McKay]

- 5 AORs would be too much for Canada's needs. I know we like to think big but 3 is a very satisfactory number for the needs of the CF.

The navy was, at one point, looking for four. Remember that much of the time one of the vessels will be in refit. Three is the minimum we can have and be able to keep one operational on the east and west coasts.

Five might be nice, but I think there would be other priorities ahead of the fifth, not to mention the difficulty in finding a crew for her.

[CI Dumaran]

meh, right now, canada's navy, though somewhat small, is technologically and interconnectably ther most advanced navy... mostly due to the Halifax Class Frigs.

Though, any new hardware is quite cool!

Oh.. any one see the recent CF Navy DVD!!!! HOLY COW!!!! It rocks!!!
And the poster that comes with it... drool indeed.

[Bub]

Dude, those things are pretty long. 200m vs a Nimitz Class Carrier at 330m. They sound pretty cool too.

[jhunter]

They have to be large. The GTS Kate fiasco was a prime example why it is no long acceptable to move our military equipment by commercial means. If you consider just 'replacing' the AORs we have, then yes, 3 will do nicely. If you want to use them for their intended function of moving equipment and providing command operations and logistical support, maybe 5 is realistic.