DTN News - Rare Photo - Second World War: Canadian Forces in Ram Mk.II Cruiser Tank During Second World War

DTN News - Rare Photo - Second World War: Canadian Forces in Ram Mk.II Cruiser Tank During Second World War

Source:  DTN News & Wikipedia
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 28, 2013: Due to the loss of the majority of the United Kingdom's tank force in France, tank production in the UK at the start of the war was insufficient and capacity in the US was taken for British needs. So it was necessary if Canada was to equip with tanks, to manufacture locally. In June 1940 the Canadian Pacific Railway's Angus Shops in Montreal had received a contract to produce 488 Valentine tanks for the British and Canadian armies. However the Valentine was an infantry tank and Canada required a cruiser tank for its recently formed armoured division. In the end 1,940 Valentines were produced by CPR most of which were supplied to the USSR. Although the Valentine used a number of American produced parts, its reliance on British components, difficulties in adapting its manufacture to North American methods, and other problems such as limitations to the availability of the right type of armour plate affected Valentine production. The Canadian Joint Committee on Tank Development concluded, in September 1940, that its cruiser tank should be based on a US rather than a British design.

The Canadians were interested in production of the M3 Medium. However the M3 was an interim design and lacked a turret for its main armament. The British Tank Mission which was involved in the modifications of the M3 for British use contributed a tank expert - L.E.Carr - to design a new hull and turret for the Canadian tank, which could take a 6-pounder (57 mm) or 75mm gun while retaining the lower hull of the US M3 Medium.

The new hull was cast rather than welded or riveted and lower than that of the M3. The pilot model's casting was produced in the US by General Steel Castings and later they aided the set up of Canadian production. Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was chosen to make the new Canadian M.3 Cruiser Tank (as it was then known)and was given the funding to set up the Canadian Tank Arsenal at Lonque Pointe. MLW was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company, which had experience in producing large castings and another ALCO subsidiary was producing cast hulls for the M3 Medium.

Canadian engineers ran into many challenges when developing the tank as Canada had never produced a tank before. Along with the lack of knowledge, it took time for Canadian factories to gear up for the production of many of the Ram's components. Initially Canada relied heavily on United States and British materials to complete the construction of the Ram. Most critically the Ram's Continental engine and transmissions were available only in the USA and these were always in short supply. The Ram tank was developed with a turret which unlike the US M3 could traverse the main armament 360 degrees. Its fully cast armoured steel hull gave reinforced protection and - with the driver's seat repositioned to meet British requirements for right-hand drive - lower height while the US designed chassis and power train ensured its overall reliability.

Although it could mount a US 75 mm gun, the preferred armament for the Ram was the QF 6 pounder which had superior armour-piercing capability. As it was not immediately available, early production (50 tanks) were fitted with the 40 mm 2-pounder gun.

A prototype Ram was completed in June 1941 and general production of the Ram I began in November of the same year. The Ram I and early Ram IIs were fitted with side doors in the hull and an auxiliary machine gun turret in the front. The former weakened the hull and complicated production and the doors and the machine gun turret would be discarded in later modifications. By February 1942, production had switched to the Ram II model with a 6-pounder gun and continued until July 1943. In March 1942 a decision had been made to change production over to the automotively-similar M4A1 Sherman tank for all British and Canadian units. Ram production continued due to delay in starting the new M4 production lines and a reluctance to let the plant lie idle.^[2] By July 1943 1,948 vehicles, plus 84 artillery observation post (OP) vehicles, had been completed. The official Canadian history of the war states that, in retrospect, it would probably have been better for the United States to produce more tanks, and for Canada to have focused on manufacturing more transport vehicles such as the successful Canadian Military Pattern truck.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith - DTN News & Wikipedia
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DTN News - CANADA DAY NEWS / AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Canadian Soldiers Celebrating CANADA DAY In Kandahar

DTN News - CANADA DAY NEWS / AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Canadian Soldiers Celebrating CANADA DAY In Kandahar

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CTV.ca

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - July 1, 2011: Many of the Canadian combat troops deployed in southern Afghanistan celebrated their final Canada Day in the war-torn country Friday, as they prepare to return home by the end of the month.

The festivities were held at Kandahar Airfield, which soldiers have been streaming into from forward operating bases as Canada begins to withdraw from combat nearly a decade after entering the war.

There were a number of events planned for the troops' last Canada Day in the southern province, where they've had a presence since 2005.

Many special guests entertained the soldiers at a concert Friday evening, including Quebec comedians Andre-Phillipe Gagnon and Rick Mercer.

The occasion was also one of the few in which troops were allowed two beers and barbequed hamburgers, adding to the festive mood.

But there was also a sense of pensiveness among soldiers eager to return home.

"It's been a long tour," said Cpl. Kevin Bernier-Drolet.

Miniature Canadian flags lined the windshields of vehicles as soldiers lined up at an on-base Tim Hortons where employees gave all troops -- including Americans -- red and white maple leaf ball caps.

Mike Smith, better known as "Bubbles" from the Trailer Park Boys, made an appearance at the military base. The bespectacled character was spotted handing out iced cappuccinos to soldiers.

He said he was happy to see Canadian troops "give'in her and gettin' things done," but that he felt more at home living in a trailer park.

"I won't forget the heat and the dust and the sheer scale of everything going on over here," Smith said.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke and defenceman Luke Schenn were also spotted signing hockey gear.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay read a message from Prince William and his wife Kate before the concert got underway.

The royal couple, who were in Ottawa for the Canada Day festivities, said they wanted to thank Canadian troops from the bottom of their hearts.

"This has not come lightly," their message read. "Because the Canadian Forces are always to the fore, the sacrifices have been great. They have made a difference to the lives of the many thousands who most needed assistance through compassion and humanity."

Soldiers weren't shy about displaying their patriotism, and many gravitated to CTV's cameras to send their families Canada Day greetings.

"To everyone back home, thanks for supporting us, hope everything's good back there," said one young corporal.

Another officer, originally from Petawawa Ont., waved at the camera excitedly to assure her relatives that she'd be home soon.

"My family and everybody's in Kingston," she said. "I'll be home in two weeks."

While many Canadian troops will be coming home, hundreds of other military personnel will remain in Afghanistan after the end of the combat mission.

They will be helping to train the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, which will together take responsibility for the security of Afghanistan once NATO forces exit the country in the years ahead.

NATO countries hope to hand over responsibility to the Afghan security forces by the end of 2014.

In an interview with The Canadian Press on Friday, MacKay acknowledged that many Canadian soldiers he had spoken to in Afghanistan wonder whether their hard work will outlast the combat mission.

"So much of the future of this country will rest with the Afghan government itself and its capacity to continue the good work of Canada and our ISAF partners," MacKay said.

"Will it hold, is the enduring question."

With a report from CTV's Lisa LaFlamme and files from The Canadian Press

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CTV.ca

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DTN News: Taliban Failed Miserably To Crash Election ~ Top soldier

DTN News: Taliban Failed Miserably To Crash Election ~ Top soldier

*Source: DTN News / The Vancouver Sun By Matthew Fisher, Canwest News Service August 20, 2009 (NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - August 23, 2009: After "some pretty grand pronouncements" the Taliban "failed miserably" to make good on their boast to destroy Afghanistan's presidential election, Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan said Thursday. A laborer stands in between stacks of ballot boxes at the Independent Election Commission in Kabul August 23, 2009. Afghanistan's presidential election was generally fair but not entirely free because of Taliban intimidation and violence that kept turnout low in the south, European monitors said on Saturday. "There was not one single suicide attack today in Kandahar province on a day where suicide attacks were threatened on a massive scale by the insurgency," said Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance, who commands Canada's 2,800 troops in South Asia. The Taliban also harmed their reputation by firing rockets "indiscriminately" at Kandahar City and by hitting a revered Islamic shrine in Arghandab with a rocket, the general said. In the face of Taliban threats, voter turnout was uneven but apparently much higher than many had thought possible after recent terror attacks in Kabul. An election official in Kandahar, which is at the heart of the insurgency, said about 60% of the province's 790,000 voters had cast ballots, with relatively heavy voting in urban areas and lighter voting in the Taliban-infested countryside. Tasked to back up Afghan forces who were responsible for security at polling stations, Vance noted that his soldiers were not asked once to help out. However, he acknowledged that there had been several instances of heavy fighting between the Canadian Forces and the Taliban. More than 50 insurgents engaged troops from the Quebec-based Royal 22nd Regiment battle group in a gunfight that lasted several hours at Forward Operating Base Wilson, to the west of Kandahar City, while other Canadians mentoring Afghan troops in Arghandab were also involved in serious battles, Vance said. In both cases the insurgents had been trying to reach the provincial capital and had been "stopped cold," he said, adding there were no Canadian casualties. Canadian helicopters had also been called in on both reconnaissance and attack missions during the day, the general said. Speaking in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Prime Minister Stephen Harper commented: "For all its warts, when you look at a country that had virtually 30 years of civil war without any real history of democratic governance, what is taking place in Afghanistan, in spite of all its challenges, is remarkable. And I think we owe all of our Canadian personnel in Afghanistan -- our military people, but also our civilian personnel as well -- a tremendous credit for the progress that has been made for this to happen." Afghan President Hamid Karzai's lead in the polls, such as they are in Afghanistan, has narrowed considerably in recent weeks, but he remains the odds-on favourite to win again. With the successful completion of voting, the next big question as votes began to be tabulated was whether the incumbent had received the 50% of the votes, plus one, that is required to avoid a runoff. If Karzai falls short of getting more than half the ballots cast, his likely challenger in a runoff would be Abdullah Abdullah, his former foreign minister. Preliminary results may be known by this weekend. But given Afghanistan's immensely challenging geography and the strength of the insurgency, it may take nearly a month before the official first-round tally is made public.

DTN News: Canada Rejects NATO Call To Stay In Afghanistan Past 2011

DTN News: Canada Rejects NATO Call To Stay In Afghanistan Past 2011

*Source: DTN News / Defense Media

(NSI News Source Info) OTTAWA, Canada - August 7, 2009: Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon reaffirmed Thursday Canada's 2011 exit from Afghanistan despite reported pleas from NATO's chief for an extension of Canada's deployment in the war-torn country. Canadian soldiers with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are seen during a patrol in Mirwais Mina part of the main city of Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, August 2, 2009. Canada has around 2, 500 soldiers with the NATO- led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. "Our government is abiding by the motion passed in parliament in 2008 -- that is that our combat forces will leave by 2011," Cannon said. Earlier, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen remarked while visiting a Canadian development project in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, that he would like to see Canada stay beyond 2011. "Of course I'm not going to interfere with the domestic politics in individual allied nations, but seen from an alliance point of view, I would strongly regret if that became the final outcome of the Canadian considerations," he was quoted as saying by public broadcaster CBC. "I would like to take this opportunity to express my strong appreciation of the significant Canadian contribution to our mission in Afghanistan," he said. "At the end of the day, it is a question of our own security. We cannot allow Afghanistan, once again, to become a safe haven for terrorists. And I also think it is in Canada's interest to ensure a peaceful and stable Afghanistan." Canada currently has some 2,800 troops based in Kandahar as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. So far, 127 Canadian soldiers, as well as a diplomat and two humanitarian aid workers from Canada, have been killed in Afghanistan. In 2008, parliament voted to withdraw Canadian forces no later than 2011.

DTN News: BAE's Lightweight Howitzer Wins $118 Million In Further Orders

DTN News: BAE's Lightweight Howitzer Wins $118 Million In Further Orders

(NSI News Source Info) Hattiesburg, MS – May 29, 2009: The U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Canadian Forces have ordered additional BAE Systems M777 155mm lightweight howitzers, taking the company's order book for the type to 800 guns, BAE announced May 28. The three orders' total value is about $118 million, and the program is now worth in excess of $1.6 billion to the company. The United States is buying 38 more weapons, while Canada is ordering another 25 to add to the 12 already in service. U.S. and Canadian forces both operate the type in Afghanistan, where its ability to be transported by tactical helicopter makes it particularly useful in the difficult terrain faced by coalition forces. M777s are manufactured in BAE's Global Combat Systems plant at Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom, and final integration and testing takes place at the company's Hattiesburg, Miss., facility. The weapon can fire the M982 Excalibur smart munition, jointly developed by Raytheon Missile Systems and BAE, to a range of up to 40 kilometers with a high degree of accuracy. The circular error probability requirement is for less than 10 meters, and "the system has consistently demonstrated an ability to meet and exceed that requirement," said James Shields, program manager for the weapon at Picatinny Arsenal, speaking on the occasion of the delivery of the 500th M777 to U.S. forces in April. Even firing conventional ammunition, however, the M777's accuracy has met and exceeded expectations. Feedback from U.S. forces employing the weapon during operations in Afghanistan has revealed "shifts of only 50-60 meters after the first round - and that's just awesome," according to Col. James Matthies, TRADOC capabilities manager at Fort Sill, Okla. Ease of use and the efficacy of the digitization package were areas cited, Matthies said. The M777 is the first such weapon to make extensive use of titanium and aluminum alloys, resulting in an air-transportable weapon that, at 4,200 kilograms, weighs about half that of conventional 155mm systems. The total of 63 howitzers in the new orders comes shortly after the company forecast up to 150 additional orders by the end of 2009. Among potential purchasers are Australia, which is asking for 35 systems but could eventually procure up to 57, Denmark, India, Oman and Thailand. An order from Australia is anticipated before the end of the year, according to the company. In addition to the new order, BAE Global Combat Systems has received a contract for $3 million to reset 33 howitzers returning from deployment in Afghanistan with U.S. forces. This work will be carried out at the Hattiesburg facility.

Canada Contracts For LAV Support

Canada Contracts For LAV Support (NSI News Source Info) April 19, 2009: Canada’s wheeled LAV armored personnel carriers have faced mixed reviews in Afghanistan. On the one hand, they’ve provided survivable firepower and mobility that has been very effective when the terrain allows, and Canada’s unique Coyote surveillance and targeting variant has been an important contributor in all environments. On the other hand, the vehicles have displayed important limitations on their movement in Afghanistan’s harsh terrain, chewing through spare parts while remaining unable to support some operations effectively. As a result, some planned LAV variants were canceled, and Canada chose to deploy tracked Leopard/Leopard 2 tanks and M113 tracked APCs in theater. Canada’s LAVs also remain in theater, however, and must be supported. To that end, the Government of Canada recently awarded General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C) a sole-source, C$ 374 million (current value $372.8 million) Phase 2 contract that will last from June 1/08 – March 31/13, ad may be extended at the government’s option. This is the second phase of a lifecycle support contract originally awarded in April 2004 and successfully completed in May 2008. Services will include fleet management, publication and technical data management, program management, spare parts, repair and overhaul services, training support, technical services, and field service representatives on the front lines. GDLS-C was awarded this contract as a sole-source buy on the grounds that “GDLS-C is the designer… and, together with its prime suppliers, owns most of the intellectual property rights or has exclusive access to all of the proprietary technical data related to this equipment.” As is customary for Canadian defense buys, GDLS-C has agreed to provide direct and indirect industrial and regional benefits equivalent to 100% of the value of the contract. In this case, that will be easy. The LAVs driven by the US Marines, and the US Army’s Stryker variant, are also assembled in London, Ontario by General Dynamics Canada. Government of Canada General Dynamics.

DTN News: Canada To Pay Salaries Of 3,000 Afghan Police Officers

DTN News: Canada To Pay Salaries Of 3,000 Afghan Police Officers

(NSI News Source Info) KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - March 17, 2009: Canada will pay the equivalent of all the police salaries in the province of Kandahar for two years, two federal cabinet ministers announced Monday after touring law-enforcement sites in Kandahar city. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon and International Trade Minister Stockwell Day, who also chairs the cabinet committee on Afghanistan, announced that $21-million would be spent to strengthen the rule of law in this country where security conditions have markedly deteriorated. Canadian armoured vehicles from the NATO-led coalition cover soldiers as they search for IED (Improvised Explosive Device) during a mission in the Taliban stronghold of Zhari district in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan March 15, 2009. Assisting police, courts and corrections officers is one of Canada's top six priorities for Afghanistan's development, said Mr. Cannon. The announcement, he said, includes $19-million to pay for the salaries of police officers of the Afghan national police and $1-million for the salaries of Afghan correctional officers. Because the money will be distributed through the law-and-order trust fund of the United Nations Development Program, it will not be targeted specifically to the province of Kandahar where the Canadian military is stationed. But “Canada's contribution will pay for approximately 3,000 Afghan police salaries for two years – and this is comparable to paying the salaries of all Afghan police forces in Kandahar until 2011,” said Mr. Cannon. He and Mr. Day spent a little more than 24 hours on the ground in Kandahar city. They visited a training centre at the camp of the Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team where police officers and corrections workers are being taught better ways of doing their jobs. They stopped at a police substation built with Canadian money in one of the most dangerous sections of the city. And they toured the Sarposa prison where a spectacular Taliban attack last June freed 1,200 prisoners, most of whom have never been caught. The giant hole in the wall surrounding the jail has been repaired, with the help of Canadian funds, but the jail break remains a dark lesson in the growing strength of the insurgency. Inside the prison, the men are kept in large open cells that allows for interaction with other inmates, they questioned a couple of the prisoners about their conditions and whether their rights were being respected. The repeated answer was yes. But one man, who was behind bars for political crimes, claimed he had been falsely accused. Mr. Cannon said improving the court system in Afghanistan is an objective of his government. Mr. Day, who also visited Afghanistan two years ago, said he was impressed with the progress that has occurred in the interim. “We have seen the results of increased training. We've seen how that's taking hold. We heard positive reports from prisoners themselves about the good treatment that they get, about their respect for the leadership at the prison itself,” he told reporters. As recently as 2007, inmates at the prison said they had been abused. “There will also be $1.3-million that will go to the human rights fund to continue the promotion of human rights and instruction along those lines,” said Mr. Day, “and we are also announcing $347,000 to go to the reconstruction of the prison which was significantly damaged some time ago in the terrorist attack.” Mr. Day said he was encouraged by the security situation in Kandahar. The people of the city “are actually beginning to see enough stability that relative prosperity and economic progress is now within their grasp.” That jars with the assessment of a top Canadian military commander. Brigadier-General Denis Thompson, who headed the military mission in Kandahar until last month, said in early in March that “people's sense of security has absolutely plummeted.” In fact, a press conference with Mr. Day and Mr. Cannon on Sunday had to be moved from the governor's palace in downtown Kandahar to the PRT grounds for security reasons. And on Saturday, a remote-control bomb exploded as a convoy carrying the city's mayor was passing by, killing one man and wounding seven. The mayor was mildly hurt. A report by the Canadian government released on March 4 found that security in Kandahar deteriorated in late 2008 as Taliban militants stepped up their attacks and crime spiked. “In Afghanistan generally, and in Kandahar specifically, security conditions remained especially dangerous and by some measures deteriorated during the quarter,” the report said. “Insurgency activity continued in and around Kabul. Criminal and factional violence compounded the insecurity generated by the insurgency in the capital and surrounding areas.”

Canadian Helos in Afghanistan Reach IOC / Canada’s CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook Helicopters Reach Initial Operational Capability

Canadian Helos in Afghanistan Reach IOC / Canada’s CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook Helicopters Reach Initial Operational Capability

(NSI News Source Info) March 12, 2009: On March 3, 2009, Lieutenant-General Angus Watt, Chief of the Air Staff, accompanied by Colonel Christopher Coates, the Commander of the Canadian Air Wing in Kandahar, announced that the CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook helicopters had reached initial operational capability (IOC).

Canadian Chinook transport helicopters, and their Bell 412 Griffon (seen here at Kandahar) armed escorts, have now reached initial operational capability in Afghanistan. (Canadian Forces photo)

IOC is a declaration to Regional Command (South) that the CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook helicopters belonging to the Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) Air Wing are ready to start providing a level of operational aviation support to Regional Command (South).

"I am very proud of every single member of the Joint Task Force-Afghanistan Air Wing," said Lieutenant-General Angus Watt. "In a very short period of time they have completed very demanding training, brought new aircraft into theatre, and have attained a high standard of operational capability."

The six Chinook D-model helicopters will enhance the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) ability to conduct air and aviation operations within the Regional Command (South) area of operations.

The medium-to-heavy lift helicopters will provide an important transportation capability and increased options for the transportation of Canadian soldiers, as well as their Afghan and coalition partners.

The Chinook is a very reliable helicopter that has proven itself in both domestic and international operations. The U.S., the U.K. and the Netherlands have all successfully operated the Chinook aircraft in the challenging environment of Afghanistan. With their ability to carry large payloads and more than 30 soldiers, the Chinooks are a valuable asset and welcome addition to the ISAF aircraft pool.

"Achieving IOC is another significant step towards building the air capability that will improve the task force's transportation, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and will contribute to mission success in Afghanistan," said Col Coates. "These additional assets will allow ISAF to reduce ground-based resupply convoys and more easily reach remote locations in challenging environments where they could be at risk of ambushes, land mines and improvised explosive devices."

The eight Griffon helicopters will be used to provide escort protection for the newly-acquired Chinooks, which will enhance CF capabilities, giving commanders the ability to move troops rapidly and with more flexibility. Griffons have been used effectively in many national and international humanitarian relief operations-including Manitoba's Red River flood in 1997, Eastern Canada's ice storm in 1998, and the United Nations effort to stabilize Haiti in 2004-and are a welcome addition to the JTF-Afg Air Wing inventory.

This achievement is an important step in fulfilling one of the key recommendations of the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan. These helicopters will enable the Canadian Forces to better support their civilian counterparts and will assist in more efficiently and effectively progressing Canada's priorities and signature projects in Kandahar Province.

The Air Wing will continue to develop its capabilities with these platforms in order to reach full operational capability (FOC). Canada's Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reached initial operating capability on January 31, 2009. Upon reaching FOC, Canadian Forces aircraft will be declared to have met the full scope of CF air support commitment to Regional Command (South).

Russia Slams As Farce Canada's Statement On Tu-160 Flight

Russia Slams As Farce Canada's Statement On Tu-160 Flight

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 28, 2009: A Russian government source expressed astonishment on Friday over a statement made by Canada's defense minister over a flight by a Russian strategic bomber near the Canadian border. The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber designed by the Soviet Union. It is similar in configuration to the B-1 Lancer but is significantly faster than the B-1B at altitude with a greater combat range and payload capacity. Entered service in 1987 with the 184 Guards Bomber Regiment, based at Priluki, Ukraine, the Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber designed by the Soviet Union but remains in production, with at least 16 currently in service with the Russian Air Force. Pilots of the Tu-160 call it the “White Swan”, due to its maneuverability and antiflash white finish. Although several civil and military transport aircraft are bigger, the Tu-160 has the greatest total thrust, and the heaviest takeoff weight of any combat aircraft, and the highest top speed as well as one of the largest payloads of any current heavy bomber. Peter Mackay said two Canadian fighters forced the Russian Tu-160 Blackjack to make a U-turn on February 18 as it neared Canadian airspace less then 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visit Ottawa. The Canadian minister said the move was "a strong coincidence." "The Canadian defense minister's statements concerning the flights of our long-haul aircraft are totally unclear... This was a routine flight. The countries adjacent to the flight path had been notified and the planes did not violate the airspace of other countries. In this light the statements by the Canadian Defense Ministry provoke astonishment and can only be called a farce," the source said. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky, confirmed that all the neighboring states had received prior notification of the flights by Russian strategic aircraft. Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik, a Russian Air Force spokesman, said earlier the Tu-160 flights were in compliance with international agreements and rules and did not violate Canadian airspace.

BAE Launches New Variant Of RG-31 MRAP / BAE Systems Launches New Variant Of South Africa’s Most Successful Export Mine Protected Vehicle

BAE Launches New Variant Of RG-31 MRAP / BAE Systems Launches New Variant Of South Africa’s Most Successful Export Mine Protected Vehicle

(NSI News Source Info) ABU DHABI, UAE - February 23, 2009: BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa, has launched the latest version of its acclaimed RG series of mine resistant personnel carrier vehicles.

The new vehicle, the RG31 Mk6E, is making its international debut at the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi (22-26 February 2009).

Since receiving a Canadian armed forces order for RG31 Mk3 vehicles in 2003, the South African company’s RG-series of products have boosted the country’s exports by more than $430 million with a steadily increasing series of additional orders for vehicles, spares and support from new customers around the globe.

It has also created over 300 new jobs at its factory near Johannesburg and many more throughout its supplier network. The Special Operations Command (SOC) in the UAE operates 76 RG31 Mk5 vehicles, of which 70 are Armoured Personnel Carriers and 6 Command vehicles. These vehicles have been in service since July 2007.

“We are confident that this latest development will further confirm our South African business as the world leader in mine protected vehicle technology,” said Johan Steyn, Managing Director of BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa. “The RG series builds on the three decades of experience we have gained in South Africa, through vehicles such as the Casspir, Mamba and Mfezi.

Its success is a result of our ongoing investment into ever improving vehicle protection levels. We achieve this by applying new concepts and designs influenced by customer and operator feedback and simulation,” he explained. Among the latest developments incorporated in the RG31 Mk6E are new anti-mine seats.

These provide enhanced protection to the occupants from lumbar spinal injuries which can be caused by the shock-waves associated with land mine detonations. The seats incorporate shock attenuation crushable elements developed at Land Systems South Africa.

Tests have shown that these absorb some of the vertical impulse associated with mine blasts, reducing the likelihood of injury during large landmine explosions. Since 2004, BAE Systems has sold over 2,200 RG31 vehicles, including a series of major orders for the US military which operates both the RG31 and its stable-mate RG33, in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Of these, more than 1,300 RG31 mine-protected vehicles have been delivered to the US and Canadian forces. The US RG31s are manufactured by Land Systems OMC and also under licence by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada. In addition to ongoing US orders, several European countries are expressing interest in RG31 mine protected vehicle for their forces, and a recent order from Spain for 100 vehicles, confirms this interest.

BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

Canadian Forces' Acquisition of New CH-148 Cyclones Helicopters

Canadian Forces' Acquisition of New CH-148 Cyclones Helicopters

(NSI News Source Info) February 23, 2009: In July 2004, the Canadian Forces (CF) selected the H-92 Superhawk variant of Sikorsky's S-92 as the winner of the MHP, and designated the aircraft as the CH-148 Cyclone.

On 23 November 2004, Canada's Department of National Defence announced the award of a C$1.8 billion contract to Sikorsky to produce 28 helicopters, with the first aircraft scheduled to be delivered by November 2008.The first flight of the first production CH-148, serial number 801 (FAA registration N4901C), took place in Florida on 15 November 2008. Additional complications in the programme have delayed the aircraft from entering service until 2010.

Deliveries in November 2010 will allow testing and training to begin, but the Cyclone fleet will not be fully operational until 2013 according to Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

The CH-148 Cyclone is a variant of the four-bladed, twin-engine, medium lift H-92 Superhawk helicopter manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the Canadian Forces' (CF) Maritime Helicopter Project.

The CH-148 is designed for shipboard operations and is intended to replace the venerable CH-124 Sea King, which has been in operation since the early 1960s. The helicopter will be operated by the Air Command and will conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surveillance, and search and rescue (SAR) missions from Canadian warships. It will also provide tactical transport for national and international security efforts.