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Here's an article that was written by a CP reporter about the 2010 Olympics and the military's provision of security for it. In particular, pay attention to the Griffon comments:
By Steve Rennie, THE CANADIAN PRESS
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The need for Canadian Forces helicopters to help provide security for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver is likely to put strain on the military’s air capabilities in Afghanistan, the commander of Canada’s air wing said Wednesday.
Col. Christopher Coates said the air force, like other branches of the military, will be forced to juggle its resources during the Olympics.
Coates said there will be “pressure” on Lt.-Col. Jeff Scott, the new commander of the Edmonton-based 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, to balance the military’s air needs in Afghanistan with those of the Olympics.
“The air force is going to be involved in the Canadian Forces’ response to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, just like the other parts of the Canadian Forces will,” he said.
“That’ll be a pressure for (Scott) in order to deal with that. There’s all sorts of domestic pressures to support all sorts of operations within Canada.”
Neither Coates nor Scott — who was sworn in Wednesday as the new commander of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron at a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield — could say how many choppers would be diverted from the Afghan mission to Vancouver.
“The Canadian Forces will always do the best that it can to meet the various obligations that it has,” Coates said.
“We’re constantly balancing and rebalancing resources. So, whether that means temporarily that we change training back at home or we change operations here, those are all decisions that will be made in Canada based on the priorities at the time.”
The first of eight armed CH-146 Griffon helicopters arrived at Kandahar Airfield last month. The Griffons will provide escort and protection for the lumbering Chinook transport helicopters, which are more vulnerable to ground fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Acquiring battlefield helicopters to move troops and supplies around Afghanistan was a key condition of last’s year’s Manley commission report for keeping soldiers in Afghanistan until 2011.
The military has touted the helicopters as a means of transporting troops across southern Afghanistan without having to drive along routes littered by with makeshift bombs, which have killed more than half of the 107 Canadian soldiers lost in the Afghan mission.
The diversion of the choppers to Vancouver will affect the military effort in Afghanistan, Scott said, by limiting the number of available helicopters.
“Because of the security requirements for the Vancouver Olympics, there’s a big drain on helicopter resources,” he said.
“So, of course, with all the operations going on here in theatre, plus the Olympics all kind of smashed together in the same time frame, that’s where the (air) wing is going to be working hard to make sure that everything gets done.”
Earlier this month, the head of the army, Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, said up to 4,000 Canadian soldiers would be on the ground in Vancouver for the Games, stretching the military’s resources as the war in Afghanistan continues.
Some 2,750 Canadian troops are deployed in Afghanistan, mostly in Kandahar province in the country’s volatile south.
One comment, although I wanted to post more: Trust me, we'll be okay for the number of helos in theatre.
By Steve Rennie, THE CANADIAN PRESS
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The need for Canadian Forces helicopters to help provide security for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver is likely to put strain on the military’s air capabilities in Afghanistan, the commander of Canada’s air wing said Wednesday.
Col. Christopher Coates said the air force, like other branches of the military, will be forced to juggle its resources during the Olympics.
Coates said there will be “pressure” on Lt.-Col. Jeff Scott, the new commander of the Edmonton-based 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, to balance the military’s air needs in Afghanistan with those of the Olympics.
“The air force is going to be involved in the Canadian Forces’ response to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, just like the other parts of the Canadian Forces will,” he said.
“That’ll be a pressure for (Scott) in order to deal with that. There’s all sorts of domestic pressures to support all sorts of operations within Canada.”
Neither Coates nor Scott — who was sworn in Wednesday as the new commander of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron at a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield — could say how many choppers would be diverted from the Afghan mission to Vancouver.
“The Canadian Forces will always do the best that it can to meet the various obligations that it has,” Coates said.
“We’re constantly balancing and rebalancing resources. So, whether that means temporarily that we change training back at home or we change operations here, those are all decisions that will be made in Canada based on the priorities at the time.”
The first of eight armed CH-146 Griffon helicopters arrived at Kandahar Airfield last month. The Griffons will provide escort and protection for the lumbering Chinook transport helicopters, which are more vulnerable to ground fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Acquiring battlefield helicopters to move troops and supplies around Afghanistan was a key condition of last’s year’s Manley commission report for keeping soldiers in Afghanistan until 2011.
The military has touted the helicopters as a means of transporting troops across southern Afghanistan without having to drive along routes littered by with makeshift bombs, which have killed more than half of the 107 Canadian soldiers lost in the Afghan mission.
The diversion of the choppers to Vancouver will affect the military effort in Afghanistan, Scott said, by limiting the number of available helicopters.
“Because of the security requirements for the Vancouver Olympics, there’s a big drain on helicopter resources,” he said.
“So, of course, with all the operations going on here in theatre, plus the Olympics all kind of smashed together in the same time frame, that’s where the (air) wing is going to be working hard to make sure that everything gets done.”
Earlier this month, the head of the army, Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, said up to 4,000 Canadian soldiers would be on the ground in Vancouver for the Games, stretching the military’s resources as the war in Afghanistan continues.
Some 2,750 Canadian troops are deployed in Afghanistan, mostly in Kandahar province in the country’s volatile south.
One comment, although I wanted to post more: Trust me, we'll be okay for the number of helos in theatre.
