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Hey all heard last night the Government/DND/CF offered Nato 6 Hornets I think for air support in A'Stan. Anyone hear more about this or if it's likely they will be deployed? Does the Army get much training working with the CAF for air support training? Have heard of live fire exercises using the Hornets not sure if that's the same as training for Air Support thought.
Thanks,
Josh
Just found this article (From the Toronto Star).
"OTTAWA—Just a month after the defence department denied any plans to dispatch CF-18 fighter jets to Afghanistan, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has opened the door to a possible deployment.
With opposition critics accusing the government of a flip-flop, O'Connor told the Commons yesterday: "Recently we made a commitment to NATO that we will have six CF-18s ready for NATO if they require us. That is why the money was spent to fix up these CF-18s."
The Toronto Star revealed last month that Ottawa was making preparations in case its fighter jets were needed in Afghanistan. That included a $1.9 million contract with the U.S. government for "deployment support" for the CF-18s.
But the Star story sparked an angry response from the defence department, with officials taking the unusual step of issuing a statement to deny plans to send the sleek jets abroad.
"To clarify, the Department of National Defence has no intention to deploy CF-18s to Afghanistan," the Sept. 22, 2006 statement read.
That was the same day that Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in Ottawa for an official visit and there was speculation the Conservative government was uncomfortable with any suggestion that it was escalating its military commitment to the controversial conflict.
Yesterday in the Commons, O'Connor said there's been no recommendation to send CF-18s in support of the 2,500 Canadian troops now on the ground in Kandahar.
"They will not be deployed unless there is an operational requirement," he said.
But under further questioning from NDP MP Dawn Black, O'Connor confirmed that Canada has committed six CF-18s to NATO for use in operations, if needed. His officials could not be reached to clarify his comments.
Last month, O'Connor said he was not aware of any proposal to send the fighter jets. "I think I can deny it because no one's even brought it across my desk," he told Ottawa radio station CFRA.
But newly revealed department emails indicate that even the top air force general was uncomfortable with the hard-line denial issued in September.
"(Chief of air staff) is concerned that this statement has painted us into a corner for future, if for instance, our allies who currently provide support pull out," reads an email from one air force official, obtained under access-to-information legislation.
"At this time there is no intention but this doesn't necessarily close the door entirely to the future," responded Lane Anker, the associate deputy minister of public affairs at the defence department.
Currently, British and American fighters are providing air support for Canadian troops engaged in bitter battles to clear out insurgents.
The emails also confirm that the defence department was making preparations as far back as January to deploy CF-18s.
"The Government of Canada has an Urgent requirement for a Blanket Order Case to cover the deployment of the CF-18 aircraft in support of Operation Enduring Freedom," reads the Jan. 26 email from a public works employee.
The services that could be required for the CF-18 deployment include spare parts for aircraft and weapon systems, technical assistance for "in-theatre logistics" and hardware to "support deployed operations."
Another email within the department's materiel section said the contract was a "contingency ... should we be called upon to deploy CF-18s."
Opposition critics yesterday accused the government of a "flip-flop" over the CF-18s and said it was just the latest in a string of contradictions to plague the department and its decisions about staffing and equipment for the Afghan mission.
"They said over and over again that tanks wouldn't be going to Afghanistan. Now we know they're there," said Black, the NDP MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam.
"Originally he said there would be no CF-18s going to Afghanistan. (Now) I interpreted it that there may be CF-18s going to Afghanistan," Black told reporters yesterday.
"Who is running the show? ... How well-informed is the minister about what is going on in his department," she said.
Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South) said O'Connor had "contradicted" himself.
"He's now saying that we've told NATO that if they need our CF-18s, they would be ready," said Dosanjh, the party's defence critic.
And coming after the military revealed plans to send air force and navy personnel as backups to Afghanistan, Dosanjh said this was further evidence of a government "flying by the seat of its pants.""
Thanks,
Josh
Just found this article (From the Toronto Star).
"OTTAWA—Just a month after the defence department denied any plans to dispatch CF-18 fighter jets to Afghanistan, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has opened the door to a possible deployment.
With opposition critics accusing the government of a flip-flop, O'Connor told the Commons yesterday: "Recently we made a commitment to NATO that we will have six CF-18s ready for NATO if they require us. That is why the money was spent to fix up these CF-18s."
The Toronto Star revealed last month that Ottawa was making preparations in case its fighter jets were needed in Afghanistan. That included a $1.9 million contract with the U.S. government for "deployment support" for the CF-18s.
But the Star story sparked an angry response from the defence department, with officials taking the unusual step of issuing a statement to deny plans to send the sleek jets abroad.
"To clarify, the Department of National Defence has no intention to deploy CF-18s to Afghanistan," the Sept. 22, 2006 statement read.
That was the same day that Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in Ottawa for an official visit and there was speculation the Conservative government was uncomfortable with any suggestion that it was escalating its military commitment to the controversial conflict.
Yesterday in the Commons, O'Connor said there's been no recommendation to send CF-18s in support of the 2,500 Canadian troops now on the ground in Kandahar.
"They will not be deployed unless there is an operational requirement," he said.
But under further questioning from NDP MP Dawn Black, O'Connor confirmed that Canada has committed six CF-18s to NATO for use in operations, if needed. His officials could not be reached to clarify his comments.
Last month, O'Connor said he was not aware of any proposal to send the fighter jets. "I think I can deny it because no one's even brought it across my desk," he told Ottawa radio station CFRA.
But newly revealed department emails indicate that even the top air force general was uncomfortable with the hard-line denial issued in September.
"(Chief of air staff) is concerned that this statement has painted us into a corner for future, if for instance, our allies who currently provide support pull out," reads an email from one air force official, obtained under access-to-information legislation.
"At this time there is no intention but this doesn't necessarily close the door entirely to the future," responded Lane Anker, the associate deputy minister of public affairs at the defence department.
Currently, British and American fighters are providing air support for Canadian troops engaged in bitter battles to clear out insurgents.
The emails also confirm that the defence department was making preparations as far back as January to deploy CF-18s.
"The Government of Canada has an Urgent requirement for a Blanket Order Case to cover the deployment of the CF-18 aircraft in support of Operation Enduring Freedom," reads the Jan. 26 email from a public works employee.
The services that could be required for the CF-18 deployment include spare parts for aircraft and weapon systems, technical assistance for "in-theatre logistics" and hardware to "support deployed operations."
Another email within the department's materiel section said the contract was a "contingency ... should we be called upon to deploy CF-18s."
Opposition critics yesterday accused the government of a "flip-flop" over the CF-18s and said it was just the latest in a string of contradictions to plague the department and its decisions about staffing and equipment for the Afghan mission.
"They said over and over again that tanks wouldn't be going to Afghanistan. Now we know they're there," said Black, the NDP MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam.
"Originally he said there would be no CF-18s going to Afghanistan. (Now) I interpreted it that there may be CF-18s going to Afghanistan," Black told reporters yesterday.
"Who is running the show? ... How well-informed is the minister about what is going on in his department," she said.
Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South) said O'Connor had "contradicted" himself.
"He's now saying that we've told NATO that if they need our CF-18s, they would be ready," said Dosanjh, the party's defence critic.
And coming after the military revealed plans to send air force and navy personnel as backups to Afghanistan, Dosanjh said this was further evidence of a government "flying by the seat of its pants.""
