Defence Watch

The battle to save the Air Cadet gliding program continues. The campaign and petitions are still proceeding. Here is what I received on Monday from one of those involved:

“We would like to thank you for publishing your story on April, 30th, 2013 with regards to the Air Cadet Gliding Program. For your consideration here is a copy of the press release from the Air Cadet League of Canada.

http://www.aircadetleague.com/en/documents/acl_statement_flying.pdf

(see the news release below)

Please note that there was no specific mention of the continuation of the Air Cadet Gliding program or even the words “Gliding” or “Glider.” This is of great concern to the Alumni and to those of us involved in the Air Cadet Gliding Program. Also, despite the ministers comments many emails from directors of the Air Cadet League have confirmed that the program is currently under review.

We also have new information that the minister is meeting with a high ranking officer (who is the originator of the purposed cuts) to discuss this very issue sometime this week.

If the program is safe we wonder: Why the meetings, what needs to be discussed?

Gliding is extremely important to the Air Cadet movement and to the youth of Canada. Our group will continue to stand up and fight to save this program. There are currently two petitions, with thousands of signatures, regarding this issue.”

News release:

The Air Cadet League of Canada Welcomes Announcement of May 1st from the Minister of Defence about the Assured Future of the Air Cadet Flying Program

OTTAWA, ON – The Air Cadet League of Canada welcomes the announcement of May 1st from the Minister of Defence about the assured future of the Air Cadet Flying Program.

Contingency planning had been conducted regarding possible changes to the flying program. The League is supportive of evaluating a new, innovative and motivating approach to delivering flying experiences. The Air Cadet League of Canada recognizes this time of budget difficulties as an incentive for enhancing the delivery of flying activities at reduced costs to a greater number of cadets.

The League remains committed to being a supportive and effective partner with the Canadian Forces. We work together to deliver not just the flying experience to Cadets but also to expand their awareness and interest in Aviation and Aerospace. Training and development of important life skills such as, Leadership and Community Involvement are also provided as part of this excellent program for Youth available in hundreds of communities throughout Canada.

OTTAWA – The 2011 Arab Spring uprising in the Middle East came as a surprise to the Canadian government, which risks getting caught off-guard again without a new approach to gathering intelligence, an internal government report says.

Among other developments, analysts underestimated the repercussions of regime change in Tunisia, the Egyptian military’s efforts to control dissent and the duration of the civil war in Libya, says the assessment of how well the Privy Council Office did in keeping an eye on the Middle East two years ago.

The Privy Council Office, or PCO, is the bureaucratic arm of the prime minister’s office and includes an Intelligence Assessment Secretariat, which provides a regular range of reports to senior government officials.

Earlier this year, the research arm of the Department of National Defence published an analysis of how accurate their predictions were as part of a broader look at the state of human analytics.

“With regard to the Arab Spring, the study found that the wave of protests and regime changes that swept the Middle East in 2011 had not been anticipated,” the report concluded.

AND THEN THERE IS THIS PART OF THE STORY:

The 26-page-report had been approved for publication by Defence Research and Development Canada, and was briefly posted online in April by the lead researcher from McGill University.

But the Privy Council ordered it to be taken down.

“The report was commissioned for internal purposes,” PCO spokesman Raymond Rivet said in an emailed explanation of why the report was removed.

“The study is part of our practice of reviewing our internal processes and capacities on an ongoing basis.”

McGill University professor Rex Brynen, who wrote the study, said he wasn’t able to comment on the report as it was no longer considered a public document.

Defence Research and Development Canada did not return repeated calls for comment.

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canadian+intelligence+caught+guard+Arab+Spring+government/8344646/story.html#ixzz2SXRrpNSz

OTTAWA – The military police watchdog has told Parliament it still does not have the authority it needs to discharge its mandate, despite recent changes to the law.

The Military Police Complaints Commission says there remain “significant gaps” in its power to pry documents out of the federal government when conducting a public hearing or investigation.

The commission’s annual report was tabled before Parliament today.

Fighting with the Harper government over access to documents figured prominently in two high-profile cases over the last few years, including the protracted battle over allegations of torture involving Afghan prisoners.

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Military+police+watchdog+warns+significant+gaps+remain/8344875/story.html#ixzz2SXS9g4ox

ING Robotic Aviation would like to congratulate the outstanding performance of team VAMUdeS at this year’s Unmanned Systems Canada student Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) competition.  They placed first operationally, and third for design, in a tough field of competitors, including 10 teams from top universities all across the country.

“We proud to be associated with the Université of Sherbrooke.  We have been doing so for 5 years and are going to continue” said Ian Glenn, CEO of ING Robotic Aviation.  “This is how the next wave of Canadian high-tech is being developed – through partnership, cooperation, leadership, creativity and a willingness to push boundaries.”

Along with the focus of using UAVs for commercial use, the teams were challenged to use the vehicles in support of forest fighting. Exercising their technical creativities, VAMUdeS was up against some strong competition including the UTA team from the University of Toronto.

“We have recruited almost all of our engineering staff from Université de Sherbrooke, and we have our research and development facility nearby,” said Charles Vidal, ING Robotic Aviation’s Director of Engineering.  Vidal led the team to win the very first student competition 5 years ago and now volunteers his time over the year to chair the competition.

Fostering the development of expertise in the design and operation of robotic aviation is critical to ING Robotic Aviation from two points of view.

First of all, leadership in all aspects of the field is necessary when one is in the forefront of disruptive technological change, in this case reinventing aviation.  There is little in the way of a pool of talent and experience in the field upon which to draw.  As a result, ING Robotic Aviation decided to get closely involved with students and educational institutions.

Also, a strong sense of corporate responsibility is part of ING Robotic Aviation’s DNA.  Built into the use of robotic aviation is a huge reduction in end-users’ environmental footprint, as well as major improvements in workplace safety.

Beyond this, the company is dedicated to creating excellent high-tech jobs in Canada (including in remote communities), to hiring veterans and to extended involvement with students.   And the expression “built into the DNA” really means something, given the backgrounds of the people who have built the company.

In addition to the company’s close involvement with the Université de Sherbrooke, it sponsors the successful W.A.F.F.L.E.S. high school robotics team as well as working with Canadore College in North Bay to offer a certified course in operation of unmanned aerial systems.

A Boeing [NYSE: BA] X-51A WaveRider unmanned hypersonic vehicle achieved the longest air-breathing, scramjet-powered hypersonic flight in history May 1, flying for three and a half minutes on scramjet power at a top speed of Mach 5.1. The vehicle flew for a total time of more than six minutes.

“This demonstration of a practical hypersonic scramjet engine is a historic achievement that has been years in the making,” said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. “This test proves the technology has matured to the point that it opens the door to practical applications, such as advanced defense systems and more cost-effective access to space.”

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Edwards Air Force Base released the X-51A from 50,000 feet above the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range at 10:55 a.m. Pacific time. After the B-52 released the X-51A, a solid rocket booster accelerated the vehicle to about Mach 4.8 before the booster and a connecting interstage were jettisoned. The vehicle reached Mach 5.1 powered by its supersonic combustion scramjet engine, which burned all its JP-7 jet fuel. The X-51A made a controlled dive into the Pacific Ocean at the conclusion of its mission. The test fulfilled all mission objectives.

The flight was the fourth X-51A test flight completed for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. It exceeded the previous record set by the program in 2010.

The X-51A program is a collaborative effort of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with industry partners Boeing and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. Boeing performed program management, design and integration in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Navistar Defense, LLC, already a key supplier to the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), has received an urgent delivery order from the U.S. Army (TACOM LCMC) to retrofit 205 armored cabs onto Navistar Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTV) currently designated for service with the Afghan National Security Forces.

The award, for $23 million, will involve replacing the current commercial cab with a specially designed armored cab— providing savings by re-using the original components of the MTV to protect the ANA and ANP from ballistic and blast threats in the theater of operations. The order also includes enhancing additional vehicle elements for improved survivability to provide Afghan National Security Forces with the capability to conduct route clearance missions with mine roller applications.

The Navistar MTV is an extremely flexible platform that is already in service in Afghanistan in a variety of key missions including general troop transport, water tankers, fuel trucks, recovery vehicles and cargo trucks. Since 2004, Navistar has provided nearly 9,000 MTVs to the ANA and ANP. There are another 14,000 Navistar MTVs in service with military units around the world.

The vehicles will be upgraded at the Navistar Defense facility in West Point, Miss. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in April with completion scheduled for July.

Defence Watch

Canadian Press has reported that Defence Minister Peter MacKay is telling DND to take a another look at whether some of the former U.S. presidential helicopters (nine of them purchased by Canada for parts) can be made fully operational….and used for search and rescue.

The Defence Department purchased the nine U.S. presidential helicopters in 2011 and is stripping them down for spare parts for the Canadian air force’s Cormorant search-and-rescue choppers.

The aim was to try to cut down on the excessive amount of time the Cormorants spent on the ground because of a lack of parts.

The Obama administration pulled the plug on the helicopters, known as VH-71s, after the projected cost of the aircraft doubled from $6.5 billion to $13 billion U.S.

The VH-71s and the Cormorants are similar variants of the AgustaWestland EH-101 helicopter so there are a number of common parts, DND officials have said.

The nine helicopters as well as additional spare parts were purchased by the DND at a cost of around $164 million.

The Canadian Forces looked at whether the presidential helicopters could be used for search and rescue operations. But officers concluded that the aircraft did not have valid airworthiness certificates nor were they configured for search-and-rescue missions. So the decision was made to salvage them for parts.

MacKay may want DND to take another look but it seems like the helicopters are already in the process of being stripped for parts.

“As of February 2013, the CH-149 fleet’s in-service support contractor, IMP Aerospace and Defence, has entered many compatible spare parts and assemblies into the supply chain and/or removed from the VH-71 airframes for installation on the CH-149 Cormorant fleet,” stated an email from DND public affairs.

That came in late February.

DND’s public affairs machine sent this at the time, when I was writing an article about the helicopters:

Canada purchased nine VH-71EH101-519 airframes and a substantial quantity of spare parts from the United States Government in 2011. As you are likely aware, the VH-71 and CH-149 are similar variants of the EH101, and several major components are compatible between the two helicopters. This acquisition has had a very positive impact on the availability of parts and has proven to be an enabler for producing search-and-rescue standby aircraft at each main operating base on a 24/7 basis.

Some of the parts that have been removed from the VH-71 would have taken the Royal Canadian Air Force as long as three years to procure because of the length of time required to manufacture them.

In addition to the VH-71 parts procurement, the Royal Canadian Air Force has taken steps to address all contributing factors which affect the availability of the CH-149 fleet. The Royal Canadian Air Force is continuing these initiatives in close collaboration with the primary CH-149 Cormorant in-service support maintenance contractor, IMP Aerospace and Defence Ltd., as well as with AgustaWestland. These combined initiatives have improved the CH-149 Cormorant’s availability, resulting in an increase in annual flying rate during the past three years from 5034 hours in 2010/11 to approximately 6000 hours in 2012/13.

In response to your specific questions:

Q1.     What is the status of the parts removal process?

A1.     As of February 2013, the CH-149 fleet’s in-service support contractor, IMP Aerospace and Defence, has entered many compatible spare parts and assemblies into the supply chain and/or removed from the VH-71 airframes for installation on the CH-149 Cormorant fleet.

At the same time, induction of all VH-71 parts into the fleet’s supply system continues as a priority task. These parts are held as available stock at either the in-service support contractor, IMP Aerospace and Defence’s, facilities in Halifax or distributed, as appropriate, to the main operating bases to meet expected parts demands.

Q2.     What is the success of this endeavour?

A2.     As per Government of Canada requirements, at least one CH-149 Cormorant helicopter must be on search-and-rescue stand-by at all times at each of the three main operating bases: Comox, British Columbia; Gander, Newfoundland; and Greenwood, Nova Scotia.

The Royal Canadian Air Force is more readily able to meet this standby requirement, due in part to the availability of the VH-71 parts. Specifically, the improved access to main rotor head assemblies and main rotor blades has prevented, on a number of occasions, aircraft being grounded for lengthy periods of time, thus ensuring that these aircraft were available to provide search and rescue services for Canada.

Alma, QC – May 3-5, 2013 – Ten university student teams from across Canada competed in the Operational Phase of the 5^thUnmanned Systems Canada UAV Student Competition hosted by Ville d’Alma at the Centre d’excellence sur les drones (UAS CE). The teams were challenged to use unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) in support of forest fire fighting.  They were tasked with automatically locating targets that would represent points of interest in an actual forest fire fighting scenario in the remote Canadian wilderness, using their own experimental unmanned aircraft flying under the control of autopilots.

Winning Teams:

Phase 1 Design Phase

1^stPlace          Team COBRA, University of New Brunswick

2^ndPlace          UTA Team, University of Toronto

3^rdPlace          Team VAMUdeS, Université de Sherbrooke

Phase 2 Operational Phase

1^stPlace          Team VAMUdeS, Université de Sherbrooke

2^ndPlace          UTA Team, University of Toronto

3^rd  Place         Team COBRA, University of New Brunswick

All teams who participated in the operational phase of the competition received a cash award; overall $12,000.00 of prize money was awarded to the teams.

“It’s incredibly satisfying to see the rapid growth in capability that these teams bring to our annual competition,” said Eric Edwards, Chairman of Unmanned Systems Canada.  “We provide a safe environment where the students can fully exercise their technical creativity, and the results are just stunning.  They are self-motivated, and they are the best of the best from their respective faculties.  The corporate sponsors of this event thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of them and seeing their potential future employees at the top of their game, under a bit of competitive stress and dealing with real-life complications.”

Participating Teams:

University of New Brunswick – Team Cobra

Université de Sherbrooke – Team VAMUdeS

École Polytechnique Montréal – Team Smartbird

École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) – Team Dronolab

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi – Team UQAC

University of Alberta – Team UAARG

University of Toronto – UTA Team

University of British Columbia – Team Thunderbird

Simon Fraser University – Team GUARDIAN

Carleton University – Team Blackbird

Unmanned Systems Canada – Systèmes télécommandés Canada (USC-STC) is the not-for-profit association representing the interests of the Canadian unmanned systems sector – industry, academia, government, military, and other interested persons. It provides a single voice for advocacy and representation to government and international bodies, and jointly leads Canada’s regulatory development efforts for UVS. The organization promotes and facilitates the growth of the Canadian unmanned vehicle systems community through education, engagement of new market sectors, and exchange of ideas and technologies.

The Unmanned Aerial System Center of Excellence is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop an international center of expertise and innovations focused on the development, applications and operations of UAS. Services are available to both private and public companies. The UASCE collaborates with Transport Canada towards the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles in the Canadian airspace. UAV flights have been conducted since March 2012 in the Alma region and the future looks promising for the Centre.

PUNTA GORDA, Belize–U.S. and Canadian military medical personnel partnered to provide comprehensive dental services at the Punta Gorda Hospital annex here during a dental readiness training exercise scheduled from April 22 through May 2. 
The 11-day medical mission, part of an ongoing exercise called New Horizons, provides dental services consisting of oral hygiene education, teeth cleanings, fillings, root canals and extractions. The team also has the capability to provide partial dentures, known as teeth restorations.

Senior Airman William Cochran, dental laboratory technician from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., found job satisfaction during his first deployment despite the increased responsibilities.

”Even though the workload is crazy fast and working at two and a half times what I would be working at back home, I am loving it,” said Cochran.

“People come to the clinic with no teeth and I am able to give them their life back essentially. I help give them a brand new smile.”

The dental team, made up of 34 U.S. Air Force personnel from Offutt and Keesler Air Force Bases and two Canadian Army Forces personnel from Canadian Forces Bases Shilo in Manitoba and Petawawa in Ontario, worked together to provide patient care.
Canadian Army Sgt. Line Plante, dental technician from Canadian Forces Base Shilo, Manitoba, felt she was able to contribute to the mission in an area she was most familiar.

”When we first got here, it was a little unclear what our role in the mission was,” Plante said. “I am most comfortable in the dental surgery area, so I was able to jump right in and assist the resident doctors with the tools they need to accomplish their job.”
One of the main challenges the team overcame was an insufficient power supply for their dental equipment. 

”The planning for this mission has changed due to the challenges of the power situation,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Buck, officer in charge of the dental mission. “The facility where we are working doesn’t have the electrical capacity to handle all the dental units. We have had to use extension cords and work off other circuits to run all the dental units.” 

He went on to add, “The heat in Belize creates problems for the machines, so in the afternoon we turn them off to cool, but while they cool, those chairs can be turned into cleaning stations.”
Besides the challenges of power requirements, the dental team also faced the challenge of an increased volume of patients.

At their home station, a resident dentist may see only four patients a day, said Senior Airman Ashley Corcoran, dental technician from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

”Seeing a lot of patients has made the dentists vary their workload,” said Corcoran. “They are doing an awesome job.”
Another mission the dental team conducted was educating children on oral hygiene at the local schools. Information was passed to 388 students on the importance of brushing and flossing as part of their daily schedule.

”It is important to reach a younger population and children on how to take better care of their teeth at a younger age,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Iris Ortiz Gonzalez, periodontist from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

To date, the DENTRETE team provided services to 1074 patients. On average, they see 130 patients each day, in which approximately 35 patients receive cleanings, 35 receive fillings, and 60 patients have teeth extracted.

New Horizons is an annual training exercise that U.S. Southern Command conducts with a partner nation. The exercise began April 1 and is scheduled to run until June 30. Personnel are also currently building four classroom facilities at existing schools, and providing medical care and surgeries as part of the training.

U.S. and Canadian dental personnel clean the teeth of Belizean patients during a dental readiness training exercise at the Punta Gorda Hospital annex in Punta Gorda, Belize, April 26, 2013. Dental professionals from the U.S. and Canada are providing free dental treatment at multiple readiness training exercises throughout Belize as part of an exercise known as New Horizons. The training exercises are designed to provide dental care to people throughout Belize, while helping improve the skills of U.S. and Canadian military medical forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Tony Tolley/Released)

The boat, acquired from the Royal Swedish Navy in 2005, underwent extensive refurbishment and modifications for local climatic conditions. The boat’s combat and sensor suites were also upgraded and an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system was added to give the submarine greater stealth, extended reach, and expanded operational capabilities. Swordsman will join Archer, the first-in-class commissioned in 2011, and operate alongside four aging Challenger-class submarines.

This would help sailors better plan their home and family lives, but would also help address problems with the current schedule that has occasionally left the Navy stretched thin, the newspaper reports. Under the current operational plan, aircraft carrier crews spend months training for a single deployment six to seven months in length, which are often extended eight or nine months as geopolitical crises develop, states the Virginian-Pilot. Navy spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby announced the proposed changes last week, saying that under the new plan, crews would go through one pre-deployment workup period to prepare for two seven-month deployments, with seven months at home in between cruises. This would increase the pace of deployments for strike groups from once every 32 months to twice every 36 months.

Harbour Acceptance Trials of Babcock’s innovative containerised life raft system developed for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) have been successfully completed on HNLMS Walrus, the fourth and last of the Walrus class submarines to receive the technology, at the Den Helder naval base.

The achievement marks the last milestone in a six year contract between Babcock and the Dutch Ministry of Defence for the design, build, installation and commissioning of the life raft systems for forward and aft locations on the four Walrus class submarines.  The first systems were installed on HNLMS Dolfijn during a programmed refit in 2007.

The Babcock-designed and developed life raft system allows for release, either while surfaced or submerged, of a 35-man SOLAS-approved life raft with survival kits and automatically activated GPS search-and-rescue indicator beacon.  The two life rafts have the capacity to accommodate the full crew.

The rafts, supplies and GPS beacon are contained within a GRP pressure vessel stored in a cradle between the pressure hull and casing in the submarine.  The release mechanism can be operated from inside the submarine or from on top of the submarine casing, and is unique in requiring only one pressure hull penetration.  When released from a submerged submarine the container rises to the surface, where the life raft self-inflates triggered by a pressure sensor.  Inflation is automatic when released on the surface.  The life rafts remain tethered to the submarine so that the escaping crew can locate the life raft and to mark the position of the submarine.  The system operates independently of the other submarine systems, and offers improved survivability for the submarine crew.

Babcock Project Manager James Woolford said: “We are delighted to have reached this significant, final milestone in the contract, reflecting the good working relationship and close cooperation between Babcock, the Dutch Navy and naval dockyard personnel at Den Helder.

“Having been appointed by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to supply, install and commission the life raft systems for its four Walrus class submarines, replacing the originally fitted indicator beacons, we have been undertaking an installation programme within the submarines’ planned maintenance schedule, for minimal disruption to the operational programme.  The system is designed to provide a valuable and effective safety measure for submarine crews, which can be customised for retrofit into existing submarine platforms, as in the Dutch submarines, or designed for new-build submarine platforms.”

Netherlands Ministry of Defence Project Manager Martin Jansen said: “We are happy with the resulting life raft systems and the improved safety it offers to the submarine crew, and looking back the same is true for the co-operation with Babcock over the years of the project.”

A DND official said that buying used ships would be more costly in the long term, as older vessels would need upgrades and more frequent repairs, the report notes. The government is said to have increased its budget for the acquisition of the two new ships to US $440 million, and the navy is now deciding on the required specifications of the new vessels, the newspaper reports.

A public lecture on the remarkable record of the Canadian Sea King helicopter will be presented at the Maritime Museum of BC by Colonel (Ret’d) John Orr at 12pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 in the courtroom. Admission is by donation.

Colonel Orr has just completed writing the history of the ‘first’ 50 years of the Canadian Sea King, drawing on official documents and published material as well as more than 70 oral history interviews with those who have supported, maintained and flown this capable helicopter. Come and salute the achievements of an amazing aircraft and the personnel who supported, maintained and flew her.

Photo below courtesy of Canadian Forces:

The Wa people have been in conflict with the central government for years, forming Wa State enclaves in Shan state, where they currently control a swath of territory along the Chinese border, the magazine adds.

“The direction of the battles at sea provided by Rear Admiral Leonard Murray from the Canadian North West Atlantic Area Joint Headquarters in Halifax during the critical period of April and May 1943 is a source of inspiration for us today,” Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander Royal Canadian Navy said in a statement. “We also need to remember that the assistance of the Royal Canadian Air Force, providing very long range bombers to help close the mid-Atlantic ‘air gap’, was a major component of the Allied victory over the U-boats.”

More from the Canadian Forces:

Each year on the first Sunday in May, Canada and it’s naval community commemorates those lost at sea in the longest single campaign of the Second World War. Today, the legacy of the Battle of the Atlantic is upheld by those currently serving, pledging themselves “Ready, Aye, Ready” to face today’s security challenges with pride and professionalism.

The national ceremony will be held at the National War Memorial and will include members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Royal Canadian Air Force, alongside members of the Merchant Navy. They will be accompanied by Central Region Sea and Air Cadets, Navy League Cadets, the Royal Canadian Legion Colour Party, local veteran organizations, other government departments, the diplomatic community and the Ottawa Children’s Choir. Ceremonies will also be held across Canada including Halifax, Esquimalt, and the 24 Naval Reserve Divisions to remember and commemorate these gallant sailors, and airmen who did so much to keep the lifeline with Britain going during the Second World War.

The Battle of the Atlantic was the fight for supremacy in the North Atlantic and lasted 2,075 days. It pitted Allied naval and air forces against German and Italian submarines, ships and aircraft whose primary targets were the convoys of merchant ships carrying vital life-sustaining cargo from North America to Europe.

Much of the burden of fighting the Battle of the Atlantic fell to the RCN which, at the outbreak of the war, was comprised of only six destroyers and a handful of smaller vessels. By the end of the war, Canada’s navy had grown to become the fourth largest navy in the world. During the Battle of the Atlantic, the RCN destroyed or shared in the destruction of 33 U-Boats and 42 enemy surface craft. In turn, it suffered 2,210 fatalities, including six women, and lost 33 vessels.

For the Canadian Armed Forces, the Battle of the Atlantic ended with Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945.

This for Ottawa:

The general public is invited to attend the National Battle of the Atlantic parade and commemoration ceremony that will be held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m.

The parade contingents, including a veterans’ contingent, will march from their designated assembly areas and proceed to the National War Memorial to begin the commemoration ceremony. Present will be members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as well as members of the Merchant Navy (MN), Central Region Sea and Air Cadets, Navy League Cadets, the Royal Canadian Legion Colour Party, local veteran organizations, other government departments, the diplomatic community and the Ottawa Children’s Choir.

Highlights of the ceremony will include CAF sentries standing guard around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, speeches from representatives of government and other dignitaries, a CP-140 Aurora flypast and a wreath laying ceremony. In addition, there will be a reading of ships lost by the Royal Canadian Navy, the number of ships lost by the Merchant Navy by year, and the names of the Royal Canadian Air Force Squadrons that participated in the Battle of the Atlantic. Music will be provided throughout the ceremony by the Central Band of the Canadian Forces, a Sea Cadet Band and the Ottawa Children’s Choir.

And this in Montreal:

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Donnacona will have a Battle of the Atlantic parade and commemoration ceremony that will be held in the Old Port of Montréal on Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m.

WHEN:

Sunday May 5, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Clock tower at the Old Port of Montréal.

A parade of more than 200 participants from Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Donnacona, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Canadian Merchant Navy and the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets will be inspected by Captain (Navy) Réal Brisson, CD.

The Battle of the Atlantic was a pivotal struggle during World War II, lasting from September 1939 to May 1945, which was courageously fought by the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Merchant Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. With this success came a high cost. The RCN lost 24 warships and suffered over 2,000 fatalities; the merchant navy lost over 70 ships and over 1,700 fatalities; and the Royal Canadian Air Force lost more than 900 aircrews.

For Edmonton:

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Nonsuch. Battle of the Atlantic parade and commemoration ceremony will be held at HMCS Nonsuch, 11807 Kingsway Ave (near Chateau Louis Hotel) on Sunday, May 5 at 1:20 p.m.

WHEN: Sunday May 5, 2013 at 1:20 p.m.

WHERE: HMCS Nonsuch, 11807 Kingsway Ave.

RICHMOND, BC, May 3, 2013 /CNW/ – MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA” or the “Company”) (TSX: MDA), a global communications and information company, announced today that it has signed a five year agreement with a confidential customer to supply space-based radar surveillance and intelligence information, with a ceiling of CA$50 million. 

ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 3, 2013) – More than 125 Cadet competitors, along with their coaches and competition staff from across Canada are bound to succeed at the 39th National Cadet Marksmanship Championship, being held from May 4 to 11, 2013, in St. Catharines, Ontario.

“Having already competed in regional and provincial competitions to earn their place at this year’s national championship, I wish the very best of luck to all cadets competing in this final training activity,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. “Healthy competition, confidence, goal-setting and making new friends from across Canada are just a few of the life skills that are effectively developed through the Cadet Marksmanship Program.”

The National Cadet Marksmanship Championship is the final event in the year-long Marksmanship Training Program for cadets across the country. Only the top cadet marksmen in Canada are eligible to participate in this national championship.

Air rifle marksmanship is one of the most popular activities of the Cadet Training Program. The Marksmanship Program aims to develop cadets’marksmanship skills, promote the safe use of rifles, and produce proficient coaches and officials.

Developing skills and values through training and competition, the Cadet Marksmanship Program gives all cadets an opportunity to participate in a progressive path to achievement where well-organized and professionally delivered events bring cadets together. This national championship is one example of how the Cadet Program also promotes fun and friendships, where winning is not the only goal.

Photos courtesy U.S. Navy:

QUÉBEC, May 3, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ – The general public is invited to attend the Battle of the Atlantic parade and commemoration ceremony that will be held at Wharf 21 close to HMCS Montcalm, 170 Dalhousie St. (by the Louise Basin) on Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Each year on the first Sunday in May, Canada and its naval community commemorate those lost at sea in the longest single campaign of the Second World War. Today, the legacy of the Battle of the Atlantic is upheld by those currently serving, pledging themselves “Ready, Aye, Ready” to face today’s security challenges with pride and professionalism.

For the occasion, the servicemen and women of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Montcalm, Naval Reserve Headquarters, and Canadian Forces Fleet School Québec, as well as the members of Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Champlain will celebrate their predecessors side by side. The Naval Band of HMCS Montcalm will perform the musical accompaniment to this event. In addition, representatives of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, veterans of the merchant marine, Navy League Cadets, and other guests, will also take part in this event honouring our naval veterans.

The Battle of the Atlantic was a pivotal struggle during World War II, lasting from September 1939 to May 1945, which was courageously fought by the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Merchant Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. With this success came a high cost. The RCN lost 24 warships and suffered over 2,000 fatalities; the merchant navy lost over 70 ships and over 1,700 fatalities; and the Royal Canadian Air Force lost more than 900 aircrews.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 3, 2013) – On Saturday May 4th at 11 a.m. the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment will march to Kingston City Hall to celebrate their 150th year by conducting a Freedom of the City parade. Motorists are asked to avoid Ontario St. at City Hall from 1045-1200 a.m. as it will be closed.

The parade will depart 100 Montreal Rd. turning left on Queen St. right on Bagot St. to Clarence St. and left on Ontario St. before arriving at City Hall. Kingston City Police will control traffic along the route.

Granting Freedom of the City is an historic tradition by which a community recognizes a military unit and grants it the privilege of marching through its streets with drums beating, Colours flying and bayonets fixed. It is a prized honour from a community that also enables a city to recognize the merits of a military unit and express the affection and esteem of its citizens for the unit.

“The men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy can be proud to serve their country under this new Canadian Naval Ensign,” Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander Royal Canadian Navy said in a statement. “We are restoring the use of a standard Commonwealth practice, and an important symbol recognizing our rich naval heritage and the historical roots of the modern Royal Canadian Navy.” Photo of Ensign below courtesy of RCN:

More from the RCN:

This is an historic moment for the Royal Canadian Navy, which flew the White Ensign from 1911 until the adoption of the National Flag in 1965, according to the RCN.

From that point onward, the National Flag was adopted as both the Ensign and the Jack. In 1968, as part of efforts to emphasize the importance of military ensigns and flags, while also reflecting the new National Flag, a distinctive Naval Jack was adopted by the Canadian Armed Forces. The Naval Jack incorporated the Maple Leaf in the canton with a badge in the fly of the flag.

Today, the flag previously known as the Naval Jack is adopted as the new Canadian Naval Ensign, and the National Flag becomes the new Naval Jack, which mirrors a standard practice amongst Commonwealth nations. The change will most importantly distinguish Canadian warships from other Canadian flagged vessels. It will also promote and strengthen the Canadian naval identity, while underscoring the unique commitment of our men and women at sea who serve as members of the Canadian Forces in Royal Canadian Navy ships and vessels, according to the RCN release.

The RCN Backgrounder:

A naval ensign is a flag worn by a warship to indicate its nationality. Most Commonwealth nations wear a distinctive naval ensign on their warships that includes elements of their national flag. This is an internationally accepted practice that is also observed by many non-Commonwealth nations throughout the world such as Japan, China, and Russia. However, not all nations have a distinctive naval ensign, and some nations, such as the United States and France, instead choose to wear their national flag as the naval ensign on their warships.

Wearing a distinctive naval ensign that incorporates the National Flag, distinguishes Canadian warships from other Canadian flagged vessels and foreign navies. It also recognizes the special status of Canadian warships under international maritime law, which stipulates that warships on the high seas have complete immunity from the jurisdiction of all states other than their flag state. Because Canadian warships are units of the Canadian Armed Forces, crewed by military personnel who deploy throughout the world in furtherance of Canadian national policy, they are deemed to have special status under international maritime law. Additionally, the Canadian Naval Ensign promotes and strengthens our Canadian naval identity, and underscores the unique roles, responsibilities, liabilities, and powers of the crews who serve in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) and other naval vessels.

There are now two distinct symbols that signal Canadian nationality onboard Canadian warships and other naval vessels. The first is the Canadian Naval Ensign, which is worn at the masthead while at sea, or at the stern when alongside, moored, or at anchor. The second is the National Flag, also known as the Maple Leaf Flag, which is worn as the Naval Jack at the bow when the ship is alongside, moored, or at anchor. Additionally, while not specifically required by law or maritime custom, Canadian warships have historically displayed a Maple Leaf badge on or near the main ship’s funnel.

Starting in 1870, the Canadian Marine Service used a Blue Ensign to designate the special government status of its vessels. When the Naval Service of Canada was established on May 4, 1910, this practice continued.  At the Imperial Conference of 1911, there was a naval agreement whereby Canadian warships would fly the Royal Navy White (naval) Ensign at the stern and the flag of the Dominion (the Canadian Blue Ensign) at the jack-staff located at the bow. Canadian merchant vessels flew the familiar Red Ensign, indicating their non-governmental status. Later that same year, on August 16, King George V authorized that Canadian naval forces be designated as the Royal

Canadian Navy (RCN). On December 16, 1911, the Canadian Government ordered the following:

All ships and vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy shall fly at the stern the White Ensign as the symbol of the authority of the Crown, and at the Jack Staff the distinctive flag of the Dominion of Canada, such distinctive flag being the Blue Ensign with the arms of the Dominion inset in the fly. The White Pendant will be flown at the Masthead. (Canadian Order-in-Council PC 2843 of December 16, 1911. Published in the Canadian Gazette on December 30, 1911.)

The authorization of the White Ensign and Blue Jack in 1911 included the statement that “The White Pendant will be flown at the Masthead.” The ship’s pennant (to use the modern spelling) is the mark of a commissioned ship and also symbolizes the captain’s authority to command the ship. This pennant, also known as the captain’s pennant, the mast-head pennant or the commissioning pennant, is really the distinguishing flag of the captain. If the Sovereign or a more senior officer in the chain of command were aboard, their distinguishing flag would displace the captain’s pennant at the masthead. Together, the Ensign at the stern, the Jack at the bow, and a distinguishing flag at the masthead form a part of the ship’s suit of colours.

While the White Ensign remained unchanged until its use was discontinued in 1965, the Blue Jack underwent a series of changes: the four-province badge was used on the fly until 1922; thereafter, the shield of the Canadian arms was used. The maple leaves on that shield changed from green to red shortly after 1957.

The RCN continued using the White Ensign and the Canadian Blue Jack up until the adoption of the Maple Leaf Flag as the new National Flag on February 15, 1965. The Maple Leaf Flag was also adopted as both the Ensign and the Jack, as it is a common Commonwealth practice to wear the National Flag as a jack. As part of post-1965 efforts to develop military ensigns and flags, a distinctive naval jack that incorporated the Maple Leaf Flag was created in 1968 and flown by commissioned warships when alongside or at anchor. Coincidentally, in 1968 the Canadian Armed Forces were re-organized into one service and the RCN ceased to exist as a separate service, with all naval forces being assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces Maritime Command. In 1985, an Order-in-Council authorized the Canadian Armed Forces Naval Jack to be flown ashore as the Maritime Command flag, in addition to flying it onboard commissioned warships. The National Flag remained as the Ensign and was flown by all Canadian naval vessels.

In the early 1990s, the British Royal Navy-style Commissioning Pennant was phased out in favour of a new Canadian-designed Commissioning Pennant, which featured a maple leaf instead of the Cross of St. George. Only commissioned warships fly the Commissioning Pennant.

On August 16, 2011, the historic name of the RCN was restored and Maritime Command became known as the “Royal Canadian Navy.” On May 5, 2013, the Government of Canada restored a standard Commonwealth naval practice by authorizing RCN vessels to

fly a distinctive Canadian Naval Ensign and fly the National Flag as the Naval Jack. Essentially, the flag previously known as the Canadian Naval Jack became the Canadian Naval Ensign, whereas the National Flag became the Canadian Naval Jack.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/Federal+government+unveils+plans+bolster+search+rescue+response/8329530/story.html#ixzz2SAStfpzL

OTTAWA — The Conservative government announced several new measures Thursday to improve search-and-rescue response times, but had no ready answer for the auditor general’s concerns about old equipment and a lack of trained personnel.

Canada will be investing $16 million in two international satellite systems that Defence Minister Peter MacKay boasted will “take the search out of search and rescue because those in distress will be able to be located so quickly and accurately.”

Military search and rescue teams have also been ordered to shift their working hours to better reflect when the public requires their services, while MacKay has ordered a comprehensive review to determine what the system needs to function better.

Edmonton – As a result of a breach of trust, Major David Yurczyszyn, Commanding Officer of Canadian Forces Base/Area Support Unit Wainwright, was removed from command on May 2nd, 2013.

Today the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) has charged Maj Yurczyszyn, with one count of sexual assault contrary to section 130 of the National Defence Act (NDA) pursuant to section 271 (a) of the Criminal Code of Canada, one count of drunkenness contrary to section 97 of the NDA, and one count of behaved in a disgraceful manner contrary to section 93 of the NDA.

“The actions of Maj Yurczyszyn, has caused me to lose confidence in this officer’s ability to effectively exercise the functions of command. We expect the highest standard of professionalism and conduct from our leaders, especially those entrusted with command authority,” said Brig-Gen. Christian Juneau, Commander Land Force Western Area.

An acting Commanding Officer has been appointed with full delegation authorities.

Independent of CFNIS proceedings, the Army is conducting an administrative review of the member’s file to determine further action.