Canada Pulls Out of NAEWF

[ORAC]

Defence News: Canada to Pull Out of NATO Air Surveillance (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6768276&c=AME&s=AIR)

OTTAWA - Canadian Forces will soon announce their withdrawal from a key NATO air surveillance program as part of cost-cutting measures, an official told AFP June 9.

The NATO Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) is widely used by the alliance in Afghanistan and Libya to monitor air space and guide fighter jets to their targets. The planes, with massive radar dishes mounted on top, are staffed by multinational crews. Of their 2,900 air crew and support staff from 17 NATO nations, about 100 are Canadian.

The senior Canadian official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the Canadian air force has decided to pull out of the program to trim costs as the government looks to eliminate a CA$36.2 billion budget deficit.

Defense ministry spokesman Jay Paxton said the military has "identified numerous efficiencies that do not affect the core capabilities or readiness of our military, as part of this government's efforts to ensure best value for tax dollars.".......

[Sandy Parts]

Shame - no more Moose-milk at the Geilenkirchen Oktoberfest :E

[Lonewolf_50]

:{

That stinks. AWACS (unless things have changed a lot) is one of the few NATO capabilities that has embraced the multinational flavor. The Canadians bring professionalism and competence to their military endeavours. NATO is the poorer for this decision.

There was talk a few years ago about standing up a squadron or two of NATO utility/logistics helicopters, deployable units, thanks to lessons learned during Maritime Guard and Sharp Guard. The idea was to expand the AWACS concept to logistic support of maritime forces. Seems to have run aground at some point. Might just have been to expensive, or suggested in an austere budget framework 90's ...

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

A long time ago, I actually got to drive an AWACS for 5 mins. However, Canada doesn't need it now. The background is that the new Conservative Government wants to be out of deficit by 2014.:ok:
Best of luck to the rest of you trying to get out of deficit by 2034. :{

[Wensleydale]

With Geilenkirchen taking a third of the entire NATO budget, the Canadians pulling out and the US complaining that nations are not pulling their weight, is this the start of the end of the NATO AEW Force? Will this lead to a funding gap to complete the NE-3A mid-life update?

[ghostnav]

The Canadians have been retrenching for years. For a country the size of Canada with the resources they have, one wonders what they do with their money! It will be a loss but it doesn't surprise me. But when you downsize, don't expect to get any high ranking posts in NATO either.