Especially the One that the U.S. Would Like To Keep Us In
The actions of the U.S. are increasingly alienating Canadians, and paving the way for a total break with the United States.
Canadians are expressing their dislike of America in a variety of ways, travel, military procurement, military policies, Arctic planning, diversification, adopting new trading partners, entering new trade organizations, etc.,etc.
Canada’s willingness to break the military procurement model and mode, and to develop new adaptations to changes in both the geopolitical climate and the actual climate in the Arctic, mean that new possibilities are under consideration, particularly in relation to Arctic sovereignty and Arctic military control of Canada’s Northwest Passage.
Building an Amphibious Landing Icebreaker Ship
Building military bases, especially one with an airfield, is an expensive operation in the Arctic. Canada is considering building amphibious landing icebreakers. Polar Class 2 Amphibious Landing Ships are actually under careful consideration as they would provide Canada with several positive capabilities that the CAF do not currently possess.
The Davie Shipyard, and Seaspan in Vancouver have both been approached to create all-Canadian designed and built landing ships for Far North operations.
According to Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, “We talked to a couple of shipbuilders, and they’ve said that theoretically Polar Class 2 amphibious ships would be possible.
Such ships would be capable of transiting the Arctic through ice as thick as 8 feet.
The key value proposition of amphibious ships is that they it can deliver capability from sea to shore without prepared port infrastructure, and that describes our North perfectly.
In theory, that means big ice-capable ships that carry both smaller landing craft (likely hovercraft) and helicopters. A number of Canada’s allies operate such ships. The difference is that none of the are built for northern operations.
To sustain an operation in the Arctic, we sort of realized that some form of Arctic mobile base probably made a lot of sense, and that is effectively what an amphibious landing icebreaker would be.”
Such a ship would be unique. It would enable Canada to base a land element aboard and to be capable of transporting that element to virtually any location in the Arctic.
In addition, such a ship would have significant impact on Canada’s humanitarian capabilities in times of either national disaster or international disasters, where Canada could take the lead to providing medical assistance, heavy-lift helicopter capabilities and personal, including medical operation theatres aboard the ship.
A ship similar in capability and size to an American Class LHD, in the U.S. navy, but with Icebreaking capabilities, would be a massive asset to the Royal Canadian Navy.
It would enable a brigade size force deployment that could land at any point in the Canadian Arctic as needed, or transport that element anywhere in the world, while providing all the necessary lift and sealift capacity necessary for operations.
Canada could depend on shore-based assets from fighter bombers, like the Gripen E/F variant under consideration, and build small airfields with refuelling and rearming capabilities at strategic points in the Arctic, further enabling military operations as needed.
Canada, would not need to have aircraft capable F-35b aircraft or Osprey Tiltrotors, as it could employ Chinook heavy lift and AugustaWestland Apache or EuroTiger attack helicopters for close-in air support, in addition to Gripen fighter bombers.
The estimated cost of a comparable Canadian Arctic Icebreaker capable amphibious assault ship would like be in the range of $6 billion dollars plus its air mobile and transport complement.
The ability for the CAF to be able to project force through such a vessels capabilities, including 1,700 Arctic equipped and trained combat personnel, would be a massive capability for the CAF’s.
Seeing as Canada will be spending $150 billion dollars on defence in 2035, and $62.5 billion by 2030, the construction of such a ship and its ancillary air and land based element is more that doable.
In fact, for Arctic sovereignty, it may be an essential component for Canada.
Essentially a mobile base capable of moving to any needed location in the Arctic, – while protected by River Class destroyers, KS-III AIP submarines and Gripen E/F fighter bombers, may be the essential elements Canada requires going forward.
The most promising aspect of such a development would be Canada’s sovereign actions in the Arctic, requiring no assistance from the U.S., that would not have the capability in any event.
Canada, for Canadians is the focus for the 21st Century.
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