- Reaction score
- 35
- Points
- 530
Just my two cents, but I think unless you're going to SSN's, an SSK is the wrong asset for the job.
Since I don't think we're going to SSN's any time soon, I have an alternate thought that would allow us to re-allocate funding away from creating an "Arctic SSK" that's not ideal.
Why not create the equivalent of historical forts at the major routes of ingress/egress (choke points)?
Visible presence.
Flag waving.
Wired into fixed sonar under the ice (and should there be undersurface torpedo tubes, so be it).
Co-located with some type of docking facilities (Coast Guard Ice Breakers) and airport facilities (SAR assets).
Specifically, if you placed one "fort" at the primary Western Approach, and one at the primary Eastern Approach, you could use those locations as rendezvous points where commercial traffic meet to be escorted by Canadian Coast Guard Ice Breakers.
In terms of a 'Sovereignty Statement', if that is the objective of having an arctic sovereignty submarine, I think that alternative structure does an exponentially better job for much less money.
I would add that you could build a series of hi-res colour webcams at those choke points that would accessible by anyone including Canadian school children so they can see the what 'Our Arctic' looks like, and see our Coast Guard (and potentially our Navy) in action.
I'll now don the traditional blindfold, light my cigarette and await the firing squad I'm sure will follow.
Sorry if this is a complete hi-jack, but this is just my opinion on a potentially better way to meet the objectives of the Arctic Sovereignty Submarine which is the thread topic.
Cheers all, Matthew.
P.S. In principle I'm okay with the concept of the AOPS as a flag waving tool, but I don't like how compromised it appears to be. If it's role is provide a military show of strength to supplement existing Coast Guard Ships, then ice-harden it, and arm it properly. If you're not going to do that, I don't believe it to be worth the money. I'd much rather see it cancelled it and funds re-allocated to the Coast Guard for heavy ice breaker(s) for the escort role mentioned above (or for the facilities themselves).
Since I don't think we're going to SSN's any time soon, I have an alternate thought that would allow us to re-allocate funding away from creating an "Arctic SSK" that's not ideal.
Why not create the equivalent of historical forts at the major routes of ingress/egress (choke points)?
Visible presence.
Flag waving.
Wired into fixed sonar under the ice (and should there be undersurface torpedo tubes, so be it).
Co-located with some type of docking facilities (Coast Guard Ice Breakers) and airport facilities (SAR assets).
Specifically, if you placed one "fort" at the primary Western Approach, and one at the primary Eastern Approach, you could use those locations as rendezvous points where commercial traffic meet to be escorted by Canadian Coast Guard Ice Breakers.
In terms of a 'Sovereignty Statement', if that is the objective of having an arctic sovereignty submarine, I think that alternative structure does an exponentially better job for much less money.
I would add that you could build a series of hi-res colour webcams at those choke points that would accessible by anyone including Canadian school children so they can see the what 'Our Arctic' looks like, and see our Coast Guard (and potentially our Navy) in action.
I'll now don the traditional blindfold, light my cigarette and await the firing squad I'm sure will follow.
Sorry if this is a complete hi-jack, but this is just my opinion on a potentially better way to meet the objectives of the Arctic Sovereignty Submarine which is the thread topic.
Cheers all, Matthew.
P.S. In principle I'm okay with the concept of the AOPS as a flag waving tool, but I don't like how compromised it appears to be. If it's role is provide a military show of strength to supplement existing Coast Guard Ships, then ice-harden it, and arm it properly. If you're not going to do that, I don't believe it to be worth the money. I'd much rather see it cancelled it and funds re-allocated to the Coast Guard for heavy ice breaker(s) for the escort role mentioned above (or for the facilities themselves).
