Canada To Allot Billions For Arctic Military Equipment Acquisitions, Upgrades

Aware of the inhospitable conditions in its part of the Arctic region, Canada announced it will be spending billions on new military equipment, particularly new patrol ships and polar satellites. The country will likewise upgrade the transport dedicated for that region, as well as provide winter gear for the troops assigned there.

A report by Defense News said Canada will be giving specific attention to its Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. It will procure five new offshore patrol ships for the Royal Canadian Navy, which will be outfitted with Lockheed Martin avionics amounting to CA$3.5 billion ($3.6 billion). Canada’s Air Force’s CC-138 Twin Otter transport aircraft, on the other end, will receive technical upgrades amounting to $50 million.

Major James Simiana, Air Force spokesman, told Defense News the CC-138 Twin Otter transport aircraft will undergo a life extension program to ensure the fleet remains safe and operationally effective “until the UTA [utility transport aircraft] enters service." The latter aren’t expected to be until 2025. While waiting, the Air Force will update the wing boxes and cockpit voice/flight data recorders of the 40-year old Twin Otters.

The Canadian Army, meantime, will get to disburse between $100 million and $249 million on 100 all-terrain vehicles, after 2021, They are set to replace the BV-206s which are way over 25 years old already. Apart from these, Canada’s army soldiers who will be assigned in the North Pole will also get new snow gear, such as snowshoes, skis, and toboggans, amounting to a total of $49 million. Deliveries are expected in 2021.

Norm Jolin, an analyst with Navy League of Canada and a retired Royal Canadian Navy captain, stressed it is highly essential to equip the country’s soldiers for the things they might encounter in that region. "Up in the north, it's still about survival," he said, noting much of the Arctic still remains uncharted and inaccessible.

The same report also disclosed the Canadian military has plans to take part in two space programs to support Arctic operations, specifically to financially support the construction of two polar communications and weather satellites. The two spacecraft are expected to cost $1.5 billion.

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