Canada is considering a massive decommissioning of aging defense assets as it moves toward a more modernized military.
Defence Minister Bill Blair recently told CBC News that the armed forces could soon bid farewell to its obsolete ships, aircraft, and weapons systems that have become too difficult and costly to maintain.
Among them are the T-114 Tutor jet trainers, which have exceeded their service life and figured in a number of crashes.
Despite receiving new avionics that could keep the plane serviceable until 2030, Blair said the Tutors are obviously well past their utility.
“There are even some safety issues that are deeply concerning to me and I’ve received assurances that through this flight season … they can manage those safely, but it continues to persist as a concern,” he stressed.
More Assets to Retire
In addition to the jet trainers, the Canadian military will soon retire its vintage minesweepers, the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels.
Blair revealed that the ships are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and staff, having been in service since the late 1990s.
Furthermore, the Canadian Navy has announced it will replace its four Victoria-class submarines with 12 modern, conventional attack submarines.
According to high-ranking Canadian military official Gen. Wayne Eyre, they are still examining whether it makes sense to take these assets out of service because it might take time to replace them.
He also stated that no decisions have been made yet, as it will be up to the minister and his successor.
Modernization Effort
Ottawa is in the midst of a military modernization drive that allows it to boost its defense spending.
Earlier this year, it earmarked 13.78 billion Canadian dollars ($10 billion) for new aircraft and logistics vehicles.
It also awarded Airbus a 3.6-billion Canadian dollar ($2.7 billion) contract last year for nine A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft.
Despite the significant increase in spending, Canada is still falling short of the NATO target, which is two percent of gross domestic product for each member state.
