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Canadian Troops Struggle in Alaska
A series of internal Department of National Defence documents suggest Canadian troops were ill-prepared and occasionally ill-equipped for the harsh conditions they faced last winter during a major training exercise with American forces in Alaska.
This according to CBC.
The evaluation reports, obtained by CBC News, show the military has a lot to learn and a long way to go to rebuild its capability to defend the Arctic.
The training involved over 400 members of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (3RCR) which was folded into a much larger U.S. Army brigade during Exercise Global Response in February at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Carney government has committed to an almost year-round presence in the Far North and the reports indicate, among other things, that troops will need to learn to rely less on technology and more on basic skills in order to fight and survive, according to defence experts.
Canada to buy six Swedish surveillance aircraft
Canada has signed a non-binding agreement with the Swedish defence and technology company Saab to purchase six GlobalEye surveillance aircraft, reports Forsvarets forum.
The aircraft will be built in Canada ans used mainly for surveillance in the Arctic. The agreement also includes the purchase of GlobalEye systems and training.
Canada had been in talks with several U.S. companies about similar agreements, but ultimately chose Saab as its supplier.
Building new homes at Evenes Air Station
Three new commanders' quarters are to be built at Evenes Air Station in Northern Norway. The buildings will accommodate 156 dormitories for commanders.
This is clear after The Norwegian Defence Estates Agency recently entered into a contract with Skanska Prefabrication Factory worth 256 million NOK.
"It is very pleasing that new commanders' quarters are being established at Evenes. People are the Armed Forces' most important resource, and good living conditions are important for recruiting and retaining personnel in the defense sector. The expansion of the housing capacity at Evenes is one of several steps in the work to strengthen the Armed Forces' preparedness in the north in the years to come", says Marte Gerhardsen (Labor), State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense, according to a press release.