Inexorably Linked The Canadian Navy's Influence on Future Air Force Roles

Armed forces are a product of the environment from which they come and the environment in which they are expected to be employed. As the Canadian Forces CF adjust to the new post Cold War peacetime environment they must overcome the legacy of previous defense policy and equipment acquisition choices. Given the latest direction in Canadian Defence Policy, one area yet to be resolved is the inability of the air force and the navy to fully operate in the anticipated environment. The current environment of the CF, as-well-as the anticipated environment of employment detailed in the latest defense policy, is presented. It is then demonstrated that the flexibility, endurance, and efficiency of naval forces uniquely establishes them as ideally suited for early commitment to a crisis in an effort to influence or stabilize the situation before open hostilities erupt. As was the case with Canada s naval Task Group during the Arabian Gulf War, due to their unique characteristics naval forces are usually the first committed during a crisis. Therefore, given a defense policy requirement to operate together future roles of Canada s air force will be influenced by and linked to the navy. By tracing the development of the naval and air forces in Canada it can be seen that previous acquisition choices have produced two forces not fully suited for the anticipated environment of employment. The air force lacks an effective independent standoff surface attack capability, particularly the ability to provide effective anti-surface warfare support to the navy. Further, the modern Canadian surface fleet does not have the ability to conduct the emerging primary role of naval forces which is power projection ashore.