CBC: "An 'embarrassing' gear shortage has Canadian troops in Latvia buying their own helmets"

[daftandbarmy]

Well, the Danish have Lego so....

https://twitter.com/x/status/1665699393020874753

Quick mod edit to thread title to show it's quoted headline, not established fact

 

[Navy_Pete]

If only there was a combined operational HQ for join missions that had spending authority, budget and procurement people that could supply urgent operational requirements for deployed troops.

On the plus side now that it's on CBC will get actioned, and sounds like the in theatre commanders are letting people wear their own gear in their interim. Common sense would hopefully get them reimbursed.

 

[dangerboy]

I have never heard of any soldier buying their own helmet and wearing it. The headline says equipment shortage but the article does not mention anywhere that there is a shortage of helmets. The picture looks like one of the trial helmets that DLR purchased and gave to 3 PPCLI to test before they ran a helmet trial that resulted in the new contract for helmets for the light battalions.

 

[CountDC]

Common Sense? When did that come into the military?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have never heard of any soldier buying their own helmet and wearing it. The headline says equipment shortage but the article does not mention anywhere that there is a shortage of helmets. The picture looks like one of the trial helmets that DLR purchased and gave to 3 PPCLI to test before they ran a helmet trial that resulted in the new contract for helmets for the light battalions.

From the CBC article: They've been buying their own modern ballistic helmets equipped with built-in hearing protection that doubles as a headset.

 

[markppcli]

I have never heard of any soldier buying their own helmet and wearing it. The headline says equipment shortage but the article does not mention anywhere that there is a shortage of helmets. The picture looks like one of the trial helmets that DLR purchased and gave to 3 PPCLI to test before they ran a helmet trial that resulted in the new contract for helmets for the light battalions.

I’ve seen a couple, usually protection stuff is the line in the sand. I’ve also seen a lot of purchased peltors.

 

[daftandbarmy]

From the CBC article: They've been buying their own modern ballistic helmets equipped with built-in hearing protection that doubles as a headset.

Meanwhile, the Senior Gunner be like: 'You can shove your helmets.... I just dare you"

Canada joins Europe's 'military mobility' defence project

The European project among the 27 nation European Union is designed to speed up movement of military personnel and equipment of member states across their various borders. This would reduce bureaucratic and other hindrances of movements by air, sea, road or rail. EU defence ministers announced

www.rcinet.ca

 

[MilEME09]

All before, and all again

 

[KevinB]

I have never heard of any soldier buying their own helmet and wearing it. The headline says equipment shortage but the article does not mention anywhere that there is a shortage of helmets. The picture looks like one of the trial helmets that DLR purchased and gave to 3 PPCLI to test before they ran a helmet trial that resulted in the new contract for helmets for the light battalions.

I did simply so I didn’t need to rely on the utterly worthless NV Mount the CAF issued to issue, the bonus was it fit Peltor and ComTac hearing pro that worked with the radios.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Meanwhile, the Senior Gunner be like: 'You can shove your helmets.... I just dare you"


View attachment 77960

Canada joins Europe's 'military mobility' defence project

The European project among the 27 nation European Union is designed to speed up movement of military personnel and equipment of member states across their various borders. This would reduce bureaucratic and other hindrances of movements by air, sea, road or rail. EU defence ministers announced

www.rcinet.ca

A baseball cap would likely be more comfortable.

 

[Kilted]

Are we at the point that RSMs and Sgt-Maj's will actually let troops wear non-issued helmets? I remember the big gong show it was when someone tried to replace the harness in the helmet and was told that if they got injured using non-issued gear they wouldn't be covered by VAC.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Are we at the point that RSMs and Sgt-Maj's will actually let troops wear non-issued helmets? I remember the big gong show it was when someone tried to replace the harness in the helmet and was told that if they got injured using non-issued gear they wouldn't be covered by VAC.

Fortunately, as has been extensively documented and proven here somewhere before by 'those who know', the Crown has fixed it so that you can attack dug in machine guns naked (should you so wish) and you're still, paradoxically, covered

 

[Eaglelord17]

Its almost like the insistence people use issued equipment actually had a purpose. Can’t have articles about troops using personal equipment if they are using what they are supposed to be equipped with.

This article makes us seem like we are not providing the equipment, which is untrue. We have the equipment it just isn’t as nice as things could be. But nothing like a negative article on our military to get views and make us out to be worse than we actually are.

 

[medicineman]

Are we going back to the first Khandahar go around where a friend of my Dad's was raising money for desert camouflage uniforms because we didn't have any?

 

[KevinB]

Its almost like the insistence people use issued equipment actually had a purpose. Can’t have articles about troops using personal equipment if they are using what they are supposed to be equipped with.

This article makes us seem like we are not providing the equipment, which is untrue. We have the equipment it just isn’t as nice as things could be. But nothing like a negative article on our military to get views and make us out to be worse than we actually are.

Actually it just points out that a lot of the CAF issued gear is 20years old and not practical currently.

 

[Fabius]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Gevær_M10.jpg

This is the Danish Army standard issue rifle set up.
C8 IUR adopted in 2010. I remember handling and firing an IUR in 2010, while its a bit dated now still ahead of our C7A2.
Elcan Specter DR adopted in 2020.
DBAL A3 LAD with integrated WML. Interesting that they went for a dual combination vs two stand alone systems. Either way its still ahead of our mix of PEQ 2 and PAQ 4 paired with no WML of any sort ( I know some units have old WMLs purchased with unit money during the early-mid 2000s but there is no actual program of record for WMLs)

Here is a CA/Colt Canada pre production prototype of a C8A4 contender for the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) due for IOC in 2026/2027 best case scenario.

https://canadianarmytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CMAR-GS-C8A4-Test-Bed-NOT-FINAL-CONFIGURATION.jpg

 

[daftandbarmy]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Gevær_M10.jpg

This is the Danish Army standard issue rifle set up.
C8 IUR adopted in 2010. I remember handling and firing an IUR in 2010, while its a bit dated now still ahead of our C7A2.
Elcan Specter DR adopted in 2020.
DBAL A3 LAD with integrated WML. Interesting that they went for a dual combination vs two stand alone systems. Either way its still ahead of our mix of PEQ 2 and PAQ 4 paired with no WML of any sort ( I know some units have old WMLs purchased with unit money during the early-mid 2000s but there is no actual program of record for WMLs)

Here is a CA/Colt Canada pre production prototype of a C8A4 contender for the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) due for IOC in 2026/2027 best case scenario.

https://canadianarmytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CMAR-GS-C8A4-Test-Bed-NOT-FINAL-CONFIGURATION.jpg

 

[MilEME09]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Gevær_M10.jpg

This is the Danish Army standard issue rifle set up.
C8 IUR adopted in 2010. I remember handling and firing an IUR in 2010, while its a bit dated now still ahead of our C7A2.
Elcan Specter DR adopted in 2020.
DBAL A3 LAD with integrated WML. Interesting that they went for a dual combination vs two stand alone systems. Either way its still ahead of our mix of PEQ 2 and PAQ 4 paired with no WML of any sort ( I know some units have old WMLs purchased with unit money during the early-mid 2000s but there is no actual program of record for WMLs)

Here is a CA/Colt Canada pre production prototype of a C8A4 contender for the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) due for IOC in 2026/2027 best case scenario.

https://canadianarmytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CMAR-GS-C8A4-Test-Bed-NOT-FINAL-CONFIGURATION.jpg

But will it be 60% rejected on delivery by techs like the C6A1?

 

[OldSolduer]

Part of your problem is kit is evolving rapidly so what you purchase today maybe on sale at fire sale prices next year because something more effective has been developed.

 

[Fabius]

Sort of but not always.
Take our helmets for example. The CG634 entered service in 1996/1997 and was the CAF helmet until replaced by the CM735 beginning I believe in 2020/2021.

The CM735 has retained the overall profile and features of the CG634 and its main improvement is a 23% reduction in weight. However the CM735 does not have an integral NVG mount or ability to integrate active hearing protection.

Those two features are ones that have been asked for since the mid 2000s and are now integral to the helmets being adopted since the mid 2010s.
The Australian Defence Force as an example adopted the Team Wendy Exfil Ballistic Helmet in 2015 which features both rails to accommodate hearing protection and an integral NVG mount.

Why our latest helmet did not incorporate those items is baffling. Its not that helmets were/are still evolving rapidly.

Some tech such as NVGs does have a shorter operational lifespan but that's an argument for more frequent smaller buys that cascade the previous generation equipment to the Reserves and/or mobilization stockpiles vs the once a generation orders to equip the entire CAF.

The more rapid and frequent procurement models are something that are increasingly being pushed for across other forces as they seek to stay on the edge of technology.