Informing the Army’s Future Structure

[daftandbarmy]

You really aren’t that naive are you?
You would be 1/100th of a vote.
We would simply tell you what to do, and you would do it, or get kicked out of the party. The Canadian economy can be leveraged very easily that a small ripple from us can be a tidal wave.

Frankly I don’t see a need for a Canada US Defense pact from an American perspective, as frankly you freeload most of the time, so if Canada was out of NATO, we’d make it easier on ourselves to just ignore you.

 

[Good2Golf]

I was under the impression there were quite a few bilateral agreements between Canada and the US and even one or two defence related ones.

You seem to be awfully concerned about the friends we keep.

‘Tolerance Agreements’…

 

[Kirkhill]

Deleted

 

[KevinB]

I was under the impression there were quite a few bilateral agreements between Canada and the US and even one or two defence related ones.

Yes, they used to be very strong.
ABCA used to be a real thing.
The TEAL conferences meant something.
(tactics, equipment and logistics). However as Canada has faded from relevance in matters of Military, so has the importance of having Canada at meetings.

You seem to be awfully concerned about the friends we keep.

Well, as your landlord, we don’t want the place going to hell

 

[Kirkhill]

Yes, they used to be very strong.
ABCA used to be a real thing.
The TEAL conferences meant something.
(tactics, equipment and logistics). However as Canada has faded from relevance in matters of Military, so has the importance of having Canada at meetings.


Well, as your landlord, we don’t want the place going to hell

You seem to be saying the quiet bits out loud mate.

I would point out that it would likely not be an insignificant concern if our current government cosied up more to China and started diverting our resources in their entirety to the support of the CCP on commercial grounds and for the good of all Canadians and mankind. Chinese engineers and managers running around all over your northern border. And a big gap in the sky.

 

[KevinB]

You seem to be saying the quiet bits out loud mate.

I would point out that it would likely not be an insignificant concern if our current government cosied up more to China and started diverting our resources in their entirety to the support of the CCP on commercial grounds and for the good of all Canadians and mankind. Chinese engineers and managers running around all over your northern border. And a big gap in the sky.

That would be in the crater formerly known as Canada you mean?

 

[Kirkhill]

That would be in the crater formerly known as Canada you mean?

Ahh.. The Putin solution.

 

[KevinB]

Ahh.. The Putin solution.

And about as realistic as your scenario above.

 

[Kirkhill]

And about as realistic as your scenario above.

It is difficult to stay positive when the alternative future for Canada being presented by the US seems to be as a massive hydro reservoir surrounded by green space and moose. The only pipeline to the US likely to be approved by your administration is one to carry water from the MacKenzie to the San Fernando Valley and Arizona.

Not much vigorish in that game for Canadians.

Do you have a better offer than the Chinese? They seem to want our coal, oil and gas and don't have the hangups about using them that you and the Europeans have.

PS, and as your fields continue their millenia long transition to deserts our forests are moving north and releasing more arable land in their wake.
Can we offer you some wheat, corn and beef?

 

[KevinB]

Oddly enough I watched a documentary about Nuclear plants a few days ago. It appears that nuclear plants can also be easily setup to conduct desalination— so in theory California could solve its power and water problems easily with a few nuclear plants.

Even if you didn’t want to have your water coming from a nuclear plant, the power from those plants could easily power desalination plants on the coast.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Oddly enough I watched a documentary about Nuclear plants a few days ago. It appears that nuclear plants can also be easily setup to conduct desalination— so in theory California could solve its power and water problems easily with a few nuclear plants.

Even if you didn’t want to have your water coming from a nuclear plant, the power from those plants could easily power desalination plants on the coast.

It's a hot commodity

Desalination​

(Updated March 2020)

• Potable water is in short supply in many parts of the world. Lack of it is set to become a constraint on development in some areas.
• Nuclear energy is already being used for desalination, and has the potential for much greater use.
• Nuclear desalination is generally very cost-competitive with using fossil fuels. "Only nuclear reactors are capable of delivering the copious quantities of energy required for large-scale desalination projects" in the future (IAEA 2015).
• As well as desalination of brackish or sea water, treatment of urban waste water is increasingly undertaken.

It is estimated that one-fifth of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water, and that this proportion will increase due to population growth relative to water resources. The worst-affected areas are the arid and semiarid regions of Asia and North Africa. A UNESCO report in 2002 said that the freshwater shortfall worldwide was then running at some 230 billion m3/yr and would rise to 2000 billion m3/yr by 2025. Wars over access to water, not simply energy and mineral resources, are conceivable.

Desalination​

(Updated March 2020)

• Potable water is in short supply in many parts of the world. Lack of it is set to become a constraint on development in some areas.
• Nuclear energy is already being used for desalination, and has the potential for much greater use.
• Nuclear desalination is generally very cost-competitive with using fossil fuels. "Only nuclear reactors are capable of delivering the copious quantities of energy required for large-scale desalination projects" in the future (IAEA 2015).
• As well as desalination of brackish or sea water, treatment of urban waste water is increasingly undertaken.

It is estimated that one-fifth of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water, and that this proportion will increase due to population growth relative to water resources. The worst-affected areas are the arid and semiarid regions of Asia and North Africa. A UNESCO report in 2002 said that the freshwater shortfall worldwide was then running at some 230 billion m3/yr and would rise to 2000 billion m3/yr by 2025. Wars over access to water, not simply energy and mineral resources, are conceivable.

A World Economic Forum report in January 2015 highlighted the problem and said that shortage of fresh water may be the main global threat in the next decade.

Fresh water is a major priority in sustainable development. Where it cannot be obtained from streams and aquifers, desalination of seawater, mineralised groundwater or urban waste water is required. A study in 2006 by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showed that 2.3 billion people lived in water-stressed areas, 1.7 billion of them having access to less than 1000 m3 of potable water per year. With population growth, these figures will increase substantially.

Water can be stored, while electricity at utility scale cannot. This suggests two synergies with base-load power generation for electrically-driven desalination: undertaking it mainly in off-peak times of the day and week, and load-shedding in unusually high peak times.

World Energy Outlook 2016 reported that in 2015, there were about 19,000 desalination plants worldwide, to provide water to both municipal and industrial users. Almost half of global installed desalination capacity was in the Middle East, followed by the European Union with 13%, the USA with 9%, and North Africa with 8%. Globally, seawater is the most common feedwater type, supplying about 60% of installed capacity, followed by brackish water at over 20%.

WEO 2016 also reported on energy consumption for desalination. The UAE used 556 TJ/yr, followed by Saudi Arabia 168 TJ/yr, Qatar 118 TJ/yr, and Kuwait 76 TJ/yr.

Cumulative investment in desalination plants reached about $21.4 billion in 2015 and is expected at least to double by 2020 according to a 2016 report by market analyst, Research and Markets. The report, Seawater and Brackish Water Desalination, includes a prediction that investment by 2020 should top $48 billion showing a compound annual growth rate of 17.6%. The report assesses the market for large industrial or municipal facilities with a capacity greater than 1000 m³/day (m3/d). It highlights a growing gap between freshwater resources and demand from all sectors.

Nuclear Desalination - World Nuclear Association

Nuclear desalination, the provision of clean water by desalination through the use of a nuclear reactor.

world-nuclear.org

 

[WestIsle]

Just some musing after reading these posts over the last couple years. My scheme doesn't involve new pers per say but relies on the consolidation of regional and reserve formations in way that still leaves a bit of room for regiments of old but not kingdoms.

A huge issues I see is that the pressure for RSS staff to the dozens of reserve units, class B staff, and regional divisions amount to a good number of folk. Its clear we need some sort of brigade like element in Latvia but that only appears to be an actual battlegroup with another on call so 1 Div stands to provide this element. The remaining divisions provide regional cover that has to be provided because of the size of the country but also provide more realistic manageable formations then the 10 reserve brigade/militia districts of old.

 

[dapaterson]

The total count of Army RSS is about the same as a single Reg F inf Bn.

 

[WestIsle]

The total count of Army RSS is about the same as a single Reg F inf Bn.

Yes the RSS and the battalion level amount to around 500 or so thanks to unit taskings. From there you have 10 brigades and 5 division headquarters, as well as ASUs. This adds up to a surprising amount of people to make no mention of the Class B at every unit and their HQ. All I am saying is that there is no rational at pretending a company sized formation is a battalion. Regimental traditions and badges, etc can be kept at the company level just like what the post war German Army did in the Reichswehr. I have yet to meet anyone in the reserves who wasnt an RSM/CO who wasnt in favor of consolidating some units together if it meant they got to keep the non duplicated positions at the unit lines for support. It also means a bit more competition in being in charge.

Just to clarify outside of the reg force light brigade that in itself is only there is produce company+/battalion- sized formations and the reg force 1 Div all other formations are part time with the usual cadre staff you see at brigade and headquaters.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The total count of Army RSS is about the same as a single Reg F inf Bn.

And, based on the level of complexity of the work they are required do, most of them could easily be Class B reservists v.s. Reg F...

 

[FJAG]

And, based on the level of complexity of the work they are required do, most of them could easily be Class B reservists v.s. Reg F...

No they couldn't. Does "full-time continuing" mean nothing to you? We're already abusing the Class B system to create phantom PYs. Now you want to formalize it?

The complexity isn't high because we set low objectives and provide minimal support.

If you went to Class B's across the board under the current structure, the death spiral would just speed up.

We need RegF with the ResF. More than we have now but in a modified structure so that the RegF have additional responsibilities beyond the ResF and so that their time is fully utilized. How about consolidating recruiting and basic training for both ResF and RegF in select major cities organized around a CBG? A way to ramp up training for Reconstitution.

I have a cunning plan.

 

[daftandbarmy]

No they couldn't. Does "full-time continuing" mean nothing to you? We're already abusing the Class B system to create phantom PYs. Now you want to formalize it?

The complexity isn't high because we set low objectives and provide minimal support.

If you went to Class B's across the board under the current structure, the death spiral would just speed up.

We need RegF with the ResF. More than we have now but in a modified structure so that the RegF have additional responsibilities beyond the ResF and so that their time is fully utilized. How about consolidating recruiting and basic training for both ResF and RegF in select major cities organized around a CBG? A way to ramp up training for Reconstitution.

I have a cunning plan.

If the Regs are short of people, why waste them in an ongoing drain on resources like supporting the A Res?

The ultimate goal of Reg F troops embedded in a part time organization should be to lead the part timers to a position of self-reliance, in an OMLT-like way.

Some units would need more help than others, of course, but over time we should aim to build up the internal capacity of the A Res to run its own - low level and mainly internal - training and administration.

PWT 3, section and platoon battle drills, sending troops off to fight fires, and the daily management of the daily interactions in a 100 year old armoury are wholly within the scope of a well established ARes-BRes organization to operate.

None of the Regs really want to be there anyways as it's seen as a low status job with poor career advancement opportunities, and it's really pretty boring compared with other stuff that a 20 something Captain or WO could be doing, so why not give them what they want?

 

[Rifleman62]

None of the Regs really want to be there anyways as it's seen as a low status job with poor career advancement opportunities...

I disagree. Some don't want to be there and it usually shows. Some make the best of it because they are professional.
I could name more than a few Offrs whose career advancement was not stymied starting with the current CDS, an Acting B Gen, several LCol's./CO's.
We also had some really, really bad ones who got fired incl one Capt who was thrown out of the CAF.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I disagree. Some don't want to be there and it usually shows. Some make the best of it because they are professional.
I could name more than a few Offrs whose career advancement was not stymied starting with the current CDS, an Acting B Gen, several LCol's./CO's.
We also had some really, really bad ones who got fired incl one Capt who was thrown out of the CAF.

YMMV but from what I saw over the decades most didn't want to be there, and it showed.

Some shouldn't have been in the Army at all, and I saw one kicked out.

A few were dumped on us because Island of Misfit Toys.

One or two were not awful. None were what I would call 'shining examples'.

Regardless, the job isn't that complicated and a good Class B team could easily do the job IMHO.

 

[Rifleman62]

My observation is over four decades, from Rfn to Offr.
BC was always "different" in my experience. BC in the 80's/90's never had a LCol who retired. They just joined a HQ's Club.