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Canada should get out of is cold war mindset and move the majority of its warships from Halifax to the B.C. coast in response to the Chinese navys aggressive military buildup, say defence analysts.
The U.S. government has already announced its plan to put 60 per cent of its naval assets on its west coast by 2020 as part of its plan to make the 21st century Americas Pacific Century a term coined by former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
The Canadian militarys tiny fleet of warships is split up on a 60-40 basis favouring the Atlantic coast, with seven frigates and two destroyers in Halifax compared to five frigates and one destroyer in Esquimalt.
China is expanding its own naval fleet and showing greater assertiveness in its maritime disputes with its neighbours
.
When submarines, maritime patrol and supply vessels are included there are a total of 18 vessels assigned to Halifax, where approximately 5,000 military and 2,000 civilian personnel are located, and 15 to Esquimalt, where roughly 4,000 military and 2,000 civilian employees are stationed.
Analyst David McDonough said Ottawa should reverse the emphasis, with at least 60 per cent of the frigates and destroyers in B.C.
He also argued that once the submarine fleet is fully operational two of the three subs in service (one will always be in the Esquimalt dry dock undergoing repairs and upgrades) should be based out at Esquimalt.
Nowadays, the threat on the East Coast is pretty mild, whereas the Pacific is a more dangerous environment, McDonough, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of B.C.s political science department, said in an interview Friday.
AP Photo
AP PhotoIn this photo taken Wednesday, July 3, 2013, Chinese destroyer Wuhan leads a fleet of naval ships, heading to take part in a joint exercise with Russia in the Sea of Japan..
The U.S., Japan and Australia have all taken steps to expand their military muscle in response to the Chinese militarys naval buildup. Fears of a potential Pacific conflict have been exacerbated by Chinas territorial disputes with the Philippines and Japan.
McDonough argued in a blog post last month that Canada could use its Victoria-class diesel submarines to develop an anti-submarine warfare capability in the region, though such a commitment would ultimately require costly purchases of a new fleet of subs and a replacement for the aged Aurora maritime patrol aircraft.
Such a contribution would help the cash-strapped Americans at a time when China is expanding its own naval fleet and showing greater assertiveness in its maritime disputes with its neighbours, he wrote.
Navy should shift warships to West Coast in response to China
The U.S. government has already announced its plan to put 60 per cent of its naval assets on its west coast by 2020 as part of its plan to make the 21st century Americas Pacific Century a term coined by former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
The Canadian militarys tiny fleet of warships is split up on a 60-40 basis favouring the Atlantic coast, with seven frigates and two destroyers in Halifax compared to five frigates and one destroyer in Esquimalt.
China is expanding its own naval fleet and showing greater assertiveness in its maritime disputes with its neighbours
.
When submarines, maritime patrol and supply vessels are included there are a total of 18 vessels assigned to Halifax, where approximately 5,000 military and 2,000 civilian personnel are located, and 15 to Esquimalt, where roughly 4,000 military and 2,000 civilian employees are stationed.
Analyst David McDonough said Ottawa should reverse the emphasis, with at least 60 per cent of the frigates and destroyers in B.C.
He also argued that once the submarine fleet is fully operational two of the three subs in service (one will always be in the Esquimalt dry dock undergoing repairs and upgrades) should be based out at Esquimalt.
Nowadays, the threat on the East Coast is pretty mild, whereas the Pacific is a more dangerous environment, McDonough, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of B.C.s political science department, said in an interview Friday.
AP Photo
AP PhotoIn this photo taken Wednesday, July 3, 2013, Chinese destroyer Wuhan leads a fleet of naval ships, heading to take part in a joint exercise with Russia in the Sea of Japan..
The U.S., Japan and Australia have all taken steps to expand their military muscle in response to the Chinese militarys naval buildup. Fears of a potential Pacific conflict have been exacerbated by Chinas territorial disputes with the Philippines and Japan.
McDonough argued in a blog post last month that Canada could use its Victoria-class diesel submarines to develop an anti-submarine warfare capability in the region, though such a commitment would ultimately require costly purchases of a new fleet of subs and a replacement for the aged Aurora maritime patrol aircraft.
Such a contribution would help the cash-strapped Americans at a time when China is expanding its own naval fleet and showing greater assertiveness in its maritime disputes with its neighbours, he wrote.
Navy should shift warships to West Coast in response to China
