...With Transcript.
see also : https://forces.ca/en/
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some very serious challenges
right now that could mean we
failed to meet our force posture and
readiness commitments in 2024 and beyond.
The situation serious, but our problems
are not unique, and I know that
the air force and the army are facing
similar challenges.
Historically, we have risen to every
challenge, so I am
confident we will find a way to get
through this. When I took command, I laid
out three priorities, people,
platforms, and being ready to
fight. These remain my focus. People are
the heart and soul of our
naval force. History tells
us that the best sailors, not the best
ships, win at sea. The
RCN is in a critical state,
with many occupations experiencing
shortages at 20% and higher. There is a
simple reason for this.
Despite their very best efforts, CFRG has
not delivered the
required intake for the RCN for
over 10 years. While our overall
attrition is generally good,
our Martech leaves us every two
days. Our West Coast fleet is beset with
a shortage of qualified techs
constraining our ability to
maintain and operate our ships and
causing us to prioritize the Halifax
class at the expense of the
Kingston class. Challenges and generating
techs for the Harry DeWolf
class mean that we could only
sail one at a time right now. Preparing
to fully crew the first
JSS by 2025 is a considerable
challenge, but we cannot and will not
fail. That is why the
highest priority for the RCN is
attracting, recruiting, and training
sailors to the occupational
functional point to hold our
trained effective strength at its current level.
We may not achieve this target this year,
and we won't reach it next year.
and we absolutely must start to increase our workforce.
That is why we launched the naval
experience program this
past April. 98 candidates
are enrolled with 400 prospects in the
recruiting process, helping to address
the RCN's requirement
of 1200 new enrollees this year and every
year thereafter. NEP has
other benefits. It has engaged
our naval reserve divisions in recruiting
for the regular force, the number of
potential applicants
at recruiting centers who asked about the
Navy has tripled, and we are
enrolling three times as many
visible minorities and indigenous
Canadians through NEP as
normal. It has forced the RCN to
better manage all our personnel on the
basic training list,
which is beginning to deliver
an improved experience for all trainees.
We have no choice but to change -
and, as we undertake the largest peacetime
recapitalisation in our history,
this is the perfect opportunity to reimagine
our entire human resources model.
To that end, the RCN has launched
a comprehensive
analysis to reshape all of our
occupations and define the optimal
crewing model for our ships. To meet our
operational commitments,
generate trained sailors, and achieve a
sustainable establishment. It is a
massive undertaking with
key decisions that must be made in the
next two years. With respect to
platforms, I only have time
to talk about surface combatants, but all
sea days matter in generating enough
sailors who are ready
to help, lead, and most of all, fight.
The Halifax Class frigates are and will
remain our only surface
combatant for at least the next 15 years.
Why? Because we can't
retire the Halifax Class until
we have at least four Canadian surface
Combatants certified for
operations. We have made great
progress in the past year because of some
tough decisions to
prioritize schedule over initial
capability, and I am very confident that
the first CSE will deliver
early in the next decade.
This is a massively complex ship, so it
will take two to three years
of tests and trials to make sure
it works well enough to deploy the first
one, and years more to have
enough to relieve the burden
from the Halifax Class. We must therefore
find a way to keep the Halifax Class
going until at least
2040. Given that they've reached their
design life of 30 years and
that all 12 are absolutely
required to meet Canada's commitments to
NATO and the Indo-Pacific
strategy, this is a very
considerable challenge and the reason why
the RCN consumes such a
massive share of national
procurement funds. I wish it was not so,
but I'm afraid there
simply is no other choice.
These ships play a vital role in ensuring that
sailors retain the unique core combat skills
that can only be developed, exercised and
used in surface combat ships.
Today's Halifax Class ships will train the crews
of tomorrow's warships.
There is no other path.
We've received four of our six
Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels and the
final two will be delivered in
24' to 25' respectively. Last week Harry
DeWolf delivered the Grey
Cup to Hamilton with the family
of its namesake on board. Like all new
ships, they've had teething
problems, but let me assure
you that the AOPVs are outperforming
expectations and are proving the value of the National Shipbuilding strategy.
The first support vessel will be delivered in '25
and the second will follow in '27.
Finally, we launched the Canadian
Patrol Submarine project
to replace our Victoria class with a
commercial submarine in the mid-30s.
And now to my third and final priority,
being ready to fight.
The core naval functions are
diplomacy, deterrence, and defence.
we represent Canada abroad,
and demonstrate our commitment
to the rules-based international order.
Deterance is the product of credible
capability that is communicated clearly
and consistently at sea.
All this is backed up by a willingness to
use lethal force to defend our nation
and its maritime interests.
Warships are unique in their ability to
immediately adapt to emerging tasks or
undertake completely
new missions without needing new
equipment, crew, or training. This
requires the very best people
supported by a diverse, innovative, and
inclusive culture where everyone is
empowered to perform to
their full potential and feel a part of
our shared success. This
culture is not just a slogan,
it's a call to action, a commitment to
serve with purpose and pride.
Despite the storm we are currently facing,
I know that the future of the Navy is bright
and I couldn't be prouder to serve
in this great Canadian institution.
Most of all, I want to thank every one of
you for everything you do to support the
Royal Canadian Navy. We
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