Canada orders 1,300 smart bombs
$100,000-apiece weapons to be used in Libyan mission
As the Libyan war enters its third month the Defence Department has quietly ordered more than 1,300 laser-guided smart bombs.
The department could not provide comment about the purchase of the 500-pound Paveway bombs, but sources confirmed the new stocks are for the Libyan campaign, to replace those already dropped and for future missions against the North African country.
No details were provided about how much the purchase will cost taxpayers.
But John Pike, director of the Washington-based defence think-tank GlobalSecurity.org said the smart bomb cost about $100,000 each.
Pike said he wasn't surprised that Canada is ordering more of the bombs, since reports have been
circulating for several weeks that NATO nations taking part in the Libyan war are running out of weapons.
"It seems to me that Canada is not alone in misunderstanding its munitions requirements," he said. "What kind of war did Canada think it was going to fight? Did they think this war was going to be over quickly or that the Americans would drop all the bombs?"
But Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, the chairman of NATO's military committee, has denied that the alliance's member countries are running low on ammunition.
Pike said the Paveway system is not expensive by itself, but without it the fighter aircraft are not as effective. For the Libyan war, the Canadian Forces' CF-18 fighters have been using Paveway GBU-12 bombs, the same type that was used by Canada during the 1999 bombing campaign over Kosovo. The Paveway system consists of a specialized nose and tail that transforms an unguided dumb bomb into a laser-guided smart bomb, Pike said.
To operate the system, the pilot illuminates the target with a laser. The munition then travels to a spot of laser energy reflected from the target, according to the Global Security.org website page on the Paveway bomb.
As of Monday, Canadian CF-18 fighter jets had flown 272 sorties, but the Defence Department has not said how many bombs those planes have dropped.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said shortly after the bombing campaign started in mid-March that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's days were numbered. "He simply will not last very long," Harper predicted.
But Gadhafi's forces are holding their own against the largely untrained rebel forces and the ongoing NATO bombing campaign.
The Canadian-led NATO mission has recently targeted a number of what it calls command and control centres. But the Libyan government has accused the alliance of trying to assassinate Gadhafi.
In a recent attack on Tripoli, Gadhafi's youngest son, Saif al-Arab, and three grandchildren were killed. Gadhafi and his wife survived. "We do not target individuals," Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, who commands the alliance's operation, said in response to Libya's accusations.
Britain's top military official, Gen. Sir David Richards, recently called for an increase in the bombing campaign, suggesting NATO should start hitting Libyan infrastructure. Shortly after he made that comment, NATO jets bombed a key oil terminal in the country.
NATO is operating with the blessing of a UN Security Council Resolution that sanctions force to protect Libyan civilians.
But some countries, such as Russia and China, have raised questions about whether NATO has gone far beyond the mandate authorized by the UN. Russia accused NATO of meddling in Libya's internal affairs.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Canada has no intention of sending more planes or expanding its role in Libya. "We know that Gadhafi is now entrenching, but the reality is were going to stay within the parameters of the Security Council resolution and we have put forward, in my view, an exceptional effort on behalf of our country," MacKay said on the weekend.
Canada has committed 560 personnel, seven fighter aircraft, two refuelling planes and two Aurora maritime surveillance aircraft to the mission. In addition, a frigate is also assigned to the conflict and is patrolling the Mediterranean to enforce an arms embargo on Libya.
There haven't been any discussions on how long Canada's efforts will be required. Parliament is expected to re-examine the mission in June.
On April 15, the Washington Post reported that Britain, France and other countries involved in the Libyan war were running low on stocks of laser-guided bombs.
Pike said NATO nations appear to have been caught off-guard in not having enough bombs on hand. He said the focus for such countries is usually on the multibillion-dollar fighter aircraft, but that having enough weapons is key to fighting any war. It's like buying a car without the tires, he said of having aircraft without enough munitions.
Canada orders 1,300 smart bombs
$100,000-apiece weapons to be used in Libyan mission
As the Libyan war enters its third month the Defence Department has quietly ordered more than 1,300 laser-guided smart bombs.
The department could not provide comment about the purchase of the 500-pound Paveway bombs, but sources confirmed the new stocks are for the Libyan campaign, to replace those already dropped and for future missions against the North African country.
No details were provided about how much the purchase will cost taxpayers.
But John Pike, director of the Washington-based defence think-tank GlobalSecurity.org said the smart bomb cost about $100,000 each.
Pike said he wasn't surprised that Canada is ordering more of the bombs, since reports have been
circulating for several weeks that NATO nations taking part in the Libyan war are running out of weapons.
"It seems to me that Canada is not alone in misunderstanding its munitions requirements," he said. "What kind of war did Canada think it was going to fight? Did they think this war was going to be over quickly or that the Americans would drop all the bombs?"
But Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, the chairman of NATO's military committee, has denied that the alliance's member countries are running low on ammunition.
Pike said the Paveway system is not expensive by itself, but without it the fighter aircraft are not as effective. For the Libyan war, the Canadian Forces' CF-18 fighters have been using Paveway GBU-12 bombs, the same type that was used by Canada during the 1999 bombing campaign over Kosovo. The Paveway system consists of a specialized nose and tail that transforms an unguided dumb bomb into a laser-guided smart bomb, Pike said.
To operate the system, the pilot illuminates the target with a laser. The munition then travels to a spot of laser energy reflected from the target, according to the Global Security.org website page on the Paveway bomb.
As of Monday, Canadian CF-18 fighter jets had flown 272 sorties, but the Defence Department has not said how many bombs those planes have dropped.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said shortly after the bombing campaign started in mid-March that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's days were numbered. "He simply will not last very long," Harper predicted.
But Gadhafi's forces are holding their own against the largely untrained rebel forces and the ongoing NATO bombing campaign.
The Canadian-led NATO mission has recently targeted a number of what it calls command and control centres. But the Libyan government has accused the alliance of trying to assassinate Gadhafi.
In a recent attack on Tripoli, Gadhafi's youngest son, Saif al-Arab, and three grandchildren were killed. Gadhafi and his wife survived. "We do not target individuals," Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, who commands the alliance's operation, said in response to Libya's accusations.
Britain's top military official, Gen. Sir David Richards, recently called for an increase in the bombing campaign, suggesting NATO should start hitting Libyan infrastructure. Shortly after he made that comment, NATO jets bombed a key oil terminal in the country.
NATO is operating with the blessing of a UN Security Council Resolution that sanctions force to protect Libyan civilians.
But some countries, such as Russia and China, have raised questions about whether NATO has gone far beyond the mandate authorized by the UN. Russia accused NATO of meddling in Libya's internal affairs.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Canada has no intention of sending more planes or expanding its role in Libya. "We know that Gadhafi is now entrenching, but the reality is were going to stay within the parameters of the Security Council resolution and we have put forward, in my view, an exceptional effort on behalf of our country," MacKay said on the weekend.
Canada has committed 560 personnel, seven fighter aircraft, two refuelling planes and two Aurora maritime surveillance aircraft to the mission. In addition, a frigate is also assigned to the conflict and is patrolling the Mediterranean to enforce an arms embargo on Libya.
There haven't been any discussions on how long Canada's efforts will be required. Parliament is expected to re-examine the mission in June.
On April 15, the Washington Post reported that Britain, France and other countries involved in the Libyan war were running low on stocks of laser-guided bombs.
Pike said NATO nations appear to have been caught off-guard in not having enough bombs on hand. He said the focus for such countries is usually on the multibillion-dollar fighter aircraft, but that having enough weapons is key to fighting any war. It's like buying a car without the tires, he said of having aircraft without enough munitions.
Canada orders 1,300 smart bombs
