Page 19 - Leverage and Learn

Leverage Allied Investments and Combat Learning Experience in Modernizing the U.S. Military

“A key will be to exercise often and effectively together. To shape effective concepts of operations will
require bringing the new equipment, and the people together to share experience and to shape a common
way ahead.”

In effect, a Maritime Domain Awareness highway or belt is being constructed from the UK through to
Norway. A key challenge will be establishing ways to share data and enable rapid decision-making in a
region where the Russians are modernizing forces and expanded reach into the Arctic.

Obviously a crucial missing in action player in this scheme is Canada. And in my discussions with
Commonwealth members and Northern Europeans there is clear concern for disappearing Canadian
capabilities.

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Perhaps one way to generate a way to keep ASW skills alive while Canada works towards 21 century
systems might be for Canada to join up with the UK and Norway to procure a set of Tritons in common and
work common data sharing arrangements. Perhaps a model to sell data rather than buy aircraft might be
considered as well which has been the model whereby Scan Eagle has operated with the USMC.

As the COS of the Norwegian Air Force put the challenge:
“We should plug and play in terms of our new capabilities; but that will not happen by itself, by simply
adding new equipment. It will be hard work.”

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