[R-G] Allies quietly urging Canada to deploy CF-18s to Afghanistan

[Anthony Fenton]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Allies+quietly+urging+Canada+deploy+Afghanistan/1512642/story.html

Allies quietly urging Canada to deploy CF-18s to Afghanistan
By Matthew Fisher, Canwest News ServiceApril 19, 2009

The United States and NATO have "expressed a desire" for Canada to  
deploy CF-18 Hornet fighter jets to Afghanistan, according to the  
Canadian general who leads the coalition’s air war in Afghanistan.

The United States and NATO have "expressed a desire" for Canada to  
deploy CF-18 Hornet fighter jets to Afghanistan, according to the  
Canadian general who leads the coalition’s air war in Afghanistan.
Photograph by: Handout, CNS

KABUL, Afghanistan — The United States and NATO have “expressed a  
desire” for Canada to deploy CF-18 Hornet fighter jets to Afghanistan,  
according to the Canadian general who leads the coalition’s air war in  
Afghanistan.

“I can tell you from the senior Canadian in this headquarters that I  
have been asked on several occasions by AFCENT (United States Air  
Forces Central) and CENTCOM (Central Command), ‘How can we get  
Canadian F-18s into the game over here?’” said Maj.-Gen. Duff  
Sullivan. “And I’ve told them that that is a political decision back  
in Canada.”

Sullivan, 52, flew sorties in CF-18s over the Balkans and during the  
first U.S.-led war against Iraq in 1991.

“What has been highlighted to me as the director of the air element  
here, the commander of AFCENT has said that it would relieve the  
pressure on his American squadrons if we could have Canadian F-18s  
come in. I haven’t commented one way or the other, but passed it back  
to Canada to the chief of defence and I know that issue is well known  
in his office.”

But Sunday evening Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s director of  
communications, Dan Dugas, disputed the notion it was a ‘political  
decision.’

“The general is somehow mistaken on this issue,” he said. “This is  
something that has not gone through a chain of command and then to the  
minister’s office . . . so it can hardly be a political decision if it  
hasn’t made its way through the chain of command.”

“If the chain of command believes this is worthwhile they would make a  
recommendation to the minister, as far as I know this has not happened.”

Sullivan has been described by U.S. Gen. David McKiernan, the top NATO  
commander in Afghanistan, as his “air czar.” The Cornwall, Ont.,  
native is a graduate of the U.S. air force’s most prestigious combat  
school and flew NATO missions in Germany for Canada for seven years.

“Whenever our troops are in trouble and taking casualties, every  
single time they call for air support — armed overwatch — that is what  
the Canadian F-18s would do,” Sullivan said, noting that Canada alone  
among the allies contributes combat ground forces in Afghanistan  
without also providing close air support.

“This is what I think that other allies are noticing and pointing out  
to me,” Sullivan said. “Canada is the only nation that has not yet  
done a tour of duty with its fighter force . . . If we brought our  
F-18s it would allow us to be fully involved in the air/land operation.”

The questions being asked about Canada’s CF-18s was “interesting in  
the NATO environment because before officially asking a country to  
fill a capability they will unofficially ask them to feel them out  
about where they are,” said Sullivan, who is also deputy director of  
air/land operations for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

Lt.-Gen. Michel Gauthier, who commands all Canadian troops overseas,  
said during a visit to Kandahar last month that the air force was  
already making a major contribution in Afghanistan and that Canada had  
no plans to deploy CF-18s to Kandahar.

“You have to recognize that Canada is contributing in a very, very  
significant manner with the more than 3,000 troops we have on the  
ground,” Sullivan said, echoing some of Gauthier’s comments. “We have  
(also) plussed up with our Chinooks and Griffons (helicopters) and  
Herons (unmanned surveillance drones), so there is no doubt Canada is  
shouldering quite an impressive contribution.”

The helicopters and the drones with Canadian markings began flying  
missions at Kandahar Airfield early this year. They joined a small  
number of Canadian CC-130 Hercules transports that have been flying  
cargo and soldiers within theatre for NATO for several years. Canada’s  
four relatively new C-17 cargo planes also provide crucial logistical  
support to Task Force Afghanistan.

Still, “the fighter capability is perhaps an area that Canada might  
wish to think about bringing into theatre in the future, as well,”  
Sullivan said.

Accommodation is at a premium at Kandahar because of a major buildup  
of U.S. forces this spring. However, the general said that space could  
be found if Ottawa decided to send CF-18s to Afghanistan.

Canada’s fighter fleet is about to complete a modernization program.  
The upgrades include a sophisticated new targeting pod that can  
provide an instant data link to commanders in the field and the  
ability to carry new precision-guided munitions.

“Everything is now coagulating and coming together in respect to the  
F-18. It will be full up and ready to go in the August-September time  
frame,” Sullivan said. “If deployed, they would be stars over here.”