Canadian Forces Prepare For Most Important Mission In Canadian History

[Squeeky]

Wednesday, December 24, 2003
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KABUL (CP) - Two Canadian soldiers have been given one of the most important jobs available at Camp Julien in Afghanistan - searching the skies with a high-tech radar device for a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

The job of tracking Santa as he crosses the globe is normally left to Norad, the North American Aerospace Defence Command. But with Canadian troops spending Christmas in a time zone that's hours ahead of Canada, the first sightings will be done using a military unit at Camp Julien near Kabul.

``I think we'll see a few reindeer, and maybe a man in a red suit with a big beard,'' said Bombardier Wayne Pardy of Marystown, Nfld. as he readied his radar screens for the duty.

``Hopefully we will see him. That'll make Christmas a bit better here in Kabul.''

Pardy, and Bombardier Jeff Hinch of Guelph, Ont., operate a mobile unit known as ARTHUR - a weapons locating system that hunts rockets that could potentially be fired at the Canadian Forces base and areas surrounding it.

``It hunts artillery rounds, mortars, that kind of calibre weapon,'' said Pardy.

Within seconds of detection, soldiers are able to pinpoint a weapon launching system's location, and fire back.

For ARTHUR, everything is a target. However, on Christmas Eve, the soldiers have to be extra careful not to aim their guns at any ``friendly'' objects.

``We're going to be keeping an eye out because we wouldn't want anything to happen to that kind of a target,'' said Hinch.

``We can probably identify (a sleigh) and probably identify that as friendly.''

The rest of the nearly 2,000 Canadian soldiers in Kabul are planning to keep a close ear to their radios on Christmas Eve, hoping to hear whether the radar has spotted anything unusual.

``We'll radio it in, to let everybody know that `Ho Ho Ho' is on the way,'' said Pardy.

``We won't consider him a target. We'll consider him a friendly.''

Pardy and Hinch have wives back home in Canada, and while they'll miss them, both know their missions in Afghanistan are important ones - even more so on Christmas Eve.

``I'm sure my wife misses me a lot .n.. but I just got back off leave so I'm feeling pretty good about it,'' said Hinch.

``I got married a month before I came here,'' added Pardy.

``So that's probably the biggest heartache. It's the first Christmas away from home with my newlywed.''

http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=137291C5-79CE-420F-B8B0-A19141844762

Canadian forces at work :lol:

[Hamma]

:ugh:

[MuNsTeR]

:ugh:

[firecrackerNC]

The rest of the nearly 2,000 Canadian soldiers in Kabul

wow that must be Canadas entire military right there,I didn't even know that many people lived up there.

[Spider]

wow that must be Canadas entire military right there,I didn't even know that many people lived up there.

*cough*

We have at least 50 thousand soldiers. I'd start to shut the up fuck if I were you, as I will soon be one of the proud soldiers in that army.

[Setari]

canadians have a good army dont make fun of something if you dont know what the fuck ur talkin about...

EDIT: btw what is the Canadian Army's weapon of choice? Hopefully not like the damn french with the stupid FAMAS :rolleyes:

[Mr1337Duck]

Yup, 50k soldiers, three bi-planes, and a few tanks. Canada's money at work.

[Squeeky]

[Insert picture of rowboat with .50 cal here]

^^Canada's naval fleet

[Spider]

Yup, 50k soldiers, three bi-planes, and a few tanks. Canada's money at work.

Few tanks? Our fleet is proportionate to our needs... we don't need a tank for every soldier like in the USA mainly because we don't have the war mongering syndrom.

Our forces are very capable of achieving the same thing as yours with as much or less men. We have 30 million people living in Canada and you guys have what? 300 million? Of course you need a bigger army. Fact is we don't. We have plenty of planes tanks, we have 3 destroyers and it's plenty.

[Squeeky]

:lol: 3 destroyers. I think we have half a dozen atleast in San Diego harbor.

[Smaug]

So wait are you guys saying santa is fake? :(

[Squeeky]

No, we are just laughing at the canadians. I mean seriously, who goes halfway around the world on christmas to track some ficticious character with military radar.

[Setari]

think about it tho it wouldnt be that hard.....just give whatever ppl see some predetermined path and make it look as if its moving :p but anyway my question about Canada's army hasnt been answered yet... see above post...

[Spider]

Ahhh hmk! The Canadian weapon of choice is the C-7 Assault rifle.

It's the M16's brother. It's more efficient in cold conditions and more reliable as well as more accurate. The americans have been thinking about adopting it but it costs more to make so that's the main barrier stopping the US from mass-producing it.

http://www.dnd.ca/dless/wes/wes_equipments/c7a1_rifle.jpg

Crappy picture but there you have it.

[Derfud]

http://www.noradsanta.org/english/radar/index.html

[Navaron]

You guys are morons. They aren't tracking shit, it's a nice little pr story for little kiddies who's parents are over seas, or who want to "prove" to their kids that santa's real.

Also, why does everyone always bag on Canada's army? No one brought up anything saying that they were better than anyone else. So America's army is bigger, BFD. You're not in it, you didn't build it, and you probably don't pay taxes to support it. Quit swinging from the dick of the people that do and find something else to brag about.

[Spider]

You guys are morons. They aren't tracking shit, it's a nice little pr story for little kiddies who's parents are over seas, or who want to "prove" to their kids that santa's real.

Also, why does everyone always bag on Canada's army? No one brought up anything saying that they were better than anyone else. So America's army is bigger, BFD. You're not in it, you didn't build it, and you probably don't pay taxes to support it. Quit swinging from the dick of the people that do and find something else to brag about.

:love: Nav!

[Everay]

http://world.guns.ru/assault/as40-e.htm

Future american light arms weapon, XM29. i think that beats out the C-7. dont you spider? oh, and this weapon will come able to work with the LandWarrior system.

and as for the story, its pr, and thats fine. you know, moral boost?

[Navaron]

Doesn't look too easy to field strip. Basic Trainings gonna be a bitch and a half when those baby's come along.

[Spider]

Already exists as far as I know... used by special forces.

Give us a couple of years and we'll improve it... *cough*

[Everay]

yea, but i belive theyre trying to make the software for it really simple for the troops, not everyone that joins up is a expert with computers

[Setari]

screw the XM...until it comes into service you cant use it to say we're better than Canada.....stick with arms presently in service ;)

[Everay]

hmm, well, our new fatigue kicks the crap out of canadas fatigue! :P

[DoomWarrior]

well, at least we know our, my, goverment is putting their money to good use watching for santa

[Squeeky]

.. used by special forces.


SF actually use SOPMOD-M4. Which is a variant of the M-16, smaller, collapsing stock, and has heat shields that can be replaced with accessories (Bipods, Nade Launchers etc..)

[Spider]

SF actually use SOPMOD-M4. Which is a variant of the M-16, smaller, collapsing stock, and has heat shields that can be replaced with accessories (Bipods, Nade Launchers etc..)

I know that squeeks... but if I'm not mistaken some individuals already use it... :ugh:.

[Derfud]

I regret to inform you Everay, but the HK XM 29 (OICW) is a german firearm. Sure it may be employed by the United States Military, but they only bought them.

[Everay]

pfft, i never said i care who makes it, its more important who uses it, and not just builds it, wouldnt you agree?

and 4 companies are designing it, HK is the only forgien one

[Squeeky]

I know that squeeks... but if I'm not mistaken some individuals already use it... :ugh:.

Actually no. The military is still developing them. So the only people who use them are the developers or testers ;)

[Spider]

I regret to inform you Everay, but the HK XM 29 (OICW) is a german firearm. Sure it may be employed by the United States Military, but they only bought them.

OWNED!

[Spider]

Actually no. The military is still developing them. So the only people who use them are the developers or testers ;)

Rofl I just remembered why I thought they used it! :lol: I am so laughing at myself right now!

Two words: Ghost Recon!

:lol:.

[Squeeky]

You were owned twice Spider. You are in no position to proclaim ownage of any type.

[arctik]

[Insert picture of rowboat with .50 cal here]

^^Canada's naval fleet

rofl.

Canada might have that many soldiers but wtf are they for?

[Everay]

you know, it doesnt count, because i dont feel owned, and i wasnt, read below

"This team is lead by the US based Alliant Techsystems corporation (ATK), with the Heckler-Koch (Germany), Brashear and the Omega companies (both of USA) as the other team members. The ATK is responsible for system integration, and also develops the 20mm Air Burst munitions; HK is responsible for both the 5.56mm rifle and the 20mm grenade launcher; Brashear works on the sighting equipment and Omega provides the training means. "

aka 1 of 4 companies making it are not american. and i never claimed it was made by america, though, someone might have interpreted it that way

[Derfud]

But HK is the only one actually developing the weapon. One company makes munitions FOR the weapon, and System integration, which is only a small part of the weapon itself. The other company that provides training for it, has nothing to do with the production of it either. Just face it, it's a German Made gun.

[Corrosion]

:ugh:

[Hamma]

Right when I saw this thread I knew no good could come of it. I should have locked it then.