Canada ordering more smart bombs for Libya campaign

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Canada ordering more smart bombs for Libya campaign

By Pugliese, Postmedia News May 18, 2011 1:01 AM

OTTAWA — 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 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 that North African

country.

No details were provided about how much the purchase will cost taxpayers.

But Pike, director of the Washington-based defence think-tank,

GlobalSecurity.org, said the weapons cost around $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 now 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 Adm. 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 GlobalSecurity.org website page on the Paveway bomb.

As of Monday, Canadian CF-18 fighter jets had flown about 300 sorties but the

Defence Department has not said how many bombs those planes have dropped.

Prime Minister 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 still 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.

Britain's top military official, Gen. s, recently called for an

increase in the bombing campaign, suggesting NATO should start hitting Libya's

infrastructure. Shortly after he made that comment, NATO jets bombed a key oil

terminal in the country.

Defence Minister MacKay said Canada has no intention of sending more

planes or expanding its role in Libya.

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 the Canadian contribution will be

required. Parliament is expected to re-examine the mission in June.

But some Canadian Forces personnel have told their families they expect to be

overseas for up to six months.

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

multi-billion 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.

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