CANADIANS, GERMANS DISCUSSING HELICOPTER SUPPORT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002069 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2017 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR NATO CA GM SUBJECT: CANADIANS, GERMANS DISCUSSING HELICOPTER SUPPORT TO RC-S REF: OSLO 1093 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary: German and Canadian officials in Ottawa are discussing the possible deployment of German CH-53 rotary-wing aircraft to southern Afghanistan in support of NATO-ISAF operations. The Canadians asked us to avoid raising or pressing the matter with the Germans for now because their discussions are at a delicate stage. While still a long-shot, if a deal emerges, we will need to be ready to tell our allies to what extent we would be willing to help them face the attendant infrastructure and supportability issues. End summary. ¶2. (S/NF) The German military assistant to Parliamentary State Secretary Christian Schmidt visiting Ottawa October 31 revealed to Defense Attache that Germany and Canada were discussing the possible deployment of German helicopters to the restive Regional Command - South (RC-S) area of Afghanistan. German air crews would be able deploy, he said, in part by re-interpreting the rules of engagement that govern their current operations in Afghanistan. The military assistant said he was very optimistic that some type of arrangement could be worked out. ¶3. (S/NF) On November 7, Canadian Department of National Defense officials briefed Defense Attache and pol-miloff on their bilateral discussions with the Germans. According to DND Director for NATO Policy Gavin Buchan, Canadian and German officials had recently begun discussing various scenarios that could lead to the deployment of German rotary wing airlift deployed to RC-S as soon as early 2008. One scenario would have the German military conduct temporary deployments of German-crewed CH-53 aircraft from northern Afghanistan to RC-S in a combat support role. Buchan noted that, in this scenario, aircraft operations would probably require forward-deployed air crews and ground support units. ¶4. (S/NF) Canadian and German officials have also discussed whether, when, and how to approach the U.S. and other allies to facilitate the deployment, according to Buchan. Making such a mission sustainable over the longer term, he added, would require bolstering ground support capacity, as well as turbine upgrades, and expediting the provision of ITAR-controlled counter-measure devices for some of the aircraft that the Germans could make available to the mission. ¶5. (S/NF) Another scenario, Buchan described, had Canadian or "NATO multilateral" crews flying German CH-53 aircraft in RC-S after eight months of training for Canadian crews; there are no CH-53s in the Canadian inventory. The two sides, he stressed, are still working out how they would configure such an arrangement. When asked whether the Canadians and the Germans were thinking in terms of a loan, a lease, or some other mechanism, Buchan said that all options remain on the table, but that he would not be surprised if they ended up in a lease arrangement, "like we did with the Leopard tanks." ¶6. (S/NF) Buchan commented that a combination of the two arrangements was also possible, with the Germans deploying some of their existing airlift to RC-S on "temporary" assignments to fill "critical" shortfalls, while the two sides cooperate bilaterally and with other ISAF members, "perhaps Poland," to build a longer term, more sustainable Q"perhaps Poland," to build a longer term, more sustainable solution. ¶7. (S/NF) Buchan stressed that, even though he was making us aware of Canada's discussions with the Germans, the Canadian government wanted the U.S. to steer clear for now. Let Canada "fan the embers gently, and avoid blowing them out," he said. The discussions could lead to a "dead-end," he acknowledged, but so far Canada was getting enough positive signals from Germany to believe it was worth pressing ahead. In a separate conversation, DND NATO desk officer Sarah Terry observed that the Canada-Germany relationship is very good and that a gentle Canadian approach to Germany would likely bode better in Berlin than a more assertive joint U.S.- Canadian approach. ¶8. (S/NF) Comment: Having no capable rotary-wing assets of its own, and taking political hits for being unable to convince allies to render support in RC-S, the Canadian OTTAWA 00002069 002 OF 002 government is primed to jump at almost any agreement with the Germans, even a potentially flawed one. While still a long-shot, if a deal emerges, we will need to be ready to tell our allies to what extent we would be willing to help them face the attendant infrastructure and supportability issues. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS