Canada’s Department of National Defence sent troops on a joint mission to Alaska last year with bed rolls from the 1960s for sleeping, despite recently spending $34.8 million on new sleeping bags.
According to an internal briefing note from last December that was obtained by CBC News, troops who used the newly issued General Purpose Sleeping Bag System found “several critical issues” relating to “lack of warmth with the new GPSBS.”
News of the new sleeping bags’ inadequacy was discovered after more than 350 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were deployed to Ram Falls Provincial Park in Alberta late last fall, where they spent several days training for northern operations.
The mission was an Arctic preparatory exercise in cooperation with the U.S. military where temperatures ranged from – 5C to – 20C during the time of deployment.
In response to complaints regarding the unsuitability of the new sleeping bags, the DND began seeking additional bedrolls to be procured for further use in the far north.
Troops found the new sleeping bags to be “better suited for use in weather conditions that are characteristic of late spring to early fall” and were not practical “for typical Canadian winter conditions nor the extreme cold of Alaska,” reads the briefing note.
This led to the recommendation that troops being deployed to the joint exercise in Alaska be “loaned” 500 of the CAF’s old Arctic sleeping bags, the very ones that the DND initially intended to replace.
The Trudeau government has expressed renewed interest in defending Canada’s Arctic from foreign entities as Chinese military activity continues to increase in the region
A Canadian warship encountered a Chinese polar research vessel in the Bering Strait near Alaska last month.
The DND said in August that Canada’s “competitors are not waiting to take advantage” of the natural resources in the area which are becoming more accessible as the Arctic Circle begins to warm.
However, several soldiers have voiced their doubts that this is a genuine priority for the CAF, given the DND’s failure regarding its recent sleeping bag system purchase.
Despite the backlash, the department is standing by the purchase and has confirmed that a second round of sleeping bags will be purchased to deal with the Canadian winter.
“The GPSBS remains a core component of the Canadian Armed Forces’ sleeping system and is expected to stay in service for many years,” a DND spokesperson told True North.
“However, we recognize the need for enhanced protection in extreme environments, which is why we have issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an Extreme Cold Weather Sleeping Bag system (ECWSBS) initiative. This additional procurement will complement the GPSBS, ensuring coverage across all climatic conditions, including the Arctic.”