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A recent Defence Watch article about the Canadian government considering donating a warehouse of equipment, including C6 general purpose machineguns, to Ukraine prompted a number of angry emails from Canadian Forces personnel. They stated the weapons should be instead provided to the Canadian Forces since units are experiencing a shortage of C6s.

So Defence Watch asked about the C6 situation and whether there was a shortage of the weapons. Here is the answer:

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“There is no C6 shortage in terms of meeting operational commitments, nor supporting key collective and individual training,” explained Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. “There is a fleet serviceability concern with the C6, that is being managed closely, but that does require reduced unit holdings in some instances in order to meet priority need.”

“At this time, we are managing the distribution of the C6 machine gun very carefully as these weapons undergo refurbishment,” Le Bouthillier added. “We have maximised the availability of these weapons in the field force and training establishments, while maintaining minimal depot stocks in storage to prepare for unforeseen short-notice requirements. Until the C6 fleet is fully replaced, divisions will continue to manage the distribution of this weapon internally to meet key training objectives. The ongoing releases of serviceable weapons from the Inspection and Repair as Necessary Program are also providing the Canadian Army with a mechanism to target units and formations that require an influx of weapons to meet critical training objectives each month.”

Last year, Public Services and Procurement Canada awarded a contract to Colt Canada for the purchase of 1,148 – C6A1 FLEX GPMGs and related equipment. The value of the contract is $32.1 million (taxes included). First deliveries of the new C6 are expected in Summer 2019, Le Bouthillier said. The procurement includes related equipment such as a cleaning and repair kit, spare parts, and weapons sling to carry the weapon. It is expected that the entire C6 inventory will be replaced in approximately the 2022 timeframe, Le Bouthillier added.