The Chief of the Canadian Forces said that the army's ability to continue funding the "ongoing presence" of warships in the western Pacific Ocean faces challenges in the current budget.

General Wayne Eyre was speaking during the Halifax International Security Forum on Saturday during a panel discussion focused on the rise of China as a major military power.

The Canadian Chief of Defence Staff said Canada currently has three frigates operating in the region in joint naval exercises with Japan and the United States.

However, he pointed out that those ships have reached the end of their 30-year service life.

Eyre added that while Canada is committed to keeping the ships operational in the area, maintaining the frigates "will be a challenge... as we work to balance resources worldwide."

He also said that the Halifax-class frigates are in urgent need of maintenance, adding: "If we look at our maintenance funding trajectory over the next few years, we will face a very difficult time given the current trajectory."

He also expressed concern about the continuation of maritime patrol aircraft operation in the country, saying that their "serviceability" is below 50 percent and they are in urgent need of replacement.

Eyre's comments are just the latest concerns expressed about the potential impact that looming budget cuts in the Department of National Defence could have on the military. Deputy Minister Bill Matthews told MPs on the House of Commons Defence Committee in September that the department is identifying "spending cut proposals" totaling more than $900 million over four years, while trying to minimize the impact on military readiness.

Defence Minister Bill Blair appeared to acknowledge staff concerns on Friday when he appeared before the forum in the opening panel discussion on the Ukraine war.

He told nearly 300 delegates attending the forum that it is difficult for Canada to make long-term ammunition commitments to Ukraine when its stocks are extremely low.

He added: "The Canadian Armed Forces are in urgent need of reshaping, resources, and equipment and we are committed to doing that, and I often ask them to make sacrifices and to give up part of their reserves and stocks to share with Ukraine," he said.

External experts also said that saving nearly a billion dollars will impact the armed forces' capabilities, despite Blair's insistence on not cutting his department's spending.

The latest federal budget projects to provide $39.7 billion to the department in 2026-2027, up from $26.5 billion in the current fiscal year. Most of the budget for the coming years is tied to long-term spending commitments, such as purchasing 88 F-35 fighter jets.

In the same budget, the government announced plans to save more than $15 billion over five years by cutting consulting, professional services, and travel by 15 percent, and departmental spending by 3 percent.

The defence budget represents about 1.3 percent of Canada's GDP. The Liberal government has never set a plan to reach the 2 percent target despite pressure from some NATO member countries to do so and previous commitments to meet the goal.

Blair also told reporters in Halifax on Saturday that his department is seeking "additional funding," adding that the department must also work on spending the money it already has.