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May 26, 2023 | Local, Aerospace

Aerospace executives call on Trudeau to consider Canadian plane for multi-billion dollar military program

Canadian aerospace firms have written Justin Trudeau requesting he allow open competition for a new military surveillance plane

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/aerospace-executives-call-on-trudeau-to-consider-canadian-plane-for-multi-billion-dollar-military-program

On the same subject

  • Steel costs for sixth patrol vessel could be steeper

    November 12, 2018 | Local, Naval

    Steel costs for sixth patrol vessel could be steeper

    Andrea Gunn (agunn@herald.ca) Ongoing steel and aluminum tariffs between the United States and Canada will not drive up costs for the first five Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, but could contribute to the final price tag for the sixth, the Department of National Defence says. There have been tariffs in place on imports of Canadian steel and aluminum to the U.S. of 25 per cent and 10 per cent respectively since the end of May. In response, Canada implemented its own dollar-for-dollar duties on steel and aluminum being imported from the U.S. Both the American tariffs and Canadian countermeasures remain in place, even with a new tentative agreement to replace NAFTA. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the signing of the new trilateral trade deal was not contingent on the lifting of those tariffs. In an emailed statement, Department of National Defence spokesperson Ashley Lemire said these tariffs will not have an impact on the cost of the first five Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) being built by Irving Shipbuilding as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Lemire said most, if not all, of the steel has already been purchased for these vessels and none of it comes from the U.S. “As part of its contract with the Government of Canada, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. is responsible for the procurement of steel used for the construction of the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships,” Lemire said in an email. “Irving procured the majority of steel from a foreign supplier who sourced it from Europe and, to a lesser extent, from China. A small amount of steel was procured in Canada.” Lemire said for the sixth AOPS, which the government confirmed plans to build last week, the department has planned and budgeted for the risk of increased steel and aluminum prices. Earlier this week a DND spokesperson said buying a sixth AOPS will increase the cost of the $2.3 billion project by about $810 million. Of that, $250 million is set aside for “adjustments” — things like labour rates, inflation, and exchange rates. Lemire said any additional steel costs will come from that $250 million fund. David Perry, senior analyst with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, said the materials needed to build a navy vessel are so specialized that it's not uncommon for governments to do advanced purchases “There's a limited supply; you can't just go and call it up at the last minute kind of thing,” he said. Perry said in the case of the AOPS, having a separate fund set aside for potential cost increases — rather than paying the company a higher contract price to assume all the liability for changes in commodity or labour prices — will likely save taxpayers money if costs do go up. Ian Lee, associate professor at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business told The Chronicle Herald the federal government is lucky to have avoided any major increases with the AOPS. But, Lee said, if the tariffs remain in place, they are likely to impact future builds either directly or indirectly. “It's not going to affect the (AOPS) program but it's still a burden on the economy it's going to be passed on through the cost of doing business,” he said. This is perhaps concerning given the most expensive build of the National Shipbuilding Strategy — the Canadian Surface Combatant — is on the horizon. But how much that project would be impacted if tariffs remain in place is anybody's guess, Lee said. “Historically governments have been very, very involved in the shipbuilding industry with subsidies, and offsets and that sort of thing, so it's hard to predict how it might affect future builds,” he said. “It's not a normal competitive market like the stock market or most commodities.” That said, Lee said there will likely be a big push on the federal government's part to get the tariffs sorted ahead of the upcoming election. “Generally speaking when you look at the trade agreements that have been signed in the last 10 or 20 years whether it was the original NAFTA, CETA or the TPP, one of the first things and most important things you do is reduce or eliminate tariffs,” he said, “I think it's going to make it more difficult for Mr. Trudeau and his government to defend this in the fall 2019 election, that's why I think they're going to be working assiduously to try and remove them.” https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/local/steel-costs-for-sixth-patrol-vessel-could-be-steeper-257534/

  • RCAF aircraft participate in East Coast intercept exercise

    June 4, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

    RCAF aircraft participate in East Coast intercept exercise

    Posted on June 4, 2020 by Ken Pole Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornets and U.S. fighters are routinely tasked by North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) to intercept Russian aircraft operating close to Canadian and U.S. airspace. The latest incident occurred in early March when two Tupolev Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft were met over the Beaufort Sea by RCAF Boeing CF-188s from Cold Lake, Alta., and USAF F-22 Raptors out of Elmendorf AFB in Alaska. They were supported by two larger Boeings, a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft. Having waved their metaphorical flags, all returned to their respective bases without incident. More recently, two CF-188s from 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron at RCAF 3 Wing in Bagotville, Que., and Lockheed Martin CP-140 Aurora maritime reconnaissance aircraft out of 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S., were involved in a more unusual intercept exercise off the East Coast. Also participating were the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) frigate Ville de Quebec and the supply ship Asterix, both homeported in Halifax. The unprecedented May 28 to 31 exercise was co-ordinated by U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and also involved the U.S. Strategic, Space and Transportation Commands. Centred around the U.S. Navy Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group and the RCN ships, the exercise was designed to test U.S. homeland defence against a supersonic Rockwell B-1B Lancer heavy bomber representing an enemy intruder. U.S. aircraft included KC-135s for refuelling not only the Canadian fighters but also Boeing F-15 Eagles flown by the U.S. Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing out of Barnes ANG Base in Westfield, Mass., and Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets from Carrier Air Wing 1 at Oceana, Va. The CP-140s, from 404, 405 and 415 Squadrons at Greenwood, conducted five overflights during the exercise as well as participating in an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) element. The Ville de Quebec also participated in the ASW element as well as the Lancer intercept before returning to Halifax. The Asterix conducted several “replenishments at sea” exercises with other ships. “This was an excellent advanced readiness opportunity for Canadian and American maritime forces,” RAdm Craig Baines, the RCN's Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, said in a statement. “The scenarios utilized during these events enable our mutual ability to operate in a multi-threat environment, in which co-ordination and integration are absolutely critical for our success in responding to any crisis in our waters or internationally.” Operational details were scarce, with Canadian and U.S. officers saying only that the exercise took place in an area up to 160 kilometres offshore. However, Terrence O'Shaughnessy, the four-star USAF General who heads both USNORTHCOM and NORAD, said in a statement that the “complex high-end operations . . . allowed us to demonstrate and exercise critical homeland defense capabilities.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/rcaf-aircraft-participate-east-coast-intercept-exercise

  • Ottawa annonce 4,9 milliards de dollars pour moderniser les équipements du NORAD

    June 23, 2022 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Ottawa annonce 4,9 milliards de dollars pour moderniser les équipements du NORAD

    Ottawa va investir 4,9 milliards de dollars sur six ans pour moderniser et pour augmenter les capacités de défense continentale du Commandement de la défense aérospatiale de l'Amérique du Nord (NORAD), géré conjointement avec les États-Unis, a annoncé lundi la ministre de la Défense Anita Anand. «

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