November 19, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

Boeing pitches guarantee of billions of dollars of work for Canadian firms if its Super Hornet is picked by Canada

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN

U.S. aerospace giant Boeing is pitching its guarantee of billions of dollars of work for Canadian companies as well as keeping aircraft maintenance in country as it tries to convince the Liberal government to select a new version of the Super Hornet fighter jet.

Boeing is hoping that new technology on the Super Hornet and its commitment to place as much as $30 billion of work with Canadian firms will result in it winning the competition to build 88 jets.

The move comes as the NDP and aerospace unions are becoming more vocal about the need for Canada's fighter jet replacement project to pay major dividends for the economy.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said last week he would be pushing that issue when Parliament returns and he hopes to have a discussion with the Liberal's new defence minister about how Canadian jobs can be created and sustained by the program.

Boeing had been non-committal to the Canadian program as it reviewed the bidding requirements throughout the summer. But that changed last week when Boeing confirmed it was in the race.

“We wouldn't be having this conversation if we didn't think we had a very realistic chance of winning,” Boeing executive Jim Barnes said in an interview with this newspaper.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter is considered the top contender in the project that will see the purchase of new jets at a cost of between $15 billion and $19 billion. Saab of Sweden is also in the competition, offering the Gripen fighter jet.

The issue of guaranteed economic benefits for Canada could be a problem for the Liberal government, which under pressure from the U.S., changed the procurement rules to allow the F-35 to be considered. Because of the way the U.S.-led F-35 program is structured, Lockheed Martin cannot provide guarantees of any work for Canadian firms, a stance that in the past would have disqualified a company from bidding on a major defence acquisition.

In early September, the union representing machinists in the aerospace industry warned that the changes made for Lockheed Martin would come at the expense of other firms offering guaranteed work for Canada's aerospace sector. In addition, the union is worried that if Canada were to purchase the F-35 then most of the key maintenance would be done in the U.S., putting in jeopardy 600 jobs at L-3 in Mirabel, Que. L-3 conducts maintenance on the Royal Canadian Air Force's current CF-18 fighter fleet.

Barnes said Boeing was surprised about the change in the Canadian competition that lifted the need for guarantees on providing domestic firms with work equal to, or more than, the cost of the project. Boeing has L-3 on its fighter jet team as well as Peraton Canada Corp., CAE Inc., GE Canada and Raytheon Canada.

Barnes said over the years the Canadian government has built up a capability to maintain its fighter jets at home by using those companies. “So we are leveraging that investment by the government of Canada,” he added.

Boeing officials say they are confident in guaranteeing billions of dollars of work for Canadians as the company has an extensive presence in both military and commercial aerospace around the world as well as its own facilities in Canada.

Lockheed Martin has countered that while there are no guarantees of work on the F-35 program, Canadian firms have picked up more than $1.3 billion in contracts on the project over the last 12 years. The amount of those contracts could significantly increase as more F-35s are delivered to the U.S. and Canada's allies, Lockheed Martin officials have noted.

Boeing is offering what is known as the Block 111 Super Hornet, an advanced version of the existing aircraft.

Earlier this year the U.S. Navy confirmed it is purchasing 78 of the aircraft which are equipped with a new computer, sensors and data links to boost the amount of information that can be received or transmitted. The aircraft also has satellite communications, which is important for Arctic operations, Boeing noted. Some stealth aspects have also been added and Boeing says it has been able to increase the life of the aircraft from 6,000 flight hours to 10,000 flight hours.

It is also pitching the new Super Hornet as less costly to maintain. The aircraft costs about $18,000 U.S. an hour to operate compared to the F-35 which costs $44,000 U.S.

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin are working on reducing that F-35 cost.

Bids for the Canadian program must be submitted by the spring of 2020, and the winner is expected to be determined by early 2022. The first aircraft would be delivered by 2025.

Technical merit will make up the bulk of the assessment at 60 per cent. Cost and economic benefits companies can provide to Canada will each be worth 20 per cent.

A trade dispute between Canada and Boeing over duties on Canadian-made civilian passenger jets prompted the Liberals to include in the fighter jet competition a clause that would consider any economic harm a company has done to Canada.

Barnes said that clause is in the bidding documents. Boeing, however, does not see that as a problem for the company as it ultimately lost the trade dispute.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/boeing-pitches-guarantee-of-billions-of-dollars-of-work-for-canadian-firms-if-its-super-hornet-is-picked-by-canada

On the same subject

September 26, 2018 | Local, Security

Artificial intelligence at border could infringe on human rights: report
By Anna Desmarais Using artificial intelligence at Canada's official points of entry can lead to serious human rights violations, according to a new report. Released Wednesday by the University of Toronto's International Human Rights Program (IHRP) and the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, the report says the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at regular points of entry is “quite risky” without appropriate government oversight. “We know that, in other contexts, AI is not neutral,” report author Petra Molnar told iPolitics. “It's basically like a recipe. If your recipe is biased, then the result that is going to come out of the algorithm is also going to be biased.” What these technologies could do, according to the report, is decide whether a marriage is genuine, an application is complete, or whether someone entering the country is deemed “a risk” to public safety. If the government doesn't provide more oversight, such decisions could rely on appearance, religion, or travel patterns as “proxies” for more relevant data normally gathered by immigration officials. This could compromise some quintessential human rights for immigrants and refugees at the border, including the right to equality and to be protected from discrimination under the law. The report says AI machines could be taught algorithms for how to assess “red flags,” “risks,” and “frauds” based on pre-existing biases in some of the immigration and refugee system's current regulations. For example, the report said the Designated Country of Origin list, which classifies which countries are “safe” for refugee claimants, uses an “incomplete” definition of safety that does not take into account specific risks for minority groups, such as women or members of the LGBTQ community. The use of AI technologies could mean cases are likely to be determined only based on these types of guidelines and might not include the discretion and empathy employed by immigration officials when reviewing the details of a refugee claim. “Depending on how an algorithm is designed, it may result in indirect discrimination,” the report found. “The complexity of human migration is not easily reducible to an algorithm.” If someone is triaged or flagged for early deportation, it could also affect their ability to apply for a visa, appeal a negative immigration ruling, or continue to move between borders. AI technologies also bring up procedural-rights issues, such as how a potential immigrant or refugee claimant would challenge the outcome of his case at the border. “When you introduce AI, if you don't agree with the decision, where do you appeal? And what kind of appeal are you crafting?” Molnar said. “These are all new questions we have to ask ourselves.” The report found that the government has been experimenting with artificial intelligence since 2014. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed to the report's authors in June it was already using an automated response to “triage,” or separate, simple claims from complicated ones that need further review. This summer, the government sent out an RFI (a preliminary procurement document) seeking an “Artificial Intelligence Solution” to provide legal support for migrants entering at formal points of entry. These investments fit into the federal government's $125-million Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy to “develop global thought leadership on the economic, ethical, policy and legal implications” of AI research throughout the country. Molnar said she heard from government officials that their use of AI is “preliminary” at best. What the government is considering, she continued, is using AI technologies only for preliminary screening. After AI technologies have reviewed a case, Molnar said immigration officers should still be asked to review the decision and make any appropriate changes. Molnar said it's still too soon to tell what AI could look like at the borders, but noted the technological changes could be vast. “It can be as simple as an Excel sheet, all the way to totally autonomous robots in other sectors,” she continued. “In immigration, how this could manifest ... could include a triage system where a traveller might be designated a high risk or low risk, or streamed for high risk and low risk.” To solve these possible human-rights infringements, the report suggests installing an independent, arms-length government-oversight body to “engage in all aspects of oversight,” before the government continues to develop these technologies. This recommendation, Molnar said, is in line with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's review into responsible use of AI throughout government offices. Among other recommendations, the board suggests more transparency from government offices about when AI technologies will be used during a discretionary decision-making process. The report notes this suggestion “is promising, from a human-rights perspective,” but the document is non-binding and is still subject to change. Until the review body is created, the report suggests government freeze “all efforts to procure, develop or adopt” any new automated-decision-system technology before a government oversight process is in place. https://ipolitics.ca/2018/09/26/artificial-intelligence-at-border-could-infringe-on-human-rights-report/
January 9, 2023 | Local, Aerospace

Canada is acquiring a new fleet of 88, state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets
Speech Good morning everyone. Bonjour. I am joining you from the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee. In 2017, we launched an open, fair and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of Canada’s fighter fleet. We did so because we are determined to provide our aviators with the best and most advanced equipment available, and thus acquire the right aircraft at the right price for Canadians. As our world grows darker, with Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable attack on Ukraine, and China’s increasingly assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific, this project has taken on heightened significance – especially given the importance of interoperability with our allies. Public Services and Procurement Canada has arrived at the culmination of its robust, seven-step process to procure a new fleet of fighter jets for Canada. Today I am announcing that Canada is acquiring a new fleet of eighty-eight, state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets, through an agreement that we have finalized with the United States government and Lockheed Martin with Pratt and Whitney. This investment is estimated at nineteen billion dollars – making it the largest investment in our Royal Canadian Air Force in thirty years. I am here to announce that Canada will procure a new fleet of eighty‑eight F-35 fighter jets, through an agreement that we have finalized with the United States government and Lockheed Martin with Pratt and Whitney. This investment is estimated at nineteen billion dollars – making it the largest investment in our Royal Canadian Air Force in thirty years. This acquisition will occur with funding set out in our 2017 defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, and delivers on our commitment to ensure that our Air Force has the equipment needed to protect Canadians. The F-35 is a modern, reliable, and agile fighter aircraft used by our closest allies in missions across the globe. It is the most advanced fighter on the market, and it is the right aircraft for Canada. The F-35 provides pilots with enhanced intelligence; surveillance; and reconnaissance capabilities, greatly improving their situational awareness and survivability in today’s high-threat operational environment. Canada’s new fleet of 88 jets is being acquired in tranches – starting with an initial tranche of 16. We expect: the first four aircraft to be delivered in 2026, the next six in 2027, and the next six in 2028, with the full fleet to arrive in time to enable the phase out of the CF-18s by the end of 2032. As we move towards a new fleet, we are ensuring that our Air Force has the aircraft needed to protect Canada in the interim. We have procured Australian F-18s to supplement our existing fleet of CF-18 aircraft, which are also being upgraded under the Hornet Extension Project.  These two initiatives will help extend the life of our CF-18 fleet to 2032, and will allow for a gradual transition from the CF-18 to the F-35 – while ensuring that the RCAF is equipped to sustain key defence missions in North America and internationally. By acquiring this fleet, we are enhancing Canada’s capacities in our airspace, and ensuring a closer and more seamless coordination with our allies. The new fighter fleet will ensure Canada can meet its military obligations at home and deliver on its commitments under NORAD and NATO. This $19 billion investment includes not just aircraft, but also sustainment set-up and services for the aircraft, associated aircraft equipment, and the construction of modern fighter squadron facilities in Bagotville, Quebec, and Cold Lake, Alberta. This $19 billion investment includes not just aircraft, but also sustainment set-up and services for the aircraft, associated aircraft equipment, and the construction of modern fighter squadron facilities in Bagotville, Quebec and Cold Lake, Alberta. These facilities will be home to both operational and training Squadrons, and will include space for daily operations, maintenance, administration, mission planning, and simulator training in support of the entire fleet. At the same time, and under separate, previously-announced funding, we’re moving forward with investments through our NORAD Modernization Plan, including a range of infrastructure upgrades across Canada to support NORAD and F-35 operations. Together, these projects will sharpen our military edge to keep Canadians safe – and they will create economic opportunities for our country. The acquisition and initial maintenance of the F-35 has the potential to contribute over 425 million dollars annually to the Canadian economy and close to 3,300 jobs annually for Canadian industry over a 25-year period.  In fact, Canada’s participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program over the past number of years has already allowed companies in Canada to secure almost three billion USD in contracts, and this will grow. Standing back, approximately three thousand F-35s are forecast to be produced for partners and allies across the world – and every one of these jets will also include Canadian components – from landing gear parts, to engine parts, to software – making the F-35 a testament to Canada’s world-class aerospace and defence industry. Our industry will also be well positioned to participate in the substantial maintenance opportunities of both the Canadian and global fleets. In the future, we will continue to work closely with our industry partners to provide the most up-to-date information on the opportunities available to our workers and our businesses. This includes  Indigenous and Northern businesses. As global tensions rise, we will never waver in our commitment to keep Canadians safe. We’re committed to making the necessary investments to protect Canada – and today’s announcement is evidence of this resolve. The F-35 advanced fighter aircraft fleet will ensure that our aviators have the long-term ability to defend the second largest airspace in the world. It will help us to meet our NORAD and NATO commitments. And it will also deliver concrete economic benefits to Canada. To the aviators of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the entire Canadian Armed Forces: thank you for your service and devotion to Canada. You risk your lives for this country, and we will ensure that you have the top-of-the-line equipment that you need to keep Canada safe. I confirm today that Canada is acquiring the best fighter aircraft on the market at the best price for Canadians. I would like to thank everyone who played a role in carrying out this purchase. Thank you, merci, miigwetch. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/01/announcement-regarding-the-f-35-acquisition.html
December 14, 2021 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Avis important : cybersécurité / Important notice: Cyber security
Bonjour, Nous aimerions partager l'information suivante qui pourrait susciter votre intérêt, ainsi que celui de vos membres : Avis important : cybersécurité Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada (SPAC) a pris connaissance d'une vulnérabilité de cybersécurité qui affecte des organisations à travers le monde. Par précaution, nous avons pris l'initiative de mettre hors ligne certains services qui ont cette vulnérabilité potentielle pendant qu'on évalue la situation. Ceci inclut le site web www.Achatsetventes.gc.ca. Nos services seront à nouveau disponibles dès que possible. Entretemps, nous travaillons à atténuer les répercussions de cette situation sur les processus d'approvisionnement actifs, et en particulier sur ceux qui se terminent bientôt. Nous vous remercions en avance de diffuser cette information auprès de votre communauté de fournisseurs. Nous vous remercions pour votre patience alors que nous travaillons pour résoudre cette situation. ****** Hello, We would like to share some information that may be of interest to you and your membership: Important notice: Cyber security Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has become aware of a cyber security vulnerability affecting organizations around the world. As a precaution, we have proactively taken down some services that may be affected by this potential vulnerability while we address the situation. This includes the www.Buyandsell.gc.ca website. Our services will be available as soon as possible. In the meantime, we are working to address the impact of this situation on active procurements, and particularly those closing soon. Thank you in advance for your assistance in sharing this information with your supplier community. We thank you for your patience as we work to resolve the situation.

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