Calian Group Wins Royal Canadian Air Force Airworthiness Service Agreement Valued at up to $20M

On the same subject

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  February 12, 2018 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

  Les militaires du monde s’intéressent aux recherches sur le givre de l’UQAC

  Vingt-deux conseillers militaires de dix-neuf pays sont dans la région ces jours-ci pour visiter le Laboratoire international des matériaux antigivre (LIMA) de l'UQAC, le seul laboratoire au monde qui se spécialise sur la question. Car le givre est un ennemi contre lequel bombes, obus, balles et autres projectiles sont généralement inefficaces, alors que sa présence peut constituer une sérieuse menace. « On a beaucoup de conseillers militaires étrangers qui sont des pilotes, ou qui sont rattachés d'une façon comme d'une autre à l'aviation », précise le capitaine Christian Courtemanche, officier de liaison diplomatique au sein des Forces canadiennes. « Le dégivrage d'avion, et le dégivrage d'ailleurs de vaisseaux maritimes et tout, c'est quelque chose qui intéresse tous les pays, surtout avec les changements climatiques des dernières décennies. » Et contrairement à ce qu'on pourrait croire, le givre n'est pas un problème limité aux pays froids. « Le problème de givrage en aviation ce n'est pas seulement pour les pays nordiques parce que ça se passe à haute altitude », ajoute le lieutenant-colonel Marc Ferron, directeur de liaison avec l'étranger. « Donc ça affecte pas mal toutes les forces armées représentées ici. » L'intérêt que portent les militaires aux travaux du LIMA réjouit le directeur du laboratoire. "Ils voient ce qu'on est en mesure de faire ou de proposer. Donc je pense que ça peut dans le futur, amener à certaines collaborations." Christophe Volat, directeur du LIMA C'est ce que croit aussi le lieutenant-colonel Ferron. « Les attachés militaires sont très impressionnés par ce qu'ils ont vu », assure-t-il, soulignant que son rôle est justement de favoriser ce genre d'échanges. http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1083357/givre-uqac-armee

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  January 14, 2019 | Local, Land

  Fires and rollovers plague Canadian Army's $600 million fleet of new armoured vehicles

  David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen he Canadian Army's new armoured vehicles have been plagued by rollovers and fires, the latest in a series of problems to affect the $600-million fleet. Since April 2014, there have been 10 incidents when Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles have tipped on to their sides, six where they have rolled over completely, and four where they have caught fire. Pat Finn, the assistant deputy minister in charge of procurement at the Department of National Defence, told Postmedia there have been no serious injuries as a result of the incidents. But the problems are not the first to hit the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles or TAPVs. The TAPV program has “experienced a number of significant technical issues, particularly affecting vehicle mobility,” then-defence minister Rob Nicholson was told in August 2014. There have been problems with the suspension, steering and other items on the vehicle, according to a briefing document released under the Access to Information law. The technical issues significantly delayed the test program for the vehicles, the document added. “These accumulating incidents, which relate to the vehicle's ability to travel distances on medium cross country terrain, led the project office to conclude the existing testing could no longer continue.” The Conservative government announced the TAPV contract in 2012 as part of its re-equipping of the Canadian Army. Canada bought 500 TAPVs from Textron, a U.S.-based defence firm, at a cost of $603 million. The TAPV is a wheeled combat vehicle that will conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, security, command and control, and armoured transport of personnel and equipment. Finn said as a result of the various incidents further quality assurance tests are being done. “It's kind of high off the ground so it can be more agile,” he explained about the vehicle. “(But) it brings with it a high centre of gravity.” “It may be it's about training and understanding the vehicle,” Finn added. None of the vehicles have been written off because of the incidents, according to the Canadian Army. “Upon review of the major TAPV incidents, it has been identified that the most common contributing factors of these incidents tends to be human error due to limited familiarity time operating the vehicles,” the army noted in an emailed statement to Postmedia. The army pointed out that investigations into the incidents did not reveal any design or mechanical faults. “Primary reports on the majority of these incidents (rollover and tip-overs) were attributed to a combination of factors, such as operator experience, the vehicle's high centre of gravity, weather conditions, and/or vehicle speed,” the email noted. The army did not provide any explanation for the four fires on the TAPVs. The army noted that it is considering limits on the speeds the vehicles can operate at as well as “rollover hazard mitigations” and “recommendations such as the use of new technology to enhance experience for new drivers and crew.” The army did not provide further details on those new technologies or initiatives. The TAPV project will cost taxpayers a total of $1.2 billion, which not only includes the vehicles but also includes the building of infrastructure to house them, as well as the purchase of ammunition and service support for the equipment. The initial problems with steering and other issues delayed the delivery of the vehicles. After those were dealt with, the army had to contend last year with concerns about brakes and the distance the vehicles needed to stop. The TAPV is a heavy vehicle and requires longer stopping distances at higher speeds than most new drivers are familiar with, noted DND spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier in July 2018. The fleet of TAPVs have been distributed across seven bases and 24 units throughout Canada. The Canadian army has said it expects to declare full operational capability by mid-2020, following training of all operators. TAPVs were first deployed in spring 2017 to assist communities affected by the flooding in Quebec. dpugliese@postmedia.com Twitter.com/davidpugliese https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/fires-and-rollovers-plague-canadian-armys-600-million-fleet-of-new-armoured-vehicles

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  November 14, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  L3 MAS WINS MORE F/A-18 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

  MIRABEL, Quebec, November 13, 2018 – L3 MAS announced today that it has been awarded two contracts to provide In-Service Support (ISS) services for international F/A-18 fleet operators. RUAG Aviation recently awarded L3 MAS a contract for the provision of preventive modifications for high-priority structural locations on the inner wings of the Swiss Air Force (SAF) F/A-18 aircraft fleet. These modifications are part of the Structural Refurbishment Program (SRP2), as part of the strategy to ensure their F/A-18 fleet safely reaches its planned life objective. L3 MAS was also selected by Mississippi-based Vertex Aerospace LLC to perform depot-level modifications and repairs on three NASA F/A-18 aircraft based out of the Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) at Edwards Air Force Base in California. L3 MAS will conduct all on-aircraft work at its Mirabel facility. “We are pleased to expand our ongoing relationship with the SAF's prime contractor, RUAG Aviation, and to add NASA (through Vertex Aerospace) as a new customer to our list of F/A-18 international operators. These contracts are a testament to the continued confidence of the international F/A-18 community in L3 MAS as a fighter aircraft center of excellence,” said Jacques Comtois, Vice President and General Manager of L3 MAS. “Our company possesses unique and proven skills, tools and experienced personnel to offer world-class services and value to fighter aircraft operators.” L3 MAS is a world leader in developing and implementing F/A-18 structural solutions, having already successfully completed major structural programs for the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force, and assisting other F/A-18 users, including the SAF, the Finnish Air Force, the U.S. Navy and NASA. About L3 MAS L3 MAS, a division within L3's ISR Systems business segment, is Canada's leading In-Service Support (ISS) integrator. L3 MAS delivers innovative and integrated solutions that span the full spectrum of ISS. This includes fleet management, annual maintenance planning and optimization; Life-Cycle Material Management (LCMM); Integrated Logistics Support (ILS); Electronic Information Environments (EIE); systems engineering; material management; configuration management; publications; and data management. L3 MAS is also known for its design, prototyping, manufacture, repair and overhaul, and certification of aerospace components. The company is headquartered in Mirabel, Quebec, and employs 800 people at operating centres across Canada. To learn more about L3 MAS, please visit the company's website at www.L3T.com/MAS. About L3 Technologies L3 Technologies is an agile innovator and leading provider of global ISR, communications and networked systems, and electronic systems for military, homeland security and commercial aviation customers. With headquarters in New York City and approximately 31,000 employees worldwide, L3 develops advanced defense technologies and commercial solutions in pilot training, aviation security, night vision and EO/IR, weapons, maritime systems and space. The company reported 2017 sales of $9.6 billion. To learn more about L3, please visit the company's website at www.L3T.com. https://www.aeromontreal.ca/L3-MAS-Wins-More-F18-International-Business.html