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May 13, 2024 | Local, Land

Canada wants to boost munitions lines with critical minerals expansion

Canada hopes to tap into its vast critical minerals reserves to boost munitions productions while lessening dependence on China.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2024/05/13/canada-wants-to-boost-munitions-lines-with-critical-minerals-expansion/

On the same subject

  • Canada Unprepared for Military Aggression Via Arctic, Say Defence Experts

    February 6, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Canada Unprepared for Military Aggression Via Arctic, Say Defence Experts

    BY RAHUL VAIDYANATH Modernizing outdated North Warning System not funded as part of defence budget No sooner had a gathering to discuss modernizing the defence of North America taken place than two Russian strategic bombers approached Canadian airspace from the Arctic. The menace underscores the message to the Canadian government and public that the country is at greater risk than it has been in decades. North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) reported the Russian activity on Jan. 31, just two days after the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) hosted a major defence conference in Ottawa. “They [the Russians and Chinese] have the weapons systems and we are increasingly seeing the intent, so we haven't caught up to that yet,” University of Calgary political science professor and conference panelist Rob Huebert said in an interview following the incident. The Russian aircraft stayed in international airspace and didn't enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, but it nevertheless highlighted the threat. Huebert says what's been holding Canada back is a decades-long multi-faceted problem of attitudes. Canada is accustomed to playing the “away game” instead of the “home game,” meaning it prefers to face its threats as far away from its borders as possible. Thus the protection of the North American continent requires a change of mindset given the advanced capabilities of the Russians and Chinese. It's also naive on Canada's part to think it can simply talk to Russia and China and get them to play nice. “We have to be a lot more honest with Canadians,” Huebert said. A government can favour certain initiatives, and the current one has shown it can generate broad public buy-in for its environmental initiatives. But even if the public isn't clamouring for better military capabilities—as seen in the lack of interest the topic garnered during the election run-up—experts say the government can no longer ignore the military threat from Russia and China. “What this government has shown no willingness to deal with is a much more comprehensive understanding of security that encapsulates both environmental security and military security,” Huebert said. For example, the Liberals didn't put forth their Arctic policy until a day before the election was called. ‘People have to recognize there is a real threat' Canadian governments have put a lower priority on defence spending for decades, and that has left a consistent drop in capability compared to potential rivals. A case in point is that Canada opted in 2005 to not be a part of the U.S. ballistic missile defence program. Contrast that attitude with the Russians or the Chinese and their imperialist goals. Russia wants to destroy us and China wants to own us, said John Sanford of the U.S.'s National Maritime Intelligence Integration Office, at the CGAI forum. A power play is shaping up between the United States, China, and Russia, and the Arctic is the epicentre of the military conflict. That makes it Canada's business, according to defence experts. “People have to recognize there is a real threat,” said conference opening speaker Commodore Jamie Clarke, Norad's deputy director of strategy. “We are defending our entire way of life.” At risk is Canada's economy and infrastructure, not to mention that of the United States. At the heart of the matter is an outdated detection and deterrence system with no comprehensive replacement in the works. https://www.theepochtimes.com/canada-unprepared-for-military-aggression-via-arctic-say-defence-experts_3228565.html

  • Military personnel shortage will get worse before it gets better, top soldier says | CBC News

    October 6, 2022 | Local, Land

    Military personnel shortage will get worse before it gets better, top soldier says | CBC News

    The country's top military commander said Thursday that the Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF) problems with recruiting and retaining soldiers, sailors and air crew are going are get worse before they get better.

  • CREAFORM HANDYSCAN 3D SCANNER MEETS BOEING’S REQUIREMENTS

    May 31, 2019 | Local, C4ISR

    CREAFORM HANDYSCAN 3D SCANNER MEETS BOEING’S REQUIREMENTS

    Metrology-grade 3D laser scanner can now be used to inspect dents and blends on all models of Boeing commercial airplanes Creaform, the worldwide leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions, announced today that its HandySCAN 3D™ metrology-grade 3D laser scanner can now be used for recording physical attributes of aircraft dents and blends on all models of Boeing commercial airplanes. Boeing has released a service letter with guidance on the use of 3D scanners for measuring dents and blends on airplanes. The SmartDENT 3D™ solution and the flagship HandySCAN 3D scanner were used in the process of guiding Boeing's quality requirements for the service letter. “Creaform is proud to see leaders such as Boeing, turn to 3D scanning solutions for surface defect inspection. With SmartDENT 3D, our goal is to provide the most accurate damage assessment to our customers, so they can make informed and safe decisions, while getting their aircraft back flying with minimal down time,” said Jérôme Beaumont, Global NDT Business Manager at Creaform. Overview of SmartDENT 3D benefits: Speed: 80 times faster than the pit gauge technique. It is the fastest and most reliable aircraft surface damage inspection tool available on the market. Metrology-grade measurements for aircraft maintenance: The scanner is accurate to 0.025 mm (0.0009 in.) and has a resolution of up to 0.100 mm (0.0039 in.) with high repeatability and traceable certificate. Intuitive pass/fail assessments: With its intuitive design and real-time software visualization, Creaform's NDT solutions ensure short learning curves and minimal operator experience influence on the accuracy of results. Live visualization and portability: Weighting less than a kilo, the handheld scanner is the perfect tool for work in hangars or directly outdoors. Users can easily perform 3D surface inspection of any part of an aircraft on which they would use manual techniques—including on and under wings. In addition to complying with Boeing's service letter, Creaform HandySCAN 3D scanners are listed in the Airbus Technical Equipment Manual, which is referenced in its Structure Repair Manual. Quality engineers and MRO operators looking to improve their turnaround times and profitability can contact Creaform to find out more about its NDT solutions. https://www.creaform3d.com/en/news/creaform-handyscan-3d-scanner-meets-boeings-requirements

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