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May 13, 2022 | Local, Other Defence

Canada’s defence minister says the world is ‘growing darker’ and ‘more chaotic’ - National | Globalnews.ca

Canada's Defence Minister Anita Anand emphasized the 'chaotic' state of the world means Canada will need to take a more 'bold and aggressive' look at its own continental defence.

https://globalnews.ca/news/8824160/anita-anand-world-growing-darker/

On the same subject

  • Ottawa Airport Authority to test drone detection technology

    October 8, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Security

    Ottawa Airport Authority to test drone detection technology

    The Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority has partnered with NAV Canada and QinetiQ Canada to trial drone detection technology at Ottawa International Airport (YOW). Named Obsidian Counter UAS System, the technology is equipped to accurately recognise drone features and avoid classifying non-drone activity such as wildlife movement. NAV Canada and QinetiQ will work with the airport authority to install and deploy the Obsidian micro-Doppler radar unit, determining the compatibility of the system in a civilian airport environment. Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority president and CEO Mark Laroche said: “The trial with QinetiQ's Obsidian Counter UAS System will provide all parties the opportunity to test a viable detection and mitigation system at an active airport. “The trial dovetails perfectly with both the Airport Authority's Drone Incident Protocol and the recommendations in the BRTF's Interim and Final reports.” The trial will evaluate the accurate and timely detection of drones or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). It will assess the effectiveness of the system in initiating the right response to drone / RPAS detection between the airport authority and NAV Canada. The trial will also assess the system compatibility in an international airport environment, which is prone to interference by other partner systems. QinetiQ Canada MD Robert Aubé said: “Obsidian Counter UAS is specifically designed to meet the current and forecast threat of drone incursion upon critical national infrastructure, including daily operations in complex environments such as the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.” NAV Canada is a non-profit corporation that owns and operates the country's civil air navigation system. Last month, two flights were diverted to nearby airports due to suspected drone activity in the surroundings of Dubai International Airport. London's Gatwick Airport closed for approximately 36 hours in December 2018 due to threats posed by illegal drones flying near its runway. It caused widespread disruption and led to the cancellation of approximately 1,000 flights. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/ottawa-airport-authority-drone-detection/

  • RCAF to look at 'revolutionary' vertical lift options to replace CH-146 Griffon

    November 24, 2022 | Local, Aerospace

    RCAF to look at 'revolutionary' vertical lift options to replace CH-146 Griffon

    As the RCAF launches into a project for its next tactical aviation platforms, it is closely following what allies are doing.

  • Cutting-edge radar system for new frigates never used on warships, must be adapted

    December 2, 2020 | Local, Naval

    Cutting-edge radar system for new frigates never used on warships, must be adapted

    New radar system can also be upgraded to work with ballistic missile defence CBC News · Posted: Dec 01, 2020 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: December 1 The Canadian navy's new frigates will get a cutting-edge radar system that has never before been installed on a warship — a recent decision that quietly ended a heated debate within the $60 billion warship program. The Lockheed Martin-built AN/SPY-7 radar will be installed on the new warships despite a furious back-room lobbying campaign by elements in the defence industry to convince DND to take a pass on the new system. It was a critical decision — one on which the federal government has been silent, apart from a few scattered social media posts, despite repeatedly promising to be more open and transparent about the multi-billion-dollar decisions it makes on shipbuilding. The choice of a radar system for the frigates has important implications for the military, as well as for the taxpayers who will foot the bill for Ottawa's $60 billion plan to build 15 new surface combat ships for the navy. The BMD option It also has significant political ramifications because Lockheed Martin's AN/SPY-7 radar is easy to upgrade to a ballistic missile defence system — a defence program successive Canadian governments have resisted joining. The contract to install the radar system on the new frigates was awarded in September by the warship's prime contractor, Irving Shipbuilding Inc., and acknowledged publicly by Lockheed Martin Canada earlier this month. Japan purchased a land-based version of the radar to serve as an early warning system for North Korean ballistic missile launches. That plan was rolled back earlier this year in response to fears that the missile batteries — located near the radar installations — would pose a hazard to densely-populated surrounding areas. At the moment, Canada and Spain are the only two countries planning to put the SPY-7 on their warships, although Japan has now also signalled it might equip some of its new warships with the technology. For more than three decades, Canadian governments of both political stripes have turned down U.S. overtures to join its ballistic missile defence (BMD) network. The issue became a diplomatic lightning rod the last time it was discussed over 15 years ago. The new frigates, including their radar systems, are being designed with BMD in mind in case a future government decides to get Canada involved. The potential for a new political brawl over BMD worries leading defence expert Dave Perry less than the technical and budget issues related to the federal government's choice of radar system. New system unproven, says expert In a statement, the Department of National Defence insisted that the cost of adapting the radar to the Canadian frigate design "will be covered as part of the ($140 million) long-lead contract" signed with Irving Shipbuilding in early 2019, after Lockheed Martin was selected to design the new ships. There is another concern, though. The fact that the AN/SPY-7 "has not been marinized and deployed on a ship at sea is significant," said Perry, a defence procurement expert and vice president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "It means on the spectrum of developmental production, it is far closer to the purely developmental end of the spectrum than something that is deployed and has been proven on a couple of different navies around the world," he said. Lockheed Martin officials dispute that assessment, saying all of the components have been used on warships in one way or another, including the cabinets used to house the electronics. "The SPY-7 radar is not in development. It was designed for use as a maritime radar and is based on mature technology that has been thoroughly tested and is being adapted and scaled for a variety of customers in both land-based and at-sea applications," said Gary Fudge, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary and Mission Systems. The company officials concede it will take design work to integrate the system into the new Canadian frigates, but insist that would be true of any other new radar system. There are still risks, Perry said. Canada's struggles with new technology "Canada has a lot of problems bringing development technology into service," he said, pointing to auditor general reports on the procurement fiasco involving the CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter and the 16-year quest to replace the air force's fixed-wing search plane. "Part of the problem is making sure you understand what it is you actually are buying," Perry added. "So if you are structuring a process to buy something off-the-shelf, you can buy something off-the-shelf. But we generally don't do that." DND said the AN/SPY-7 was pitched as part of Lockheed Martin's bid to design and manage the frigate program, and the navy needs the most up-to-date technology in warships that will be in service for decades. The system represents the "latest generation radar, with capability that surpasses other units fielded today," said DND spokesperson Jessica Lamirande in a media statement. Canada's new frigates could take part in ballistic missile defence — if Ottawa says yes Industry briefing questions Ottawa's choice of guns, defence systems for new frigates PBO pushes up cost estimate for Canada's frigate build by $8 billion DND was targeted by a furious behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign aimed at getting it to drop Lockheed Martin's radar system. An unsolicited defence industry slide deck presentation — obtained and published last year by CBC News — made the rounds within the government and landed on the desks of senior officials and military commanders. It described the AN/SPY-7 as "unproven technology" that will be "costly to support." Lockheed Martin officials pushed back against that assertion recently, saying that the new system will be easier to maintain, relies on existing components and — importantly — doesn't have to be switched off for maintenance work. Lockheed Martin officials were less clear on whether the overall system has yet to be fully certified for use on warships at sea. "SPY-7 technology has been declared Technical Readiness Level 7 by the U.S. government, meaning it has been tested in an operationally relevant environment," said Fudge. "SPY-7 for CSC takes advantage of investments across multiple shore and sea based programs as well as internal funding for its development and testing. Canada has agreed to pay for the CSC-specific requirements and integration of SPY-7 into the CSC platform, which is required for any radar selected." https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/frigate-radar-lockheed-martin-1.5822606

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