Chinese fighters engaged in 'unsafe' intercept of Canadian surveillance plane, commander says | CBC News

On the same subject

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  July 4, 2018 | Local, Land

  Hydro-Québec and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory Announce Battery Materials Breakthrough

  Hydro-Québec and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) have announced a breakthrough in the lithium-ion battery materials field, publishing their research results(This hyperlink will open a new window) in the Journal of Power Sources(This hyperlink will open a new window). Using a cathode made with new high voltage safe materials, the researchers have achieved a world first: building a 1.2 Ah lithium-ion cell with a voltage of 5 V. “With the high voltage of this new cell, we can reach a very high energy density,” says Karim Zaghib, General Director of the Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage. “This highly desirable property can improve batteries used in a wide range of applications.” ARL scientists Jan Allen and Richard Jow, also inventors of this high voltage cathode material, believe that the high cell voltage can, in addition to enabling high energy density, improve the design of devices. Lithium-ion batteries are widely used to power many electronic devices, including smartphones, medical devices and electric vehicles. Their high energy density, excellent durability and lightness make them a popular choice for energy storage. In response to the growing demand for their use in a wide range of products, there are many teams working to improve their storage capacity. In particular, there is great interest in developing new compounds that could increase energy storage capacity, stability and lifespan. That is why the innovation announced today has such a strong commercial potential. About Hydro-Québec Hydro-Québec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. It is Canada's largest electricity producer and one of the world's largest hydroelectric power producers. Its sole shareholder is the Québec government. It uses mainly renewable generating options, in particular large hydropower. Its research institute, IREQ, conducts R&D in energy efficiency, energy storage and other energy-related fields. http:/www.hydroquebec.com(This hyperlink will open a new window) About the Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage The mission of the Centre of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage is to conduct battery materials research for Hydro-Québec. The center of excellence is headed by Karim Zaghib, an expert of international renown. Dr. Zaghib was recently named one of the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds(This hyperlink will open a new window) for the third year running. The center of excellence commercializes Hydro-Québec technologies, protected by several hundred patents. It will also create new research partnerships and develop new technologies. About the U.S. Army Research Laboratory The U.S. Army Research Laboratory is the U.S. Army's premiere laboratory for land forces. It is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to provide innovative research, development and engineering to produce capabilities that provide decisive overmatch to the Army against the complexities of the current and future operating environments in support of the joint warfighter and the nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. http://news.hydroquebec.com/en/press-releases/1379/hydro-quebec-and-the-us-army-research-laboratory-announce-battery-materials-breakthrough/

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  July 7, 2024 | Local, Land

  Defence Minister Bill Blair to travel to Washington, D.C. for NATO Summit

  The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, will visit Washington, D.C., from July 8-11 to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit and participate in side events.-

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  May 8, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Trump may have given Trudeau the excuse he needs to ditch the F-35 once and for all

  David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen The defence and aerospace industry is abuzz about the letters the U.S. government sent to Canada over the upcoming competition to acquire a new fleet of fighter jets to replace the RCAF's CF-18s. In short, the Trump administration has given an ultimatum to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government. If Canada insists that industrial and technological benefits must come from the outlay of $19 billion for a new fighter jet fleet then Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth jet is out of the race. Full stop. The U.S. argument is that because Canada is a partner in the F-35 program it cannot ask Lockheed Martin to meet specific industrial benefits for a Canadian competition if the F-35 is selected. Under the F-35 agreement, partner nations are prohibited from imposing requirements for industrial benefits as the work is determined on the best value basis. In other words, Canadian firms compete and if they are good enough they get work on the F-35 program. Over the last 12 years, Canadian firms have earned $1.3 billion U.S. for their work on building F-35 parts. The U.S. had boldly stated it cannot offer the F-35 for the Canadian competition if there are requirements to meet for set industrial benefits. But that ultimatum could seriously backfire on the Trump administration. Trudeau and the Liberal government has never been keen on the F-35 (Trudeau campaigned against purchasing the jet). There have also been a number of negative headlines over the last year outlining the increasing maintenance costs for the F-35s, not a good selling point for the jet. The U.S. ultimatum may have just given Trudeau a way out of his F-35 dilemma, particularly if the prime minister can say that it was it was the Americans themselves who decided not to enter the F-35 in the Canadian competition. Trudeau will also be able to point to the other firms ready and keen to chase the $19 billion contract. Airbus, a major player in Canada's aerospace industry, says it is open to producing its Eurofighter Typhoon in Canada with the corresponding jobs that will create. Boeing, which has a significant presence in Canada, will offer the Super Hornet. Saab has also hinted about building its Gripen fighter in Canada if it were to receive the jet contract. To be sure, if the U.S. withdraws the F-35 from the competition, retired Canadian military officers and the defence analysts working for think-tanks closely aligned with the Department of National Defence be featured in news reports about how the Royal Canadian Air Force will be severely hindered without the F-35. Some Canadian firms involved in the F-35 program may complain publicly about lost work on the F-35 program but companies tend not criticize governments for fear they won't receive federal contracts or funding in the future. There will be talk about how U.S.-Canada defence relations will be hurt but then critics will counter that U.S. President Donald Trump used national security provisions to hammer Canada in ongoing trade disputes. And let's face it. Defence issues are rarely a factor in federal elections or in domestic politics. The Trump administration, which is not the most popular among Canadians, may have just given Trudeau a political gift. https://nationalpost.com/news/national/defence-watch/trump-may-have-given-trudeau-the-excuse-he-needs-to-ditch-the-f-35/wcm/08b1313f-81eb-4adc-9ebf-b54ffc19c2c7