Defence & Security / Space Day

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  August 27, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Other Defence

  Government awards design contract for future fighter infrastructure in Cold Lake

  August 27, 2020 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces As outlined in Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is providing Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel with the facilities and tools to support their operations for the future. Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, announced a $9.2-million contract award to EllisDon Construction Services Inc., of Edmonton, Alta., for the design of a new fighter jet facility at 4 Wing Cold Lake, one of two main operating bases for Canada's future fighter aircraft. A second facility and contract award is also planned for 3 Wing Bagotville. Combined, this infrastructure will support the long-term maintenance and operation of 88 new aircraft being procured for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) through the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP). This contract is an important milestone in preparing Cold Lake for the future fighter, and it takes us one step closer to delivering the infrastructure our aviators need for the future. Both infrastructure projects will also provide significant economic opportunities for the Canadian construction industry, as well as the Cold Lake and Bagotville communities. In total, over 900 jobs are expected to be created during the design and construction of both facilities. The Cold Lake facility will host two tactical fighter squadrons and will cover approximately 19,300 m2, providing space for daily operations, maintenance, administration, mission planning, and simulator training. It will also house operational and support training squadrons and their training facilities. Quotes “We invest in this modern infrastructure to house our future fighter aircraft because we know it is critical to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, as well as meeting Canada's international obligations to NORAD and NATO. A modern fighter jet fleet is essential for the defence of our country and its sovereignty, and these facilities are vital to enabling these operations.” The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence “This infrastructure project is a significant investment in the future of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Cold Lake community. Building this facility will help sustain jobs near the base, and will ensure our military is well equipped for the future.” Anita Vandenbeld, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence Quick facts We expect to award the design contract for our future fighter facility in Bagotville in September 2020. Construction is estimated to begin at both bases in summer 2022. Both design contracts will also include options for the contractors to build the new facilities, and any additional infrastructure once the future fighter is selected, should Canada decide to exercise these follow-on options. By awarding these infrastructure design contracts ahead of choosing a future fighter, we will start on work that is needed, regardless of which of the three potential aircraft is selected. This will ensure both bases are ready for the first aircraft deliveries. These facilities will be designed and constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standards and will use energy efficient options wherever possible. Associated links Future Fighter Capability Project Contacts Floriane Bonneville Press Secretary Office of the Minister of National Defence Phone: 613-996-3100 Media Relations Department of National Defence Phone: 613-904-3333 Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/08/government-awards-design-contract-for-future-fighter-infrastructure-in-cold-lake.html

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  December 9, 2023 | Local, Aerospace

  Last operational CC-115 Buffalo finds final resting place at Canada Aviation and Space Museum - Skies Mag

  The last operational CC-115 Buffalo, No. 115-452, now resides in the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, safely preserved for generations to appreciate.

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  August 28, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  Airbus aggressively sourcing more Canadian content

  by Chris Thatcher When Tom Enders, then the chief executive officer of Airbus, announced in October 2017 that Canada would become the company's fifth home country and first outside of Europe, following a deal with Bombardier to acquire a majority stake in the C Series passenger jet, small- and medium-sized Canadian aerospace companies had reason to be optimistic. Canada has typically ranked eighth or ninth among Airbus suppliers. But with the C Series now firmly under the Airbus tent (it was renamed the A220 in July), a contract award in 2016 to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with 16 C295W fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft, and looming competitions for a future fighter jet and strategic tanker and transport aircraft, Airbus is aggressively sourcing more Canadian content. Before you make your pitch, however, Ruben Tauste Caro, responsible for Airbus's strategic procurement in North America, has a few words of advice: no bashing the competition, no me-too products, and go easy on the wonders of your new shop floor machinery. “I want you to tell me that you work in a very, very dedicated frequency. And in that frequency, I want you to tell me that you are the expert in a very specific niche. Then you've got me,” he told the Abbotsford Aerospace, Defence and Security Expo in August. Airbus routinely conducts in-person assessments of its prospective suppliers and, while cost, quality, and on-time production are obvious baseline requirements, what interests Tauste Caro are signs of continuous improvement and true innovation. He said companies that claim to build a better mouse trap or be a one-stop shop for all his supply needs are quickly dismissed. “Tell me what you are really, really good at, and if I have an opportunity in the future, that will be yours,” he said. Continuous improvement need not involve large investments. A dashboard with measurable targets will suffice if it clearly shows progress, said Tauste Caro. “Show me your KPIs [key performance indicators]. If you don't [meet] a target that month, do you have an action behind it?” A clear ability to set and reach targets is important, he emphasized, because if there is ever an issue with product quality, “The question is, will you overcome that issue? Do you have the right procedures, the right way of working? Is your workforce engaged?” That's why he also asks questions about innovation. Most companies have a tendency to highlight their shop floor. While new machines and robotics are important, he always looks beyond to the people operating them. “Innovation is people,” he said. “{They] are the key parameters in the innovation equation...[D]on't waste time on machines, tell me your way of working.” In particular, how do ideas move from the shop floor to the C-suite? For suppliers eyeing opportunities with Airbus's commercial aircraft production, an ability to ramp up production and deliver at high rates is critical. “This is extremely important,” he stressed. “We cannot afford to have one aircraft system stopped in the warehouse.” Tauste Caro heads a small four-person team responsible for supplier identification and development throughout North America, so he encouraged companies to call or “knock on the door,” to keep him apprised of product changes, expansion plans, new strategies, and contract awards. “Feed me with that information. That is the daily bread and butter of my job within strategic procurement,” he said, explaining that if he's asked to recommend a supplier, “I have to be able to answer right away.” While ramp-up of A220 production this year and delivery of the first FWSAR aircraft in 2019 might mean more opportunities for Canadian suppliers, Airbus is particularly focused on the value proposition it can offer in a future fighter jet and air-to-air refuelling aircraft competition. “We need to work with you right now,” he told executives at the Abbotsford trade show, to identify industrial and technological benefits (ITBs) proposals for both programs and meet FWSAR obligations. There is a “huge requirement” for ITBs within the fighter jet program, he noted. “We need to be creative, we need the suppliers.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/airbus-aggressively-sourcing-more-canadian-content