December 17, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

Family issues, desk jobs prompting exodus of RCAF fighter pilots

The Auditor General's recent report on fighter pilots leaving the Royal Canadian Air Force sparked a lot of speculation on why that was happening.

One of the claims made on social media was the pilots were leaving because the Canadian government didn't go ahead with the purchase of new fighter jets, specifically the F-35.

This seems to be a brilliant piece of marketing by F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin and shopped around with glee by F-35 supporters.

Unfortunately reality sometimes has a way of shooting down such bogus claims.

RCAF commander Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger outlined for Members of Parliament recently the real reasons behind the fighter pilots leaving.

“Certainly the feedback from those who are releasing is it's a question of family, challenges for their family,” Meinzinger explained to the Public Accounts committee. “There's a dimension of ops tempo, work-life balance, predictability in terms of geographical location, and then typically fifth or sixth are comments about financial remuneration.”

“We find that, unless there's a degree of predictability and positive career management over that individual, we often find individuals who are vexed,” Meinzinger further explained. “They come up to a point where they may not have anticipated they were going to move, or we're asking them to move their family to a location where perhaps their spouse cannot find employment.”

Another factor is that some fighter pilots are not happy being streamed into administrative jobs. They want to keep flying. “We find a lot of individuals often don't wish to move to headquarters and work in an office versus work in an aircraft,” the RCAF commander acknowledged. “We recognize that and respect it. But that dialogue, which must happen at the margin, before we force an individual to move, is very, very important.”

Not one mention of Canada not having the F-35 or any other new fighter jet.

The geographic location aspect has played into retention issues affecting other organizations supporting the RCAF.

The federal government will create a new centre of excellence in Ottawa to support aircraft testing, a move that affects the Canadian military's Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment, or AETE, which has been at Cold Lake, Alta. since 1971. Under the new plan AETE would be relocated to the international airport in Ottawa and partnered with the National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory and Transport Canada Aircraft Services Directorate to create a centre of excellence for flight testing and evaluation.

Moving AETE will save $14 million a year and free up space for the arrival of more fighter jets at Cold Lake.

But defence industry officials were briefed earlier on one of the other aspects behind the move. That involves the difficulty in attracting civilian researchers and trained support staff to Cold Lake and retaining the military personnel that were transferred there. A move of the facility to a larger centre, less isolated and where spouses can find employment, is expected to help solve recruitment and retention issues for this organization.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/family-issues-desk-jobs-prompting-exodus-of-rcaf-fighter-pilots

On the same subject

November 23, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Minister Sajjan Wraps Up 12th Annual Halifax International Security Forum
From: National Defence Collaboration and dialogue with the international community is critical for Canada in addressing emerging security threats and ensuring the safety of all Canadians. Canada is committed to upholding the rules-based international order, both diplomatically and through our military deployments around the world, to foster a safer, more peaceful, and prosperous place. Collaboration and dialogue with the international community is critical for Canada in addressing emerging security threats and ensuring the safety of all Canadians. Canada is committed to upholding the rules-based international order, both diplomatically and through our military deployments around the world, to foster a safer, more peaceful, and prosperous place. The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, virtually co-hosted the 12th annual edition of the Halifax International Security Forum (HISF) with the President of HISF Inc., Mr. Peter Van Praagh, from November 20-22. The forum was an opportunity for defence ministers, senior officials from international organizations, representatives from academia and industry, and defence and security experts from over 51 countries to discuss current and emerging issues of global security and prosperity. During the forum, Minister Sajjan underlined the importance of Canada being strong at home, secure in North America, and engaged in the world. Minister Sajjan reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism, as allies and partners balance international commitments with critical needs at home. Discussions covered a broad range of topics including democracy, human rights, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of international cooperation in facing today's challenges. Quotes “The global pandemic is having an impact on virtually everything we do, from running errands to running a country. This makes the conversations we had with our Allies and Partners at HISF this year as, if not more, important than ever before. I am confident that we will continue striking the necessary balance between critical health needs at home, supporting each other with medical supplies and expertise, and defending our sovereignty from adversaries who would do us harm. For me, this really brings home the importance of multilateralism.” The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence Quick facts The Halifax International Security Forum connected more than 250 defence leaders from across the world, including senior government and military officials, policymakers, opinion leaders, academics, and members of the business community from like-minded nations. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are committed to demonstrating leadership in reflecting Canadian ideals of diversity, respect and inclusion, including striving for gender equality, and building a workforce that leverages the diversity and multicultural fabric of Canadian society. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/11/minister-sajjan-wraps-up-12th-annual-halifax-international-security-forum.html
July 6, 2020 | Local, Naval

DND denies misjudging supply ship cost even though price tag jumped to $4.1 billion
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Updated: July 2, 2020 The defence department denies it ever misjudged the cost of a project to buy new naval ships even though the price tag jumped from $2.3 billion to $4.1 billion in less than two years. And DND admits the cost to taxpayers for the vessels could rise even more in the coming years. The Liberal government acknowledged on June 15 that the cost of the project to buy two Joint Support Ships has increased to $4.1 billion. The vessels are needed by the Royal Canadian Navy as they would provide fuel, ammunition and other supplies to warships at sea. But the $4.1 billion price tag is just the latest in a series of steadily increasing cost figures. In June 2018, the government acknowledged the cost of the ship project had, at that time, jumped from $2.3 billion to $3.4 billion. But Seaspan, the Vancouver shipyard that is to build the vessels, provided a new set of numbers in October 2019 and by February 2020 government approval was received for a new budget of $4.1 billion, DND confirmed in an email to this newspaper. “As with any large-scale procurement project, all project values are best estimates that are based on the data and figures available at the time,” the email added. There has been no misjudging of costs on the JSS project, the department noted. In 2013, the Parliamentary Budget Officer questioned DND's JSS cost estimates and warned that the project would require $4.13 billion. DND stated in its email to this newspaper that taxpayers can be assured they are getting value for money on JSS and that those working on the shipbuilding project in both the department and Public Services and Procurement Canada are top notch. “The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, along with our counterparts at PSPC, have a first-rate cadre of experienced, professional procurement officers, subject matter experts and financial administrators who take great pride in their work and in their accomplishments,” DND said in an email. “Our team has – and will continue to – ensure that Canadians get value from their investments in the Armed Forces.” But DND also acknowledged costs could continue to rise. “While the total project budget includes contingency funding for these types of reasons, some events may happen unexpectedly and thus excel what the contingency funding allowed for,” the DND email noted. “As a result, it's possible that cost estimates may change for a variety of reasons that can't be controlled or predicted.” Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said DND's claim that project costs weren't misjudged is “BS.” “I don't even have faith in their latest cost of $4.1 billion,” added McCauley, who is behind the effort to get the Parliamentary Budget Officer to do a new report looking at JSS. “It's going to go up.” McCauley said the JSS design is based on the Berlin-class, an existing and proven German Navy ship. But he noted that DND and PSPC keep making changes to the ship, driving up costs and adding delays. DND noted that, “it's not uncommon for the cost estimate to change throughout the duration of a project, especially for a first-of-class ship.” DND also pointed out the construction contract with Seaspan may be changed throughout the duration of the project but added that does not necessarily mean the project budget will increase. The Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates recently passed McCauley's motion to request the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer undertake a costing analysis of building the JSS in Canada as well as the leasing of Asterix, a commercial ship converted into a supply vessel for the Royal Canadian Navy to use. The PBO report will be presented to the committee by Oct. 15. The Asterix, converted by Davie shipyards in Quebec, was at the centre of the two-year legal battle Vice Adm. Mark Norman found himself in when the RCMP charged him with breach of trust. The police force alleged Norman had tipped off Davie that the Liberal government was planning to delay its Asterix deal. The legal case against Norman collapsed in 2019, forcing the federal government to pay the naval officer an undisclosed financial settlement as well as prompting questions about whether the charge had been politically motivated. The Asterix turned out to be a procurement success and since 2018 has been used to refuel and resupply Royal Canadian Navy and allied warships. The Liberal government tried to derail the Asterix project shortly after being elected in the fall of 2015. The move came after cabinet ministers, including Scott Brison and defence minister Harjit Sajjan, received a letter from the Irving family with a complaint that the Irving proposal for a similar supply ship was not examined properly. Irving has denied any suggestion it was involved in political meddling. But after receiving the letter from the Irvings, the Liberals decided to put Asterix on hold. The government, however, had to back off that plan after news of its decision leaked out to the news media. Shortly after, the RCMP began investigating Norman. https://o.canada.com/news/national/defence-watch/dnd-denies-misjudging-supply-ship-cost-even-though-price-tag-jumped-to-4-1-billion/wcm/6743dc85-efb0-457c-90b9-be1b2d204868
April 30, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

Former KNBA marketing boss helping raise aerospace firm Peraton's profile in capital
A recognizable face in the Kanata North business community has left the tech park to join a “startup” of a very different kind. Deborah Lovegrove, who spent more than five years as the head of marketing at the Kanata North Business Association, recently moved on to a new position as the marketing and media manager at Peraton Canada. Most of the aerospace and defence firm's Canadian operations are in Calgary, but last fall the company opened a new business development branch in downtown Ottawa. While Lovegrove's name is well-known in local business circles, the company she's joining might be a bit less familiar to casual observers of the aerospace and defence industry. But Peraton comes with an impressive pedigree. Its parent company, Harris Corp., was a dominant player in the sector for more than a century before it merged with fellow aerospace firm L3 Technologies last year to form L3Harris Technologies. When Harris sold its Harris Corporation Government Services business to Veritas Capital in 2017, Veritas changed its new acquisition's name to Peraton. The company now refers to itself as a “125-plus-year-old startup.” With more than 3,500 employees and annual revenues exceeding US$1 billion, the Virginia-based firm is quickly making its own mark in the aerospace realm. Peraton has partnered with government agencies such as NASA and Canada's Department of National Defence to provide supply chain management, engineering solutions and maintenance and repair services on a range of projects in the space, defence, cybersecurity and communications fields. The company is involved in a number of high-profile projects in this country, including an effort to commercialize advanced drone systems as well as bids from Boeing and Saab to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's aging fleet of F-18 fighter jets – a contract with a total value of nearly $20 billion. Lovegrove, whose 25-year marketing career also includes stints in government and other non-profit trade organizations, said the new job gets her back to an industry that fascinated her when she managed marketing and promotional activities for the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute in 2013 and 2014. “It was tough to leave (the KNBA) because I'd been there almost six years,” Lovegrove says. “But I was definitely looking for some sort of change. It was time to try a new challenge.” With the range of opportunities in Peraton's project pipeline, Lovegrove said the chance to get back into the aerospace industry was too good to pass up. “I'm a skydiver. Anything to do with planes and speed is something that I find particularly fascinating,” she says with a laugh. “They're working on some really cool projects right now.” https://www.obj.ca/article/techopia-former-knba-marketing-boss-helping-raise-aerospace-firm-peratons-profile-capital

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