April 23, 2020 | Local, Aerospace
The Canadian Press - Apr 21, 2020 / 3:46 pm |
COVID-19 is presenting another challenge to Canada's long-running and tumultuous effort to buy new fighter jets.
The federal government last summer launched a long-awaited competition to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's aging CF-18s with 88 new fighter jets at an estimated cost of $19 billion. The move followed a decade of controversy and mismanagement by various governments.
The three companies still in the running are supposed to submit their bids at the end of June and, despite the pandemic, the federal procurement department insisted in an email to The Canadian Press that it still expects them to meet that deadline.
The three companies vying for the lucrative contract are Lockheed Martin and Boeing from the U.S. and Sweden's Saab. Lockheed Martin builds the F-35 while Boeing is pitching its Super Hornet and Saab is offering its Gripen jet.
Yet while representatives for the three companies say they are likewise plugging away at their respective proposals, a senior Boeing executive left the door open to asking the government for an extension as COVID-19 forces the company to adjust how it does business.
"It's challenging, there's no question about it," Jim Barnes, the Boeing executive responsible for trying to sell the company's Super Hornet jet to Canada, said in an interview on Tuesday.
"We want to make sure we put the most competitive offer on the table for the government of Canada to evaluate and we feel like we can put a very compelling offer. If we feel like we don't have time to finalize that competitive offer ... we would certainly ask for an extension."
The government has already approved one extension to the competition since it was launched last July. Companies were supposed to submit their final bids at the end of March, but were given three more months after Saab asked for more time.
Boeing continues to work closely with the U.S. government and navy on its bid and hopes to meet the current deadline, but Barnes said the pandemic has slowed things down as many staff work from home on a complex project with significant security considerations.
"Then you have to take into consideration the health of your subject-matter experts in those areas where there are just a few people that can really work up those responses," he said.
"Those kinds of things we're dealing with. I'm not sure if the other teams are dealing with that, but we are monitoring that and if we feel like we can't meet the deadline, we'll certainly consider an extension request as an option."
Representatives for Lockheed Martin and Saab were more confident in being able to meet the current deadline.
"Lockheed Martin remains prepared to provide a comprehensive proposal for Canada's future fighter capability project competition," Lockheed Martin Canada chief executive Lorraine Ben said in a statement.
"We have not requested an extension of delivery for the FFCP preliminary proposal and we are excited to share more about the F-35's ability to strengthen and modernize defence, enhance ally partnerships and contribute to economic growth in Canada."
Saab Canada president Simon Carroll expressed similar sentiments, saying in an interview that while there some challenges in preparing a bid during a pandemic, "we're certainly working towards that and are planning at this point in time to submit in accordance with that deadline."
Yet there are also questions about the government's ability to move ahead on the project even if the companies do get their bids in on time, given the majority of federal employees are working at home.
"Those submissions are going to have a combination of sensitive and classified information, and handling all that with a workforce, the majority of which is working from home, is going to be more difficult," said defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
"I think as a basic bottom line, it is completely illogical to think that the impacts of COVID-19 won't be running through the entire suite of defence procurements because you can't work as efficiently with a huge chunk of your workforce at home."
June 22, 2023 | Local, Aerospace
Defence Minister Anita Anand said while there would be a pause “out of respect for this tragic incident,” the government would not be formally grounding the Chinook fleet.
April 6, 2022 | Local, Aerospace
CALGARY, Alberta, April 6, 2022— Arcfield Canada Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Arcfield, has been awarded a two-year contract extension by the Department of National Defence to provide support services for the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) CF-18 Avionics (AVS) Optimized Weapon System Support (OWSS) program. The award, which represents follow-on work for the company, has a total value of $50 million. Under the contract extension, Arcfield Canada will continue to provide support for the entire CF-18 avionics suite and associated support equipment through the end of March 2024. As a leader in avionics sustainment, Arcfield Canada administers the complete lifecycle management, engineering support services, supply chain management, and maintenance, repair and overhaul of avionics systems for the RCAF. To date, the company has completed more than 70,000 repairs on the CF-18 avionics. “We are pleased that the Department of National Defence and the RCAF has trusted Arcfield to continue its service for the CF-18 aircraft,” said Jacques Comtois, director of Canadian operations, Arcfield Canada. “For 35 years, our organization has been a dedicated and valued partner to the Canadian Armed Forces supporting Canada's fighter fleet, and we look forward to continuing that partnership through this contract.” As the prime contractor on the CF-18 AVS OWSS program, Arcfield Canada Corp. has been providing comprehensive in-service and integrated logistics support for the RCAF's CF-18 fighter aircraft for more than three decades. “This extension is a testament to the expertise and value we have provided on the OWSS program over the last several decades,” said Kevin Kelly, chief executive officer and chairman of Arcfield. “As a company that is built on a foundation of always putting our customers' missions first, we are honoured to continue this mission-critical work for the Department of National Defence.” This extension also comes after the company received an additional two-year task order to upgrade the CF-18 fleet with a new two-way data link capability, valued at $28 million. About Arcfield Canada Corp. Arcfield Canada has been a trusted partner to the Canadian Armed Forces for more than 35 years; supplying world-class in-service and integrated logistics support through its expertise in supply chain management, maintenance and repair, and engineering solutions. Arcfield Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arcfield, a global defense and security solutions provider to the U.S. government and its allies. The company has more than 60 years of proven experience providing advanced engineering and analysis, and IT capabilities to support our nation's most critical national security missions. With 16 offices around the world, Arcfield employs approximately 1,200 engineers, analysts, IT specialists, and other professionals who put our customers' missions first, helping them solve their most complex challenges through innovations in modeling, simulation and analysis, and digital transformation. Visit arcfield.ca for more details. Press Contact: Deborah Lovegrove Arcfield Canada Sr. Manager, Marketing and Communications 613-818-5411 Deborah.lovegrove@arcfield.com
June 22, 2018 | Local, Land
Safety and situational awareness cited among reasons to not use hearing protection The cost of health claims related to hearing loss among members of Canada's military is rising, due in part to the reluctance of members to wear protective equipment and because the most suitable devices aren't always provided. Explosions, gunfire, engine noise and alarms all contribute to hearing loss among military members. Almost a third of them have chronic hearing problems by the time they retire, according to surveys by Veterans Affairs. A 2016 study obtained by Radio-Canada looked at how to better protect the hearing of members with pre-existing hearing loss, and found that military personnel were reluctant to wear hearing protection. Some of the reasons were: Discomfort. Incompatibility with other head gear. The feeling of isolation that comes with sound dampening. But the biggest reason was that earplugs or whatever other protection device used would impair situational awareness, safety and "interfere with successful completion of the mission," wrote Dr. Sharon Abel, a senior scientist at Defence Research and Development Canada. That has led to increased health costs for the military. The Canadian Forces Health Services Group spent about $890,000 in 2013-14 on health costs related to hearing loss, followed by $937,000 in 2014-2015. In 2015-16, the last year for which data is available, it was close to $1.1 million. Different soldiers, different needs Richard Blanchette, a retired major-general who suffered hearing loss during his years of service, said the Department of National Defence does everything in its power to protect members and it's the responsibility of the members to do their part. Nobody else can do it for them, he told Radio-Canada. Different military members, however, have different issues. Abel's study found while earplugs may reduce the risk of hearing loss for people with normal hearing, they would increase impairment for people with pre-existing hearing loss. Those people would be better served by more specialized protection, she wrote. "Insufficient consideration is given to the selection of devices that will support the auditory tasks being carried out or suit the hearing status of the user." The military has set up an awareness program for its members about hearing loss, said Pierre Lamontagne with Canadian Forces Health Services. But soldiers remain reluctant to use some of the equipment they may need because it adds to the considerable weight they may already be carrying in the field, he said. Health consequences Lamontagne said he makes recommendations to commanders of the units, but it's the commanders who make the purchases. While about one in five soldiers needs specialized protection for hearing loss, the devices may be purchased based on general rather than individual needs, he said. The consequences of hearing problems are not always recognized because they are invisible, according to Chantal Laroche, a professor of audiology at the University of Ottawa. However, the side-effects — persistent ringing in the ear, for example, or an inability to communicate with others — can cause other serious health problems, including mental health issues, she said. Laroche said that in general, specialized hearing protections can be expensive, but the military should weigh those costs against the amount they are spending on health costs and disability claims. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/military-hearing-loss-members-reluctant-to-wear-protection-1.4711517