Foreign & Defence

On the same subject

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  January 18, 2018 | Local, Naval

  Davie aura «probablement» des contrats de brise-glaces, dit Trudeau

  Justin Trudeau a annoncé jeudi que le chantier naval Davie, à Lévis, obtiendra «probablement» des contrats pour construire des brise-glaces du gouvernement fédéral. «On sait très bien que le travail qui se fait à Davie est de grande qualité», a-t-il soutenu sur les ondes de Radio-Canada. Présent toute la journée à Québec, le premier ministre du Canada a soutenu que des négociations commenceront vendredi entre la Garde côtière et la Davie au sujet d'un achat de brise-glaces. Selon lui, le chantier Davie ne souffre pas de préjugés défavorables auprès de son gouvernement, comme plusieurs l'ont affirmé ces dernières semaines. M. Trudeau a également affirmé qu'il sera présent le 29 janvier pour la vigile visant à commémorer la tuerie de la Grande Mosquée. Sur les ondes du FM93, le premier ministre du Canada a soutenu qu'il était important de se souvenir de ce triste événement. «Il faut reconnaître qu'il y a encore des actes haineux, il y a encore des propos intolérants.» M. Trudeau dit toutefois être encore «en réflexion» sur la possibilité ou non de créer une Journée nationale contre l'islamophobie à cette date, tel que demandé par la communauté musulmane de tout le Canada. Sur la légalisation du cannabis, le premier ministre a tenté de convaincre les auditeurs des deux stations de radio qu'il posait un geste pour protéger les jeunes et non pour encourager la consommation de cette drogue. Selon lui, il faut que le pays reconnaisse qu'il a un problème d'accessibilité actuellement à cette drogue. «Le système actuel, ça ne fonctionne pas, ça ne protège pas nos jeunes.» M. Trudeau sera omniprésent à Québec jeudi. Après ses entrevues radio, il rencontrera le maire de Québec Régis Labeaume vers 11h15 à l'hôtel de ville. Le maire a déjà indiqué cette semaine qu'il souhaitait parler du pont de Québec, du tramway et des artéfacts de Parcs Canada avec M. Trudeau. En soirée, M. Trudeau tiendra une soirée de rencontre informelle avec les citoyens, qui aura lieu à l'école secondaire De Rochebelle, à Sainte-Foy. Cette façon de faire, qui s'inspire des États-Unis, vise à rendre M. Trudeau plus «accessible», explique Filip Novakovic, attaché de presse du député fédéral de Louis-Hébert, Joël Lightbound. «Je peux vous dire qu'il y a énormément d'engouement», lance M. Novakovic, qui soutient que des centaines de citoyens ont déjà effectué leur préinscription. La salle peut contenir un maximum de 1000 personnes et il est toujours possible de s'inscrire sur place, à partir de 16h30. M. Novakovic assure qu'il n'y aura un filtrage des questions. Les gens n'auront qu'à lever la main et c'est M. Trudeau lui-même qui donnera les tours de parole. Plus de détails à venir... https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/politique/davie-aura-probablement-des-contrats-de-brise-glaces-dit-trudeau-66016c8dd2d1281f382381dd0efd39bd

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  November 9, 2017 | Local, Aerospace

  Airbus eyes Canadian military deal, further cooperation with Bombardier

  OTTAWA/MONTREAL (Reuters) - Airbus SE (AIR.PA) could cooperate further with Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) beyond a recent venture in the CSeries jets, if its fighter jet is permitted to compete in a Canadian military procurement, and its partners agree, an executive said on Wednesday. Canada said last year it will launch an open competition to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets and a request for proposal for the open competition is expected in 2019. Dirk Hoke, chief executive of Airbus Defense and Space, said the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet could be an option for further collaboration with Bombardier, although he did not specify further. “We will definitely also look at additional potential further cooperation with Bombardier beyond just the CSeries,” Hoke told Reuters on the sidelines of an Ottawa aerospace conference, adding that he was “very optimistic and positive about us entering this competition.” Airbus last month agreed to take a majority stake in Bombardier's CSeries jets program, bolstering the Canadian plane's sales and giving it a possible way out of a damaging trade dispute with Boeing Co (BA.N) and U.S. regulators. The CSeries trade dispute has muddied a potential interim military contract between Boeing and Canada for 18 Super Hornet fighter jets, creating new opportunities for rivals like Airbus, Dassault Aviation SA (AVMD.PA) and Lockheed Martin(LMT.N). Boeing and Canada had initially discussed purchasing the fighters as a stop-gap measure while the country prepared an open five-year competition to replace its aging fleet of 77 Boeing CF-18 fighter jets. Canada has halted talks with Boeing because of the dispute. Hoke said Airbus is not considering jumping into the interim bid for fighter jets and is waiting to see the specifics from the Canadian government on the open competition. “Right now, we have a very positive feeling about it but of course we have to see ... what (are) the specifications that have been finally defined and confirmed.” In 2016, Canada selected Airbus C295W aircraft for its fixed-wing search and rescue program, estimated at C$3 billion ($2.36 billion). Boeing has accused Bombardier of receiving illegal subsidies and dumping the CSeries at “absurdly low” prices in the U.S. market to win a key April 2016 order from Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N). The U.S. Commerce Department has notched up proposed trade duties on U.S. sales of CSeries jets at nearly 300 percent, in a case that will be decided next year at the International Trade Commission.

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  November 10, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, C4ISR

  For Canada, multibillion-dollar training program is the FAcT of the matter

  By: David Pugliese VICTORIA, British Columbia — The Royal Canadian Air Force plans to combine two training programs under a single, multibillion-dollar project, a move that will lead to incumbent contractors CAE and a consortium led by KF Aerospace facing off against a series of large firms. The government plans to issue a call for bids from defense companies next year for the Future Aircrew Training program, or FAcT. A draft bid package is expected to be released by the end of the year so prequalified firms can provide feedback to the Canadian Armed Forces. The contract is estimated to be worth at least CA$5 billion (U.S. $3.75 billion) and will provide training for Air Force pilots and crew for 20 years. Canada plans to award the contract in 2023. The government has already approved a list of firms that will be authorized to bid on FAcT, including Babcock Canada, Leonardo Canada, Lockheed Martin Canada and SkyAlyne Canada. SkyAlyne is a partnership between major Canadian defense firms CAE and KF Aerospace. Those two companies currently provide the two main aircrew training programs to the Air Force. Under FAcT, the number of pilots trained annually will slightly increase. The pilot production numbers for FAcT are expected to range from about 105 to a maximum of 120. In addition, air combat systems officers and airborne electronic sensor operators will also be trained under the program. Currently, that training is done in-house by the service. “We're very focused on getting this to contract,” Air Force Col. Pete Saunders, director of air simulation and training, said of FAcT. “In the end, the foundation of the Air Force is our ability to generate qualified aviators. That is what FAcT is all about.” Consolidation FAcT will combine two existing training programs. The first, NATO Flying Training in Canada, is provided by CAE's military aviation training division, which operates out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The program offers undergraduate and postgraduate pilot training in military-controlled airspace using training aircraft with advanced glass cockpits. That contact ends in 2023. The second program is the Contracted Flying Training and Support, which is run by a KF Aerospace-led consortium. Training is conducted out of the Southport Aerospace Centre near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The program “oversees the flying training and support services contract for the Primary and Basic Flying Training, Multi-Engine and Helicopter pilot training programs,” according to the government. That contract ends in 2027. Training for Royal Canadian Air Force pilots involves various fixed-wing aircraft — including the Grob 120A, CT-156 Harvard II, CT-155 Hawk and King Air C90 — as well as Bell 206 and 412 helicopters. Air combat systems officers and airborne electronic sensor operators are trained on CT-142 Dash-8 planes. Simulation is also extensively used in aircrew training. Saunders said the Air Force is being as flexible as possible to allow industry competitors to come up with what they believe will be the best solution for the service's training needs. “The way we're approaching this is that it is up to them to determine what training aids are required,” he explained. “They will determine what is the appropriate mix of simulation and live fly. They will look at the number and type of aircraft they require in order to meet their training solution.” However, officials are leaving no room for flexibility in the training's outcome. “What we are being prescriptive about is the standard that a graduate has to achieve,” Saunders said. The service has cooperated with the qualified bidders, consulting with them on components of what will be in the FAcT bid package — essentially the request for proposals. Saunders said he hopes to release the RFP by mid-2021. Apart from providing training and maintenance, the winning bidder must revitalize the aging training infrastructure, he added. The Air Force expects the construction of a new training center for air combat systems officers and airborne electronic sensor operators, as the current facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is quite old. Other new infrastructure, such as hangars, will also likely be built. Officials are requiring the winning supplier to invest in Canada equal to the value of the contract, but the government is also focused on a winning bid that emphasizes domestic firms playing a major role in training, simulation and in-service support. The government also has an ongoing competition for the acquisition of a new fighter jet to replace the Air Force's fleet of CF-18 aircraft. Canada isn't expected to announce the winning bid until at least 2022, with deliveries of aircraft scheduled for 2025. But Saunders said training for that future aircraft will be separate from FAcT, as the requirements are set by a different Air Force program office. https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2020/11/09/for-canada-multibillion-dollar-training-program-is-the-fact-of-the-matter/