Back to news

February 10, 2020 | Local, Naval

Irving to receive $58 million for 'minimal' changes to new Coast Guard ships

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN

Irving is receiving $58 million from taxpayers to make what the federal government calls minimal changes to an existing ship design so it can be used by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Irving is in the midst of building a fleet of six Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy and will add two more in the production line for the coast guard. The addition of two ships for the coast guard, announced by the federal government in May, was supposed to be cost-effective as the design of the vessel was completed and the ships were in the process of being built.

But documents recently tabled in Parliament show the government entered into a $58-million contract with Irving for engineering design work on the AOPS that would ensure the coast guard's vessels “can meet regulatory and operational requirements.”

The coast guard has determined that only minimal modifications are required to the ships to meet its needs as well as any regulatory requirements, according to documents provided to Parliament as the result of a question from Conservative MP Lianne Rood.

“The modifications have been assessed as minimal as none of the identified modifications will impact major elements of the AOPS design and construction,” Bernadette Jordan, the minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, stated in her written response.

But critics are questioning why taxpayers are spending $58 million if the changes are so limited.

“That's a very expensive tweak,” said Aaron Wudrick, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “We'd like see some clarity from the government on what could possibly justify such an increase in the price tag.”

Each AOPS is estimated to cost around $400 million. The coast guard originally looked at the AOPS in 2017-2018 but decided against acquiring the ship, industry representatives noted.

But the Liberal government announced in May 2019 that two AOPS would be bought for the coast guard. One of the benefits of the purchase is to prevent layoffs at Irving as there is expected to be a gap between when the shipyard finishes the navy's AOPS and when it starts working on replacements for the navy's frigates.

Tom Ormsby, director of communications for Irving, said the first step for the firm is to fully review the AOPS design and then confirm any modifications that are needed to be made for the coast guard.

“Once modifications have been agreed to, these changes must then be worked through and implemented into the design,” he noted. “While not making major changes that a first-in-class design would require, the Canadian Coast Guard has a different and critical mission, including the need for scientific laboratories for sampling and research, so each vessel is being tailored to suit the Canadian Coast Guard's unique and important role.”

The government only pays for actual costs incurred, he added.

Irving will also receive an additional $18.8 million to purchase some initial equipment for the vessels as well as reimbursement for project management.

The contract to Irving on the design changes was signed Nov. 1, 2019 and is to end March 31, 2021. Areas of change include modifications to the bridge layout and accommodations to meet Transport Canada requirements for a non-military crew, as well as changes to some areas to accommodate coast guard equipment and modifications to the deck, Jordan noted in her response to Parliament. The main portions of the ship, including the hull and propulsion systems, will remain unchanged, she added.

The AOPS program was launched by the Conservative government with a minimum of five ships for the navy. The Liberal government approved the construction of a sixth AOPS for the navy and two for the coast guard

But retired Liberal senator Colin Kenny, who served on the Senate defence committee, questions the value of the AOPS for either the navy or coast guard. Kenny noted he is also concerned about the engineering contract. “These changes shouldn't cost $58 million,” Kenny said. “I think it's questionable as to why we are even buying these ships.”

In 2017 the Senate Defence Committee raised concerns about the capabilities of the AOPS.

Among the issues identified by the committee was the slow speed of the AOPS and its limited ability to operate in ice-covered waters. “These limitations are troubling and raise the question of whether the taxpayers are receiving value for the monies spent,” the Senate report said.

The Department of National Defence expects the delivery of the first AOPS by the end of March although it acknowledges there is a possibility that may not happen. The delivery of the vessel has already been delayed a number of times.

The navy expects its last AOPS to be delivered by 2024. After the navy vessels are built, construction will begin on the AOPS for the coast guard, the federal government has said.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/irving-to-receive-58-million-for-minimal-changes-to-new-coast-guard-ships

On the same subject

  • More than 100 military procurements facing delays: Defence Department

    February 6, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    More than 100 military procurements facing delays: Defence Department

    The delivery dates for new or upgraded equipment, some of which is needed urgently, have been pushed several years into the future by Lee Berthiaume OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence has identified delays in more than 100 planned military purchases and facility upgrades, most of which have flown under the radar as attention has focused on the government's problems buying new fighter jets and warships. While some of the schedule setbacks revealed by the Defence Department are relatively minor, others are significant, with the delivery dates for new or upgraded equipment — some of which is needed urgently — pushed several years into the future. Those include new engineering vehicles and machine-guns for the army, new drones for the navy to hunt mines and satellite hookups for its submarines, and upgrades to the air force's aging fighter-jet and surveillance aircraft fleets. More than half the list of 117 delayed projects is infrastructure projects on military bases, including health facilities, maintenance and storage hangars, armouries and ammunition depots. The list was produced by the Defence Department and recently tabled in the House of Commons in response to a request from the official Opposition Conservatives. Federal officials have to get better at setting “predictable” schedules when it comes to purchasing new equipment, Troy Crosby, whose job as assistant deputy minister of materiel is to oversee procurement at the Defence Department, acknowledged in an interview. Yet Crosby believes much of the frustration around military procurement is the result of unrealistic expectations born of a lack of understanding and appreciation for how the system, which is dealing with more projects than at any time in recent history, actually works. “The complexity of what it takes to bring a new piece of equipment into service is extraordinary, and early, early, early in a process, when we don't even know what it is we're going to buy or from where, there's a lot of uncertainty around those schedules,” he told The Canadian Press. “I think people will understand ... you can't nail a date down to a month in a year specifically. And then if you're two days late or two months late or what have you, are you really late or was there just an amount of uncertainty around those schedules to begin with?” As an example, Crosby pointed to the delayed delivery of new search-and-rescue airplanes, where the air force has been wrangling with the manufacturer Airbus over the level of detail that must be in the aircraft's technical manuals before the military will accept the planes. “Three years into the contract, we're behind 18 days,” he said. “That's not a failure. If the standard is perfection, will defence procurement ever be not broken? I'm not sure. I think you're holding us to a pretty amazing standard.” At the same time, Crosby noted that the air force's Buffalo and Hercules airplanes, which have been performing search-and-rescue missions in Canada for decades, continue to operate despite being long past their replacement dates. “Do we want to get (the Forces) even better equipment so they can be even more effective at the job using modern technology? Yes,” said Crosby. “But the Buffalo and those (search-and-rescue) crews are delivering for Canadians now. So I wouldn't want to leave the impression there that suddenly these capabilities don't work.” Yet there have been several examples in recent years of the military either doing without because equipment got too old to use or the government investing taxpayer dollars to keep old gear going longer than anticipated. Those include the navy having been without destroyers for the past few years, the government spending nearly $700 million to lease a temporary supply ship and plans to spend more than $1 billion to keep CF-18 fighters from the 1980s flying to 2032. While some of those problems were caused by political dithering or mismanagement, they nonetheless underscore the real cost of delays. The list of delayed projects produced by the Defence Department included brief explanations for why each procurement has been delayed. Some, such as the purchase of new machine-guns, related to problems with industry and fell outside government's control. Others were afflicted with unforeseen technical issues and many of the delays were the result of “detailed schedule analysis” by government officials, suggesting the original timeframes were unrealistic or otherwise inaccurate. There were also several delays, such as a plan to upgrade the sensors and weapons on the air force's Griffon helicopters, attributed to a shortage of procurement staff and other internal government resources. Despite the delays, Crosby said he felt military procurement is “in a good place,” listing the recent delivery of new armoured vehicles and trucks for the army and the pending arrival of new Arctic patrol ships for the navy and the search-and-rescue planes for the air force. “A lot is moving out,” he said. “There's a lot of movement.” Conservative defence critic James Bezan, however, suggested the delays were the result of Liberal government mismanagement. “The Trudeau Liberals continue to dither and delay when it comes to procuring new equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces,” he said in an email. “It is clear that the Trudeau Liberals repeatedly fail when it comes to procuring and upgrading equipment for our military heroes.” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan's press secretary Floriane Bonneville defended the Liberals' record on procurement. “Overall, 90% of procurements are delivered within their planned scope and budget,” she said in a statement. “Our defence plan, Strong, Secure, Engaged, helps build strong, healthy communities and secures well-paying middle class jobs for Canadians. From boots to ships, we will continue to ensure Canada's military is well-equipped for the task at hand.” https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/manufacturing/more-than-100-military-procurements-facing-delays-defence-department-246478/

  • Un nouveau commandant pour le Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada

    June 15, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

    Un nouveau commandant pour le Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada

    Le Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada (COIC) a officiellement changé de mains au cours d'une cérémonie tenue aujourd'hui à Ottawa. Le lieutenant-général Michael Rouleau a pris le commandement du lieutenant-général Stephen Bowes au Manège militaire de la place Cartier, en présence des membres des Forces armées canadiennes de l'organisation et d'invités d'honneur. Présidée par le général Jonathan Vance, chef d'état-major de la défense, la cérémonie d'aujourd'hui marquait la fin du mandat de trois ans du lieutenant-général Bowes à titre de commandant de l'organisation des opérations interarmées du Canada. Plus tôt aujourd'hui, une cérémonie de passation des fonctions a eu lieu, au cours de laquelle le COIC a salué le départ de l'adjudant-chef du Commandement Denis Gaudreault et accueilli le premier maître de 1re classe Gilles Grégoire. Citations « Une cérémonie de passation de commandement est plus qu'un simple changement de leadership. C'est une déclaration publique par laquelle je confie la t'che et la responsabilité d'un haut commandement à certains officiers généraux. En choisissant et en promouvant le Lgén Rouleau au commandement du COIC, j'affirme à la population canadienne qu'un officier général hautement compétent est à la tête des opérations des FAC. Il remplace un leader tout aussi accompli, le Lgén Bowes, dont la nouvelle mission sera de venir en aide à nos anciens combattants. Aux lieutenants généraux Rouleau et Bowes, je vous souhaite la meilleure des chances dans toutes vos entreprises futures. » Général Jonathan Vance, chef d'état-major de la défense « Je suis reconnaissant de la confiance que le général Vance me porte, et d'avoir le privilège de commander et de diriger les prochaines opérations interarmées du Canada. Je remercie le général Bowes de son travail acharné et je compte bien faire tout mon possible, avec l'aide de mon partenaire le premier maître de 1re classe Gilles Grégoire, pour m'assurer que les hommes et femmes des FAC continuent de fournir un rendement exceptionnel au nom des Canadiens dans le cadre des opérations au pays et à l'étranger. » Lieutenant-général Michael Rouleau, commandant, Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada « Commander les membres des Forces armées canadiennes dans le cadre d'opérations partout dans le monde a été extrêmement valorisant. Surtout, le professionnalisme et le dévouement dont font preuve tous les jours nos militaires, hommes et femmes, ne cessent de m'étonner et de me rendre fier. Ils sont la raison pour laquelle les Forces armées canadiennes sont très respectées par nos alliés. Je suis impatient de commencer mon prochain travail, qui consistera à mieux servir nos vétérans. » Lieutenant-général Stephen Bowes Faits en bref · Le lieutenant-général Rouleau commence sa carrière militaire en 1985 à titre d'officier d'artillerie. Son parcours est divisé à peu près également entre l'Armée canadienne, les Forces spéciales et le Quartier général de la Défense, où il gère les portfolios de l'État‑major stratégique. Son service au sein des Forces d'opérations spéciales commence en 1994, au sein de la Force opérationnelle interarmées 2. En 1999, il prend sa retraite des Forces armées canadiennes pour faire partie du Service de police régional d'Ottawa‑Carleton, comme agent d'intervention d'urgence. À la suite des évènements du 11 Septembre, il s'enrôle à nouveau en 2002. Depuis, il met continuellement à profit ses diverses compétences et expériences, en commandant des troupes à différents niveaux au Canada et à l'étranger. Il a dirigé le Commandement des Forces d'opérations spéciales du Canada depuis 2014. · Le lieutenant-général Bowes se prépare à être détaché auprès d'Anciens combattants Canada à Charlottetown, à compter de juillet 2018. Durant son mandat au COIC, il commande des forces déployées au pays et ailleurs dans le monde. Voici quelques exemples des opérations auxquelles l'organisation participe : recherche et sauvetage, et soutien en cas de catastrophe naturelle dans l'ensemble du Canada; lutte contre le commerce illicite dans les Caraïbes; programmes de renforcement des capacités dans différentes parties du monde; soutien des mesures de dissuasion et d'assurance de l'OTAN en Europe; et lutte contre Daech au Moyen‑Orient. · Le commandant du COIC dirige la plupart des opérations des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) au Canada, en Amérique du Nord et ailleurs dans le monde. Il dirige également les missions des FAC, de leur planification à leur clôture, afin d'atteindre les objectifs stratégiques nationaux et internationaux. · Le COIC, dont le quartier général se trouve à Ottawa, comprend des forces opérationnelles et des éléments employés dans le cadre d'opérations; les quartiers généraux des forces opérationnelles interarmées régionales permanentes à Yellowknife, Victoria, Edmonton, Toronto, Montréal et Halifax; le Groupe de soutien opérationnel interarmées, qui dispose d'un quartier général à Kingston et d'unités dispersées dans l'ensemble du Canada; et un réseau mondial d'officiers de liaison et de points de commandement et contrôle. Le COIC exerce le contrôle opérationnel sur le commandement de composante aérienne ou maritime de forces interarmées, le Quartier général de la 1re Division du Canada et l'Élément de coordination des opérations spéciales. http://www.45enord.ca/2018/06/un-nouveau-commandant-pour-le-commandement-des-operations-interarmees-du-canada/

  • RCAF implements new bio-containment capability to transport infectious patients

    March 24, 2021 | Local, Aerospace

    RCAF implements new bio-containment capability to transport infectious patients

    February 1, 2021 Royal Canadian Air Force Public Affairs Click on the photo under “Image Gallery” to see more photos.  With the world still dealing with the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), in collaboration with Canadian Forces Health Services Group, is implementing a new bio-containment capability for the…

All news