It's Official: Canada's CF-18 Hornet Fighters Are Set To Get New Advanced Radars

On the same subject

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  October 16, 2018 | Local, Naval

  Canadian frigate delayed again

  Ian Keddie, Toronto - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly A long-awaited decision on the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) frigate replacement programme has been delayed once more, although it is unclear for how long. In the official Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) update document released on 27 September, PSPC indicated no CSC design would be chosen in third quarter 2018, after indicating to Jane's in May 2018 that a decision would be made at that time. In the update document, ‘The National Shipbuilding Strategy in 2018,' which outlines the state of the federal shipbuilding plan, the PSPC said, “Request for Proposals to select the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) design and design team has closed. https://www.janes.com/article/83808/canadian-frigate-delayed-again

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  October 11, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  Governments of Canada and Manitoba strengthen the aerospace industry

  WINNIPEG, Oct. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - Manitoba has the third largest aerospace cluster in Canada with more than 50 aerospace firms either headquartered or have major centres of operation and where they provide over 4,600 well–paying middle class jobs. Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), together with Scott Johnston, Manitoba Member of the Legislative Assembly for St. James, announced $10 million in funding towards four projects to promote innovation, skills development and growth in Manitoba's aerospace industry. The Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba worked together to identify initiatives designed to secure the future of aerospace in Manitoba. Together these initiatives address new and emerging competitive pressures, while supporting a growth strategy that addresses the challenge to innovate, maintain technological competencies, and improve productivity. Four projects will benefit from the following investments: Composites Innovation Centre: $1.8 million to establish a collaborative space at Red River College's Smart Factory to develop, demonstrate, and validate new advanced aerospace composite products and processes. Magellan Aerospace Limited: $5 million to introduce enhanced aerospace design, production, and technologies to the Manitoba aerospace industry, reinforcing Manitoba's competitive advantage as a leader in the global aerospace supply chain. West Canitest R&D Inc. (WestCaRD): $1.6 million to expand the range of engine testing capabilities of GE Aviation Test, Research and Development Centre, solidifying Winnipeg as the preferred location for testing of GE engines. Composites Innovation Centre: $1.6 million to administer and deliver the Manitoba Aerospace Fund aimed at supporting product commercialization, process innovation, and business development activities of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Manitoba aerospace sector. These projects will lead to the creation of high quality jobs, introduce new product design capabilities and manufacturing technologies, facilitate the introduction of innovative composite manufacturing technologies, and expand engine testing capabilities. Quick facts Manufacturing is the largest industrial sector in Winnipeg. Manitoba is home to the third largest aerospace hub in Canada, employing more than 4,600 people. This investment will create approximately 70 jobs and grow the regional economy through expanded global sales. Quotes "Our Government's investment in the Canadian aerospace industry builds on our ambitious plan to turn Canada'seconomic strengths into global successes. These projects support a key economic cluster in Manitoba and across Western Canada that will continue to create the good middle-class jobs of tomorrow." - The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada "Manitoba's aerospace sector is globally-competitive and a significant part of our provincial economy. We continue to support the sector's development of a cutting-edge workforce and are pleased to have identified these projects as priorities in building the next generation of advanced manufacturing expertise here in Manitoba." - Scott Johnston, MLA for St. James, on behalf of Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen "We are pleased to be supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada in launching a collaborative technology development project that brings together industry, research and academic partners. We are also pleased to support the Manitoba Aerospace Fund's goal of increasing industrial competitiveness and our aerospace sector's economic footprint. Our focus with these funds is to collaboratively develop capabilities to position Manitoba, and Canada, as a leader in the aerospace industry." - Doug McCartney, President and CEO, Composites Innovation Centre "Magellan is both pleased and appreciative to continue the partnership with Western Economic Diversification Canada to invest in strengthening the advanced manufacturing environment in Winnipeg. This partnership with WD Canada announced today will contribute directly to the technologies and training required to deliver the specialized manufactured goods for the next generation of aerospace products." - Dan Pashniak, General Manager, Magellan Aerospace, Winnipeg "WestCaRD welcomes the Government of Canada's financial support for advanced aircraft engine test, research and development in Winnipeg. New and continuing high value employment opportunities are generated directly through developmental test operations, as well as indirectly through the advanced research and development needed to design, maintain and operate new generations of evermore efficient, safe, and environmentally improved aircraft. This investment in the future puts a spotlight on Manitoba, highlighting the economic strength of its aerospace sector, and is a shining example of the government and industry working together to ensure Canada's, and Manitoba's long-term economic health and well-being." - Bob Hastings, Chief Executive Officer, WestCaRD SOURCE Western Economic Diversification Canada https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/governments-of-canada-and-manitoba-strengthen-the-aerospace-industry-696615221.html

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  September 24, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Want to Win Government Business? Don’t be too ‘Commercial-Centric’

  Governments may be open for business, but that doesn't mean doing business with a government is necessarily easy. Government procurement is complex - this is not by happenstance. The rules on public procurement stem from a number of sources including law (trade agreements, the common law and legislation) and policy. It can be a painful and costly learning curve for companies that want to sell goods and services to the country's largest buyers if they don't understand the rules. Government decision-makers are answerable to a very wide range of stakeholders, including the Canadian voters who put them in office and the Canadian taxpayers who fund their operations. In a public procurement, it's not just about getting the best deal – it is also about meeting the broader public interest and achieving long-term policy objectives. The Goal is to Promote Fairness Competition is the rule in public procurement because it offers a fair, open and transparent environment, and meets the public objective that all potential suppliers get a fair kick at the can to sell to government. This is important when you consider that, for example, the Department of National Defence is the largest Canadian purchaser of goods and services from the Canadian defence industry. Canada has implemented several trade agreements in the past few years, including the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) (which replaced the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)). Understanding how these agreements impact procurement is even more important for suppliers and their federal, provincial and territorial government customers, as well as for the municipal, academic, school and hospital (MASH) sector which may now be subject to trade agreements for the first time or subject to additional or new rules brought about by these new trade agreements. Prepare your RFP Response Team for a Long Haul Businesses must understand the processes that come into play in public procurements, such as the need to resource their RFP response team for a long period of time or the impact of failing to meet mandatory RFP requirements (disqualification from the procurement process). Learning to manage the length of time it takes to progress through a procurement cycle, and to navigate the processes, is a big challenge. In business, relationships matter, but developing a good working relationship with key decision makers in government departments or agencies can be difficult since government tends to have greater workforce mobility and people change in and out of roles frequently. Further, dealing with government means complying with lobbying law and conflict of interest rules. In many jurisdictions, discussions about procurement requirements outside of public solicitation processes is considered lobbying, as it is attempting to sell products or services to the government. Conflict of interest rules may also preclude certain people from doing business with government officials. Approaching public procurement with a "commercial-centric" view often leads to frustration. The federal government does understand "how business works," but there are still many aspects of a public procurement that are not (and cannot be) commercially focused, including those related to complying with applicable trade agreements, protecting the public interest, and serving policy objectives such as regional development and economic diversification. Companies participating in a public sector procurement process face unique compliance requirements that don't come into play with a typical private commercial transaction. Expect Heightened Security Requirements With the increasing attention being paid to cybersecurity and data protection, companies will find they are now subject to more stringent security requirements, including an increased requirement for product functionality and security control disclosure in advance of their products or services being accepted by government buyers. This level of disclosure can extend through to greater access to the underlying technology used so that the customer itself can test for, and understand, cyber-threat vulnerabilities. Whether this is your first foray into the world of government procurement – and you need to understand the rules of public procurement so that you can properly understand the RFP documents and the plethora of government policies – or you have a broader interest focused on influencing government policy and direction as it relates to your business or your industry, knowing how to best position your organization to take advantage of both possible routes is critical to a successful government procurement business. Waiting until you have lost a bid is too late to effect a change for your organization's benefit. Be Proactive with the Right Advice Regardless of your focus, knowing how the system works and how to best advocate for your interests is a crucial and part of any successful business plan. Working with a legal team that has knowledge and experience in all of these areas and can assist with strategic planning and approach from start to finish is critical to success. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=4d2ced7d-7e1a-47f0-bf39-ced9b8a0b39d