May 13, 2024 | Local, Naval
House Armed Services Committee adds second Virginia submarine in FY25
The panel aims to keep submarine construction on track by paying for part of a second boat in fiscal 2025, which the Navy planned to nix.
Naval contracts and technology developments on display at CANSEC 2019
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN
The CANSEC 2019 defence trade show in Ottawa has wrapped up, and while much of the focus and talk was on new fighter jets, the naval side of procurement didn't escape notice. A number of firms have recent contracts or technology advancements, as outlined in this article in Esprit de Corps magazine.
ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH recently announced successful SeaSpider sea trials that were done in co-operation with the German Bundeswehr Technical Center for ships and naval weapons, maritime technology and research. The SeaSpider is the world's first dedicated Anti-Torpedo Torpedo.
Trials in the Baltic Sea were conducted on a WTD 71 multipurpose vessel, according to the company.
Those involved the full “sensor to shooter” chain with Torpedo Detection, Classification and Localisation, or TDCL sonar, being successfully demonstrated with the third generation SeaSpider prototype with its above water launcher.
At the test range both a Mk37 torpedo derived AUV and torpedoes of the DM2A3 type served as the threats. Those were detected and localized with passive and active TDCL and the data was used to cue the SeaSpider launch. SeaSpider acquired the threats and homed in into closest point of approach, the firm noted. The successful “intercept” was verified by acoustic and optical means.
Saab's Sea Giraffe AMB naval radar will be used for the Royal Canadian Navy's Joint Support Ships. Saab will do the work on the project both in Sweden and Halifax. Deliveries of the radars are to take place between 2020 and 2022.
Seaspan Shipyards has awarded MAN Energy Solutions Canada of Vancouver, BC, a contract valued at $55 million for work on the Royal Canadian Navy's new Joint Support Ships or JSS. MAN is one of several major systems integrators that Seaspan is working with in order to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the firm noted. Under this contract MAN will provide propulsion and power generation components for the JSS. This will include two MAN 12V32/44CR (Common Rail) propulsion engines equipped with environmental protection SCR technology, reduction gears, propulsion shafts, propellers, ship service diesel generator sets, and an emergency diesel generator set. Work on these components will take place in Europe at MAN's manufacturing facilities. Work taking place in Canada will include MAN providing the integration for these systems, training, testing, and support during the harbour acceptance trials and the JSS sea acceptance trials, according to Seaspan.
MDA, a Maxar company, announced that it has signed a $4 million contract with Lockheed Martin Canada. That deal is for the initial phase of design work for the Canadian Surface Combatant ship's Electronic Warfare system.
The Águas Azuis Consortium, formed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Embraer Defense & Security and Atech, was selected by the Brazilian Navy for the construction of four defence ships in the Tamandaré Corvettes Class Program as preferred bidder. With thyssenkrupp Marine Systems' leadership and its naval systems expertise, the Águas Azuis Consortium companies will now form a specific purpose company for the implementation phase of the program, the firms noted. Atech, an Embraer Group company, will be the supplier of the Combat Management System and Integrated Platform Management System of the Tamandaré Class corvettes. It will be involved in the transfer of technology in cooperation with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, a subsidiary of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, and L3 MAPPS. Embraer Defense & Security will integrate sensors and weaponry into the combat system.
Kognitiv Spark of Fredericton, NB will be providing the Royal Canadian Navy with the opportunity to test a Mixed Reality Remote Assistant Support system as part of a project that aims to improve maintenance and repairs aboard naval vessels.
The system can be used by RCN marine technicians and weapons engineering technicians to ensure that RCN ships remain at a high-level of readiness for both routine training and operational deployments, according to the firm
The project hopes to validate technology adopted from Kognitiv Spark, whose software is designed for use with the Microsoft HoloLens. The software leverages Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiencies with ship operations including repairs, maintenance and knowledge transfer, the firm added.
For remote maintenance, a subject-matter expert using this system can see what the HoloLens wearer sees from anywhere in the world. The expert can provide guidance using real-time voice and video, interactive 3D holograms and content, and live IoT data. Alternatively, the technician can use locally stored data to assist with routine tasks when a remote expert is not available. The holographic support is designed to improve decision making by facilitating decisive action and reducing errors by providing clarity and certainty of comprehension.
Kognitiv Spark says it was awarded the contract due in part to its reputation from ongoing work with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
On the same subject
-
-
January 16, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Naval
Updates on defence and aerospace industry contracts
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Here are some updates on defence and aerospace industry contracts and appointments, outlined in the latest issue of Esprit de Corpsmagazine: Textron's TRU Simulation and Training has developed the world's first full flight simulator for the CL-415 water bomber. The CL-415 is a mainstay of a number of international fleets of aerial fire-fighting units, with some of aircraft being operated by various air forces, such as those in Greece and Spain. TRU has delivered the first system to Ansett Aviation. The CL-415 was built by Canadair/Bombardier but Viking Air has acquired the rights to aircraft. TRU believes the simulator will significantly increase safety of CL-415 operations as the previous lack of a full-flight simulator for the plane meant that pilot training had to take place in the cockpit. That, in turn, has resulted in fatalities. Fifty per cent of all CL-415 crashes have taken place during training. The simulator will replicate the CL-415 on the water and in flight. The system also simulates different types of forest fires and environmental conditions that can be created by such blazes. Pratt & Whitney Canada announced recently that it started delivering PW127G engines to Airbus Defence and Space in support of Canada's Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement Project. The engines will be installed on specially configured Airbus C295 aircraft, which will be designated the CC-295 in Canada. The Department of National Defence is scheduled to receive the first of 16 CC-295 aircraft by the end of 2019. Canada has a search area of 18 million square kilometers, making search and rescue operations challenging. With low fuel burn during cruise, the PW127G engine will provide the CC-295 aircraft with exceptional range and endurance for time-critical missions, Pratt and Whitney points out. Pratt & Whitney Canada has delivered more than 400 PW127G engines to Airbus Defence and Space for numerous C295 customers and variants. The PW100 engine family powers several aircraft families around the world, performing a variety of missions in diverse climates and flying conditions. L3 MAS has announced that it has been awarded two contracts to provide in-service support services for international F/A-18 fleet operators. RUAG Aviation recently awarded L3 MAS a contract for the provision of preventive modifications for high-priority structural locations on the inner wings of the Swiss Air Force F/A-18 aircraft fleet. These modifications are part of the Structural Refurbishment Program, as part of the strategy to ensure their F/A-18 fleet safely reaches its planned life objective. L3 MAS was also selected by Mississippi-based Vertex Aerospace LLC to perform depot-level modifications and repairs on three NASA F/A-18 aircraft based out of the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. L3 MAS will conduct all on- aircraft work at its Mirabel facility. Seaspan Shipyards has awarded BluMetric Environmental Inc. of Ottawa a contract valued at more than $4.16 million for work on the Royal Canadian Navy's new Joint Support Ships. BluMetric represents one of more than 60 Ontario suppliers that Seaspan is working with to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the company noted. BluMetric is providing Shipboard Reverse Osmosis Desalination (SROD) Water Purification Systems for the new supply ships. BluMetric's SROD water purification systems are designed to bring cutting edge desalination technologies to naval vessels, resulting in significant fleet energy savings while almost doubling output, Seaspan pointed out. In addition to being selected to provide new SROD units, BluMetric will also provide harbour acceptance trials and sea acceptance trials. As a result of its work under the shipbuilding strategy, Seaspan has developed nearly $650 million in committed contracts with approximately 520 Canadian companies. In the meantime, Seaspan Corporation also announced that Torsten Holst Pedersen and H. Theodore (“Ted”) Chang have been appointed to its executive team. Pedersen will be joining as Executive Vice-President, Ship Management and Chang will be joining as General Counsel. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/updates-on-defence-and-aerospace-industry-contracts
-
December 7, 2018 | Local, Aerospace
Feds to move military aircraft testing from Alberta to Ottawa, but Cold Lake politicians say they're in the dark
David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen and Tyler Dawson DND officials said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. 'It's totally not true,' said local MP David Yurdiga The federal government will create a new centre of excellence in Ottawa to support aircraft testing, but it will come at the cost of relocating staff and shutting down existing military facilities in Alberta. The move 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. The move would affect almost one-third of the unit, which employs 166 military personnel and 22 public servants. The remaining two-thirds would be reassigned to other air force functions, said Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. Moving AETE will save $14 million a year and free up space for the arrival of more fighter jets at Cold Lake. Canada is in the process of purchasing used fighter aircraft from Australia and the federal government has committed to buying 88 new jets to replace the existing fleet of CF-18s. “This partnership will streamline our flight testing and evaluation capability, while ensuring sufficient space is available for the arrival of additional fighter aircraft in Cold Lake,” Le Bouthillier said. The move, however, is not sitting well with local politicians. David Yurdiga, the Conservative MP for the area, said he'd heard about the move on Monday when it was raised at the House Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts. DND officials briefing the committee said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. “It's totally not true,” said Yurdiga. Craig Copeland, the mayor of Cold Lake, said the city hasn't yet received a briefing from officials in Ottawa. “It's been sort of verbally mentioned over the years that there would be a re-org,” he explained. “We're hoping to get somebody to brief us.” Details about the exact number of jobs that will be moved from Alberta are still not clear. It is not known how many of the air force personnel who will be reassigned to new jobs would continue to operate from Cold Lake. Yurdiga said the loss of jobs would hit the community hard but he added that defence minister Harjit Sajjan had assured him there would be a “net benefit” to the community. “Cold Lake can't afford to lose even one position,” Yurdiga said. “There are so many unanswered questions and uncertainty is what the community is facing,” he added. Copeland said he had heard an estimate of 50 jobs being lost. That would be a real blow to the area, already suffering from depressed oil prices, and with a home foreclosure rate, he said, of around 10 per cent. “That is concerning to me,” Copeland said. “On the one hand it's tough to see people leave our community but on the other hands, we are hopeful — and expecting — that the Canadian military's going to be investing (locally) for the new fighter jet program.” AETE currently occupies the second-largest and newest hangar at Cold Lake, which will be repurposed for other air force needs, including the new fighter program. The final details of the move are still being worked on, including costs, Le Bouthillier said. DND is in ongoing discussions with the Ottawa International Airport Authority regarding the location of the new centre, he added. The costs for relocating AETE are included in the $470 million the Liberal government has set aside for buying the used Australian F-18 fighter jets, and would not take place before summer 2021. The Cold Lake location was primarily selected for AETE because of the large evaluation range nearby and its favourable climate for flight testing. AETE employs test pilots, flight test engineers, qualified systems evaluators, specialist engineers, and technologists. Postmedia first revealed the proposal to move AETE in April 2016. The plan first started under the Conservative government but the Liberals continued with the relocation initiative. At the time the Canadian Forces said it would still use the bombing ranges associated with the Cold Lake installation but other test work could be moved. At the time, the military told defence industry representatives the remote Cold Lake location made it challenging to attract or retain people and that relocating could save money. https://nationalpost.com/news/so-many-unanswered-questions-feds-to-move-military-aircraft-testing-from-alberta-to-ottawa-but-locals-say-theyre-in-the-dark