December 31, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

New fighter jets ‘can’t arrive quickly enough,’ Canada’s top military commander says

OTTAWA—A new fighter jet “can't arrive quickly enough” for Canada's Air Force as it deals with aging CF-18s that are approaching the end of their useful life, the country's top military commander says.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, acknowledged that an old fighter and personnel shortages present challenges for the Air Force.

“The F-18 is clearly an aircraft that is one that is coming to the end of its useful life. But it's not at the end,” Vance told the Star in a year-end interview.

“I'm real keen to get the future fighter in place as quickly as possible. Until then we've got the F-18. We're going to have to invest in it to ensure that our aircrew, the RCAF, can continue to ... protect Canada and Canadians and be valued in operations,” he said.

A recent report by the federal auditor general's office put the challenges facing the Air Force into stark focus with its findings that the CF-18s, first delivered in 1982, are increasingly obsolete. But more critically, the report said the bigger challenge was a shortage of technicians to maintain the 76 existing jets and pilots to fly them.

Vance said the military is moving to address its personnel shortages. On the pilot front, the problem isn't attracting new recruits, he said. It's training them and then keeping them in uniform at a time when civilian airlines are dangling the promise of big paycheques and better quality of life.

“I'm not going to lie to you. It's not going to be easy,” Vance said.

“There's no way we're ever going to be able to compete with private industry. We never have. You don't join the military for the paycheque,” he said.

But he said the Air Force is considering a number of measures, from better compensation and benefits to addressing complaints about postings and desk jobs that contribute to drive pilots from the ranks.

Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger, RCAF commander, told the Commons public accounts committee in December that pilots quit because of family challenges, tempo of operations, work-life balance and geographic postings.

“My assessment is that it's going to take us approximately five to seven years to grow the crew force. Again, a lot of the considerations are in the future. We have to stave off the attrition we're experiencing today. We're getting at that as a priority in terms of some of the retention ideas we have,” Meinzinger told the committee.

A tortured procurement stretching over several governments, with several false starts, has delayed the purchase of new fighters, leaving the Air Force with the CF-18s, which require 24 hours of maintenance for every hour they fly.

Jody Thomas, the deputy minister of defence, told the Commons public accounts committee in December the government now expects to release a request for proposals next spring with bids submitted in 2020 and a contract award in 2022.

Under that timeline, deliveries of 88 new fighters would occur between 2025 and 2032. “We expect to achieve initial operating capability by 2026 with nine advanced fighters ready to fulfil the NORAD mission,” Thomas said.

That still means the CF-18s have to remain airworthy and combat capable for up to 12 more years to help bridge the transition, a tall order for jets that are already three decades old.

To help augment the fleet and spread the flying hours, the federal government has purchased 18 used F-18s from Australia. The first of those aircraft is expected to arrive late winter. They will require maintenance checks and some upgrades to make them compatible with existing fleet.

National Defence expects to spend almost $3 billion to extend the life of its current fleet and to buy, operate and maintain the interim aircraft.

The auditor general's report noted the CF-18 has not undergone any significant upgrade to its combat capabilities since 2008. That's because the Air Force thought they would be replaced.

Now, analysis is underway on how best to upgrade some of the CF-18s as early as 2020 in the areas of sensors, weapons, self-protection and mission support capabilities.

“Those capability upgrades are sufficient ... to keep the aircraft at an acceptable level of combat capability until the future fleet arrives,” Vance said.

Bruce Campion-Smith is an Ottawa-based reporter covering national politics. Follow him on Twitter: @yowflier

https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2018/12/21/new-fighter-jets-cant-arrive-quickly-enough-canadas-top-military-commander-says.html

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August 27, 2020 | Local, Naval

Royal Canadian Navy Adopts More Inclusive Rank Designation
August 27, 2020 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is continuing to work to create a more inclusive environment within the workplaces, whether that is at sea or at home. Following survey with over 18,000 respondents, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has chosen a new English rank designation for its junior ranks that will result in more gender-neutral terms than the current titles, which are not reflective of the modern, progressive Service that is the RCN today. The RCN's junior ranks will soon be known as Sailor Third Class (formerly Ordinary Seaman), Sailor Second Class (formerly Able Seaman), Sailor First Class (formerly Leading Seaman), and Master Sailor (formerly Master Seaman). These changes help retain the history of these roles and aligns the English rank designation with the existing ranks in French. These new rank designations will be effective upon the issuance of a CANFORGEN in early September. At that point, the junior ranks will begin referring to shipmates using the new rank designations. By ensuring that the RCN continues to be an accepting and inclusive organization, we can demonstrate to Canadians that we uphold the values they hold as the RCN continues to protect them, both at home and abroad. Social Media @RoyalCanNavy @MarineRoyaleCan @CRCN.CMRC Quotes “By adopting gender neutral designation for junior members of the Royal Canadian Navy, we demonstrate to all Canadians that the Canadian Armed Forces will welcome anybody who wants to serve their country and uphold the values of inclusion and diversity. We will continue to work to build a diverse force that is representative of the Canadians they protect.” - The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence “The Royal Canadian Navy, our senior service, continues to adapt to better reflect Canadian society. Today's announcement of changes to junior ranks nomenclature is just one example of how we continue to work to remove barriers to a more inclusive Canadian Armed Forces.” - General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff “The Defence Team is delighted to hear that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has changed the rank names of the most junior sailors for more gender inclusive rank names. This initiative is another important step for all members of our Defence family members to be recognized and proudly serve in the RCN.” - Jody Thomas, Deputy Minister of National Defence “The Royal Canadian Navy has profited immensely from the dialogue regarding the rank change initiative this summer. We emerge from it with a greater insight into who we are, including the sobering reality that we all need to do more – individually and collectively – to be diverse, inclusive, and welcoming. More positively, we can now take satisfaction in knowing that through this initiative we have taken another important and far from symbolic incremental step in ensuring that the RCN remains the modern Service that all shipmates deserve – indeed, that our nation deserves.” - Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Royal Canadian Navy Quick facts In an effort to ensure that this new rank designation reflects the thoughts and ideals of the Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadians, a survey was completed internally and externally, the results of which helped to inform decision making for this new designation. The decision for the new rank designation was shaped by the clear preference of the junior ranks for sailor classes. Further, this new English designation aligns with the existing designations in French. This rank change represents an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to be an inclusive, diverse, gender-neutral, welcoming and safe organization. Diversity and inclusion are viewed as a source of strength and flexibility, and play a pivotal role in making the RCN a modern, forward-looking organization. To achieve that objective, the RCN is committed to increasing diversity and promoting inclusiveness amongst its personnel. Associated links Royal Canadian Navy Contacts Media Relations Department of National Defence Phone: 613-904-3333 Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/08/royal-canadian-navy-adopts-more-inclusive-rank-designation.html
September 14, 2022 | Local, Aerospace

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May 8, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

U.S. government again urges Canada to acquire American fighter jets, despite Pentagon threats
DANIEL LEBLANC The American government is once again urging Canada to acquire U.S.-built fighter jets to replace its fleet of CF-18s, one day after it emerged the Pentagon recently threatened to pull the F-35 out of the $26-billion competition for new aircraft. The contradictory messages from the U.S. government showcase how the Americans are trying to prevent a tendering process that would favour European manufacturers at the expense of either the Lockheed Martin F-35 or the Boeing Super Hornet. The Canadian government is weeks away from launching a competition for 88 new fighter jets, with the two American firms set to enter into a competition against the Swedish Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is built by a consortium that includes Airbus. In a statement on Tuesday, the American government called on Canada to make sure its fighter jets can operate alongside U.S. military aircraft around the world. The “crucial” point, according to the American government, is Canada's participation in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) that controls the Canadian and American airspace. Only U.S.-built fighter jets currently operate in NORAD and European aircraft would face technological hurdles in gaining the ability to fully integrate into the bi-national military alliance. “We continue to believe in the importance of NATO and NORAD interoperability as a crucial component of Canada's acquisition of defence assets,” said Joseph Crook, a spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Ottawa. Mr. Crook added the American government remains “hopeful that U.S. firms are able to participate in open and transparent competition processes that can support Canada's NATO and NORAD obligations, especially when it comes to co-operative engagement capabilities.” On Monday, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute published letters from American officials who warned their Canadian counterparts last year that the F-35 might be pulled from the competition unless Canada's requirements for industrial benefits were modified. The American government is concerned about Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) policy, which requires the winner of the contract to invest the equivalent of the acquisition cost in Canada. Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is a stealth aircraft developed by an international consortium of allied militaries under a program that specifically rejects the application of traditional industrial benefits. Canada has been a member of the program since 2006. In an interview after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said he has sought to reassure the Americans by pointing out that the Canadian government will focus mostly on technical capabilities in deciding which aircraft to purchase. “First of all, the capabilities of the aircraft is the number one priority. Making sure we meet the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces – the Air Force in this particular case – is the number one priority. We will always make sure that will happen,” Mr. Sajjan said. He added that obtaining benefits for the Canadian economy is also important, while suggesting the matter will have less importance in the final weighting of the bids. “This obviously factors into the equation, but the capability requirements for the Canadian Armed Forces is always the number one priority,” he said. In a speech laying out his foreign-affairs policy on Tuesday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said he will seek to modernize the NORAD alliance if his party forms the next government, including through the purchase of fighter jets that can defend North America alongside the U.S. fleet. “I will act to select a new fighter jet through an open competition and make sure the new jets are interoperable with our American allies,” Mr. Scheer said. Vice-Admiral Mathias Winter of the U.S. Navy said in a letter last December that Canada has received US$1.3-billion in economic benefits from its participation in the F-35 program to this point. “The F-35 supplier team will submit an F-35 offer only if (1) the ITB requirement is waived entirely and (2) there is no future ITB obligation arising from selecting the F-35,” Vice-Adm. Winter said in his letter. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-us-government-urges-canada-to-acquire-american-fighter-jets-in-2/

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New fighter jets ‘can’t arrive quickly enough,’ Canada’s top military commander says

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Eye in the sky: Diamond Aircraft's DA62 MPP special mission platform - Skies Mag
Diamond Aircraft’s special mission flagship, the DA62 MPP, is proving that a light fixed-wing aircraft is ideal for surveillance missions, thanks to the aircraft’s cost-effectiveness and increased capability.