DSEI 2021: Lockheed Martin awaits verdicts on bids as it reiterates flight cost success for F-35

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  November 5, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  QinetiQ Target Systems and Canadian UAVs Sign MOU for Commercial and Military UAV Services in Canada

  CALGARY, Nov. 5, 2018 /CNW/ - QinetiQ Target Systems, the largest UAV manufacturer in Canada, and Canadian UAVs (CUAVs), Canada's leading unmanned aviation solutions provider for enterprise and military applications, is proud to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), outlining how the two companies will work together to bring combined 'best of breed' solutions for military and commercial markets. The agreement focuses on providing services to clients requiring long range, endurance and payload capacity primarily with the Skeldar V200, Mosquito UHV-T Group 2 UAV and the class 1 UAV Snyper. With manufacturing and operations facilities in Medicine Hat and Calgary as well as satellite locations across the country including at major naval bases on both coasts, the partnership is perfectly placed to provide direct services for both the commercial, civil and military markets in Canada. "We are thrilled to partner with CUAVs. CUAVs provide outstanding UAV services and expertise, and we are confident that this partnership will meet and exceed the requirements of our existing and new UAV clients in Canada. We are also actively pursuing export opportunities to further leverage our joint capabilities", commented Vincent Malley, Director of Business Development at QinetiQ Target Systems. "Canadian UAVs is delighted to be working closely with QinetiQ Target Systems. They have been a UAV provider to the military for over three decades and we believe our current and future clients will benefit greatly from our comprehensive combined capacity and expertise. We are very excited for the future of unmanned aviation in Canadaand we believe this joint offering will have significant positive implications for the further advance of this industry." said Sean Greenwood, President, and CEO of Canadian UAVs". Notes for Editors: About QinetiQ Listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: QQ.L), QinetiQ is a leading science and engineering company operating primarily in the defence, security and aerospace markets. Our customers are predominantly government organisations including defence departments, as well as international customers in other targeted sectors. Visit our website www.QinetiQ.com Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @QinetiQ Consult our privacy policy About Canadian UAVs Canadian UAVs is a Calgary-based solutions provider focused on safety-first data acquisition for unmanned aerial vehicle applications. CUAVs provides a range of custom and innovative UAV solutions for industrial environments where advanced imaging is necessary for surveying on an iterative or fixed point basis. Using advanced technology to monitor and acquire data about industrial assets, the company provides a viable advantage for clients and enterprises seeking to mitigate risk. SOURCE Canadian UAVS For further information: Please contact, QinetiQ Press Office on Tel: +44 (0) 1252 39 3500 or email: PressOffice@QinetiQ.com; Contact: Sean Greenwood (403) 796-5102 or visit our website: http://CanadianUAVs.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/qinetiq-target-systems-and-canadian-uavs-sign-memorandum-of-understanding-for-commercial-and-military-uav-services-in-canada-699634171.html

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  October 27, 2020 | Local, C4ISR, Other Defence

  Bombardier Recreational Products suspends delivery of aircraft engines used on military drones

  Canadian company says it only recently became aware the engines were powering military UAVs Levon Sevunts Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) says it has suspended the delivery of aircraft engines to "countries with unclear usage" in the wake of reports that some of those engines are being used on Turkish combat drones deployed by Azerbaijan in fighting against Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Quebec-based company — better known for its Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles — said it became aware late last week that some of the recreational aircraft engines produced by its Austrian subsidiary, Rotax, are being used on Turkish Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). "We have recently been made aware that some Rotax engines are currently used in military UAVs, and have started a thorough investigation immediately," Martin Langelier, BPR's senior vice president and the company's spokesperson, told Radio Canada International in an email statement. "In the meantime, we are suspending delivery of aircraft engines in countries with unclear usage." Export controls and 'civilian' tech Langelier said that all Rotax aircraft engines are designed and produced in Austria exclusively for civilian purposes and are certified for civilian use only. Canada suspended most exports of defence technology to Turkey in October of 2019 following the Turkish invasion of northwestern Syria. Michel Cimpaye, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, said exports of items on the country's Export Control List require a permit only when exported from Canada. Controlled goods and technology exported from another country, however, are subject to the export controls of that country, Cimpaye added. Gabriele Juen, a spokesperson for the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Rotax engines are used in various motorsports and drones could be used "for a multitude of solely civilian purposes." "The European Union Control List of Dual Use Items does not list the drone engine in question as a dual use good item," Juen said. "As a consequence, no approval permit is required under Austrian legislation that regulates the export of defence-related goods." A loophole in arms control regimes Kelsey Gallagher is a researcher with the disarmament group Project Ploughshares who has studied Canadian exports of drone technology to Turkey. Gallagher said the matter of BRP recreational aircraft engines ending up on Turkish combat drones exposes a serious flaw in international arms control regimes. "I think this speaks to the fact that components such as engines should more frequently fall under regulations that we see for what we deem to be more conventional weapons," he said. "Frequently, engines are not controlled as weapons systems even though they are integral, like other components, to the operation of a vehicle." The Bayraktar TB2 drones also feature optical sensors and target designation systems produced by L3 Harris WESCAM in Burlington, Ont. On Monday, defence officials in Armenia displayed what they claimed are parts of a Bayraktar TB2 drone and its Canadian-made optical and target acquisition systems, as well as its Rotax engine. A spokesperson for the Armenian Ministry of Defence said another Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone was shot down by Armenian air defence units during fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh on Thursday. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on countries that supply components for the Turkish drone program to follow Canada's example and suspend all exports of such components to Turkey. Fighting in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, which is populated by ethnic Armenians, began on Sept. 27. It's the most significant outburst of violence since a Russian-brokered ceasefire paused hostilities in 1994. Armenia has repeatedly accused Turkey of supplying Azerbaijan with arms — including drones and F-16 fighter jets — as well as military advisers and jihadist Syrian mercenaries taking part in the fighting. Armenian officials also have accused Azerbaijan of using the Turkish drones to not only target military forces but also to conduct strikes against civilian infrastructure across Nagorno-Karabakh and in Armenia proper. Turkey and Azerbaijan have denied these reports. The Turkish embassy did not respond to a request for comment Officials at Global Affairs Canada said they are investigating allegations regarding the possible use of Canadian technology in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and "will continue to assess the situation." Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne suspended the export permits for WESCAM optical sensors and target acquisition systems on Oct. 6. However, senior Global Affairs officials speaking at Thursday's briefing for MPs on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh could not explain why an exemption was made for these exports in the first place, given the embargo announced in 2019 and renewed in April of this year. Appearing before the standing committee on foreign affairs and international development, Shalini Anand, acting director general for export controls at Global Affairs Canada, said she could not discuss the issue of the permits because of "commercial confidentiality." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau specifically discussed the issue of WESCAM exports to Turkey with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a phone conversation in April, according to sources who spoke with Radio Canada International on condition of anonymity. The issue was discussed again during their phone conversation on Oct. 16, according to the Prime Minister's Office. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/turkey-armenia-azerbaijan-drones-bombardier-1.5775350

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  November 11, 2019 | Local, Land

  Ukraine buys Canadian sniper rifles – delivery expected soon

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Sniper rifles from PGW Defence Technologies of Winnipeg will be arriving soon in Ukraine. The company, with support of Global Affairs Canada, sold 50 LRT-3 sniper rifles to Ukraine's military, according to the Canadian Forces. Ukrainian government officials say the rifles are expected in the country very soon. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar said in an interview with Ukrinform, the country's national news agency, that he believes the sniper rifle deal “will open the door to expanding the range of cooperation” between Ukraine and Canada on military equipment. Ukraine is also seeking armoured vehicles and other equipment from Canada. Canadian Forces personnel are working with Ukrainian snipers predominantly through a basic sniper course. They are mainly developing the Ukrainian instructors, but do provide some mentorship to the students, noted Canadian Forces spokesperson Capt. Leah Campbell. This is basically through watching and providing feedback to the students, she added. “Weapons that the students are using are provided or purchased by the Ukrainian Government,” explained Campbell in an email. “CAF personnel are not currently working with LRT-3 .50 caliber rifle. However, we are always responsive to our Ukrainian partners training needs and can adjust as appropriate.” In December 2017, the House of Commons defence committee recommended the government provide weapons to Ukraine, provided it demonstrates it is working to eliminate corruption at all levels of government. Senior officials from Ukraine's ministry of defence told the defence committee they would welcome arms from Canada, including anti-tank weapons. They told the committee that the Ukrainian military's sniper equipment was obsolete. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/ukraine-buys-canadian-sniper-rifles-delivery-expected-soon