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  September 14, 2021 | Local, C4ISR

  German company to replace HF receivers used by Canadian armed forces.

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  December 26, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Canadians won't be allowed to work on portions of new Canadian spy planes because of U.S. security regulations

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Canadians won't be allowed to work on parts of the country's new surveillance aircraft because they contain sensitive American-made equipment that can only be handled by U.S. citizens. Maintenance of the equipment, installed in new planes that will be operated by Canadian special forces, will be off-limits both to Canadian military personnel and Canadian aerospace workers. Instead, the gear or the aircraft will have to be sent to the U.S. for maintenance or U.S. government staff will have to travel to Canada to work on the planes. The equipment is subject to strict U.S. security regulations. Canadian special forces are to receive three surveillance aircraft from the U.S. government. The planes are expected to arrive in spring 2022. The Beechcraft King Air planes, to be based at CFB Trenton, will be outfitted with sensors and equipment to intercept cellphone and other electronic transmissions, and track individuals and vehicles on the ground. Canadian special forces and, potentially, other federal government departments and the RCMP will use the aircraft for missions overseas and in Canada. Canada is paying the U.S. government $188 million for the aircraft. The overall value of the project is estimated to be $247 million. The funding includes the acquisition of the aircraft and prime mission equipment from the U.S., and an initial portion of the associated in-service support of the planes. The main contractor is Beechcraft in Wichita, Kan. The maintenance plan for the sensitive equipment that only Americans can work on has yet to be put in place, but the Canadian military is hoping it won't disrupt aircraft operations too much. “Arrangements for the maintenance of certain specialized equipment are not yet in-place; therefore, details and costs are not known at this time,” Public Services and Procurement Canada spokeswoman Stéfanie Hamel noted in an email. “However, Canada will ensure the sustainment strategy supports continued operations while maintenance is underway.” The government has not provided details on what parts of the aircraft are covered by the U.S. security regulations. Another in-service support contract, for the aircraft themselves and related mechanical equipment, will also be put in place. Canadians will be able to do that work. A request for proposals from Canadian firms for that work is expected to be issued in January or February. The contract would cover maintenance and support over a 20-year period. Canadian aerospace firms had originally wanted to provide the aircraft and on-board equipment, and in 2013 a number of companies responded when the federal government initially outlined its need for such planes. But the Canadian military decided it needed the planes more quickly than they believed Canadian companies could deliver. The military was also concerned there could be delays if the on-board sensor equipment used was subject to U.S. security regulations. The Canadian companies, however, felt they could meet the military's needs with Canadian-made equipment that wouldn't be covered by U.S. regulations, allowing Canada more flexibility. But the Canadian government instead opted for the American-made solution, which had also been used by Canadian special forces in Afghanistan. The agreement for the aircraft was finalized on April 26, 2019 with the U.S. government. Canadian special forces personnel recently trained with similar surveillance aircraft operated by the U.S. In mid-November members of 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, both based in Petawawa, conducted an exercise supported by one of the American aircraft. The U.S. plane operated from the Ottawa airport, and flights occurred between Petawawa and Mansfield-et-Pontefract, Que., according to Canadian special forces. “The intent was to conduct a training and needs assessment to ensure the appropriate personnel are trained and equipped to support the arrival of three Beechcraft King Air 350ER as part of the command's Manned Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance project,” Maj. Amber Bineau, spokesperson for Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, said in an email. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadians-wont-be-allowed-to-work-on-portions-of-new-canadian-spy-planes-because-of-u-s-security-regulations

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  June 10, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  IDEaS Updates: COVID-19 challenges information session (webinar), First $1M Competitive Project completed, Pop-up City Contest Round 2

  Responding to COVID-19: Register for the information webinar now IDEaS has mobilized its innovator network to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to advance technologies to meet the challenges faced by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Our recently released COVID-19 challenges will bring short and medium term impacts by providing innovative solutions that protect front line workers and help to trace the virus. We will be hosting a French and English webinars on June 11 at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm EDT respectively to answer questions about the application process and any technical questions. Register now: https://www.ideasreg.com Reminder that the deadline to apply for the current COVID-19 challenges is June 23, 2020. Also stay-tuned to our website and subscriber list as we are already preparing to release our next COVID-19 challenge soon. IDEaS-funded $1M Cyber Attribution project completes and moves to the next step IDEaS is happy to announce the first $1M Competitive Projects graduate from our 1st Call for Proposals. The Ottawa, Ontario and Fredericton, New Brunswick based Sapper Labs, in partnership with American-based cyber security firm Root9B, owns the distinction of being the first company to complete its IDEaS-funded project on Cyber Attribution. This project brings forward an innovative solution that will help identify malicious actors in cyberspace and is now being considered for the latest IDEaS element for advanced solutions called Test Drives, which tests technology in a real world environment. Congratulations to Sapper Labs and look for more updates in the coming months as more solutions from our 1st Call for Proposals are completed. Pop-Up City Contest Update – Integrated waste, water, and energy management solution for deployed camps Due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures, the IDEaS team was successful in pivoting the Contest Partnering Event to an online forum. As part of Round 2, 42 participants from the three technical domains (waste, water and energy) are being given the opportunity to partner in a virtual environment and submit by September 15, 2020, an integrated system proposal. Up to 10 proposals will be selected to receive a $50,000 grant and continue to Round 3 for pitch and prototype development. The 10 remaining Contest teams will be vying for one of the three $1.5M contributions to develop their prototype. The team with the best prototype will be eligible for a grand prize of $2M. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/defence-ideas/current-opportunities/contest-pop-up-city.html The IDEaS Team