Peter MacKay: The urgent need to fix Canada's military — and how to do it

On the same subject

• 

  March 7, 2022 | Local, Aerospace

  IDEaS Upcoming Opportunities | IDÉeS Opportunités à venir

  Le français suit Sandbox CUAS Detect and/or Defeat Challenge is closing soon! The closing date for the Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) 2022 Sandbox challenge is fast approaching! Don't miss your opportunity to bring your ‘A' game and demonstrate how your solution can detect and/or defeat our team of drones. Get your technology at the forefront where you will interact one-on-one with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP end-users and science experts. Submit your application prior to 2 PM on April 13, 2022. Heads-up: new IDEaS challenges coming your way! Spring is upon us and the IDEaS program will soon be offering a breath of fresh air to its innovators. The Contests element will be launching a new challenge called Robot Round-up: Advanced robotics platforms and solutions. This next challenge invites the masterminds of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence domain to go head-to-head for a chance to win cash and bragging rights. Stay tuned for more information and timelines. Incoming! Competitive Projects will launch new challenges this spring. Keep your ears to the ground to find out what we have in store for our Canadian Innovators in this new call for proposals. Domains will include C4ISR, the arctic and Space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance SB-ISR. Embark on a journey to take your technology to new heights through our Competitive Projects element. Seize your chance to work with the US Department of Defense The Defense Innovation Unit operated by the United States' Department of Defense (DoD) is inviting Canadian Innovators to submit their commercial solutions to help solve national security challenges. View their open solicitations now: Endpoint Accuracy: The DoD is seeking technology that will deflect or self-aim a standard issue round to its target. This technology will augment the system to increase accuracy against targets selected by the shooter. System characteristics include: software compatibility with small arms fire control systems; standardized interfacing for fire control flexibility; improved accuracy; and shortened time of engagement through the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA) process. Closes March 11, 2022. Autonomous Perimeter Security: The DoD is seeking to prototype an automated system of networked, collaborative sensors that can detect, track and identify potential intruders for perimeters in environments including forests, urban areas, coastlines, rivers and harbors. Closes March 14, 2022. L'Environnement protégé du défi Détecter et/ou Vaincre les systèmes aériens sans pilotes (CUAS) fermera bientôt ! La date de clôture de l'environnement protégé des systèmes aériens sans pilote (CUAS) 2022 approche à grands pas ! Ne manquez pas votre chance de démontrer comment votre solution peut détecter et/ou vaincre notre équipe de drones. Mettez votre technologie au premier rang où vous interagirez avec les utilisateurs et les experts scientifiques des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) et de la GRC. Soumettez votre candidature avant 14 h 00 le 13 avril 2022. Attention : de nouveaux défis IDEeS arrivent ! Le printemps est à nos portes et le programme IDEeS offrira bientôt une bouffée d'air frais à ses innovateurs. L'élément Concours lancera un nouveau défi appelé Foules robots : Plates-formes et solutions de commande robotique avancées. Ce prochain défi invite les cerveaux du domaine de la robotique et de l'intelligence artificielle (IA) à s'affronter pour tenter de gagner des prix et des droits de célébrer. Restez à l'écoute pour plus d'informations. Nouveauté ! Les Projets compétitifs lanceront de nouveaux défis ce printemps. Restez à l'écoute pour découvrir ce que nous réservons à nos innovateurs canadiens dans ce nouvel appel de propositions. Les domaines comprendront le C4ISR, l'Arctique et le renseignement spatial, la surveillance et la reconnaissance SB-ISR. Amener votre technologie vers de nouveaux sommets gr'ce à notre élément Projets compétitifs. Saisissez votre chance de travailler avec le département américain de la Défense Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) gérée par le Department of Defence (DoD) des États-Unis invite les innovateurs canadiens à soumettre leurs solutions commerciales pour aider à résoudre des problèmes de sécurité nationale. Consultez leurs sollicitations ouvertes maintenant : Précision des points finaux (en Anglais seulement) : le DoD recherche une technologie capable de faire dévier ou de viser automatiquement une balle standard vers sa cible. Cette technologie augmentera le système pour accroitre la précision contre les cibles sélectionnées par le tireur. Les caractéristiques du système comprennent : la compatibilité logicielle avec les systèmes de contrôle de tir des armes légères ; interface standardisée pour la flexibilité du contrôle de tir ; précision améliorée; et raccourcissement du temps d'engagement gr'ce au processus Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA). Fermeture le 11 mars 2022. Sécurité périmétrique autonome (en Anglais seulement) : le DoD cherche à prototyper un système automatisé de capteurs collaboratifs en réseau capables de détecter, de suivre et d'identifier les intrus potentiels pour les périmètres dans des environnements tels que les forêts, les zones urbaines, les côtes, les rivières et les ports. Fermeture le 14 mars 2022.

• 

  October 5, 2022 | Local, Other Defence

  Defence spending in the Arctic must also benefit the Inuit, says senator

  A group of senators is currently touring the Far North as part of a fact-finding mission.

• 

  November 22, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Major defence procurements and Phoenix pay fiasco will keep rookie MP busy

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Rookie MP Anita Anand was named to one of the federal government's toughest portfolios on Wednesday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rearranged his cabinet. Anand, a lawyer, takes over as Minister of Public Services and Procurement, replacing Carla Qualtrough, who became Minister of Employment and Workforce Development. Anand was elected in the October federal election to represent the riding of Oakville. She was a law professor at the University of Toronto specializing in corporate governance and shareholder rights. Anand will have a busy portfolio dealing with the ongoing Phoenix pay fiasco as well as high profile defence procurements such as the acquisition of a new fighter jet fleet as well as the Canadian Surface Combatant program. The fighter jet project is estimated to cost taxpayers up to $19 billion and bids are expected by the end of March. The surface combatant project is estimated to cost between $60 billion and $65 billion. Her background in corporate governance could come in handy as she tries to navigate these two key programs. Other major defence projects that Anand will have to deal with include shipbuilding programs like the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and the Joint Support Ships, both for the Royal Canadian Navy, as well as new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. Anand will also have to be briefed on the way ahead for the selection of a third shipyard to contribute vessels to the national shipbuilding strategy. Davie Shipbuilding in Levis, Que. is seen as a frontrunner in that competition but an Ontario shipyard is also interested. The Liberals also promised to create a defence procurement agency as part of efforts to improve the purchasing of military equipment so it is expected that Anand will play a key role in the creation of that new organization. The Liberals, however, had said very little about the procurement agency since mentioning it during the election campaign and details about how it would be set up haven't been provided. Other faces in the cabinet announced Wednesday will be familiar to those involved in defence and veterans affairs. Harjit Sajjan remains as Minister of National Defence. Sajjan, who was first appointed defence minister in the fall of 2015, has earned mixed reviews for his performance. But he provides Trudeau with an experienced minister who won't have to be brought up to speed on the defence portfolio. Navdeep Singh Bains continues on as Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Lawrence MacAulay returns as the Veterans Affairs Minister. Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan, who was first elected in 2015, was named as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. Although that is seen as a promotion for Jordan, she has experience in the portfolio as she has served as chair of the Commons' fisheries and oceans committee. The coast guard is expected to receive new vessels, including icebreakers. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/major-defence-procurements-and-phoenix-pay-fiasco-will-keep-rookie-mp-busy