RCAF Cormorant airframe to be 'identical' to Norwegian AW101-612; some avionics will differ

On the same subject

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  January 17, 2019 | Local, Land

  Government completes new armoury at Saint-Hubert Garrison

  January 16, 2019 – Saint-Hubert, Quebec – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces As outlined in Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is investing in Defence infrastructure to provide our military personnel with modern, functional, and green facilities in which to work and train. Today, Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan and Parliamentary Secretary to the Defence Minister Serge Cormier, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new armoury at the Saint-Hubert Garrison. The project represents a $50-million investment in Reserve infrastructure and provided economic benefits for the local community, creating 230 jobs during construction. The centralized 8,824-m2 facility will co-locate multiple Reserve units and provide personnel with modern administrative spaces, training rooms, an advanced weapons simulator, vehicle and equipment storage areas, common mess facilities, and a fitness centre. Work continues on the renovation of an existing building, as well as the demolition of an aging and obsolete hanger. Quotes “Through our defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, our government is expanding our Reserve Force, modernizing Defence infrastructure, and taking care of the future training and operational needs of our people. I am proud that we are delivering on the new Saint-Hubert Armoury, a green and modern facility which will support the future success of Canada's Reserve Force in the Montreal South Shore area.” Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister “This new facility is a great example of the investments National Defence is making in green infrastructure across Canada. Greening Defence infrastructure will help us use less energy, lower our greenhouse gas emissions, and build a cleaner, healthier, more affordable future that we can be proud to leave our children.” Serge Cormier, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence “Garrison Saint-Hubert is an integral part of the Montreal South Shore community. This kind of investment in Defence infrastructure provides economic opportunities for the region and supports our Reservists by providing them with new facilities in their communities.” Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors Quick facts The new and renovated facilities will be used by a number of Reserve Force units, including Le Régiment de Maisonneuve, 34 Service Battalion, 41 Military Police Platoon, and the 34 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters in the greater Montreal region. A $25-million contract was awarded to Laval-based Groupe Geyser Inc. for this construction project. The $2.6-million design contract was awarded to Birtz Bastien Beaudoin Laforest, and Stantec. The total project value of $50 million included construction, design fees, contract management, communications, furnishings and landscaping. Completed in December 2018, the new armoury was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standards. It will help Defence reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings and non-military vehicles by 40 percent (from 2005 levels) by 2030, and support the new federal emissions reduction target of 80 percent by 2050. Associated links 2nd Canadian Division - Quebec 34th Canadian Brigade Group Defence Energy and Environment Strategy https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2019/01/government-completes-new-armoury-at-saint-hubert-garrison.html

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  April 25, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Lack of expert procurement staff could hinder Canadian Forces drone purchase

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Department of National Defence has updated details about its key ongoing defence procurements. I have written an article on that update which can be viewed at the National Post website: https://nationalpost.com/news/government-expects-to-award-contract-for-new-fighter-jet-fleet-in-2022-but-admits-it-could-face-delays The article notes the DND warning about issues that could affect the proposed purchase of a fleet of uninhabited aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones. The DND update warned that there might not be enough procurement staff with the required expertise to move that program forward on schedule. The department hopes to deal with the problem by hiring contractors. A draft invitation to qualify for that project was released April 5 and a contact is expected to be awarded in 2022, the update pointed out. The lack of staff has been an ongoing issue for the UAV program but in other ways. In May 2010 I reported The Canadian Force's plan to buy pilotless aircraft to conduct surveillance off the country's coasts, in the Arctic and on overseas missions had fallen behind schedule because the military doesn't have enough people to fly the drones. While the UAVs don't carry pilots, they still require an operator on the ground to fly the craft. Staff are also needed to maintain the equipment and to prepare them for flight. But at the time the air force was having difficulty finding enough people for a new unit that would be needed to operate the UAVs. Then called the Joint UAV Surveillance and Target Acquisition System or JUSTAS, there had been a number of plans for the acquisition. One of the earlier ones involved a request for proposals from industry to be issued by the end of 2009 and a contract signed in 2010. The first of the UAVs would have arrived by February 2012. That obviously didn't happen. A reworked plan called for the delivery of the UAVs in 2014, with full operating capability in 2017. That didn't happen. The project is now named, RPAS, for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System. The latest plan calls for a contract to be awarded in 2022-2023 with full capability – an armed drone fleet – in place by 2029-2030. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/lack-of-expert-procurement-staff-could-hinder-canadian-forces-drone-purchase

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  May 31, 2023 | Local, Other Defence

  Government of Canada helping defence industry protect itself from cyber security threats

  May 31, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Public Services and Procurement Canada  The Government of Canada is committed to implementing robust cyber security measures, which are fundamental to Canada’s economic stability and national security. Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that the Government of Canada will develop and implement a Canadian program for cyber security certification that will result in mandatory certification requirements in select federal defence contracts as early as winter 2024.  Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), in partnership with National Defence and the Standards Council of Canada, will lead the Government of Canada’s efforts to establish this new program. Engagement sessions with the defence industry and other key stakeholders are expected to begin in late 2023. Canada’s defence industry is subject to frequent malicious cyber activities targeting contractors and subcontractors, threatening the protection of unclassified federal information. To protect supply chains critical to Canada’s defence, it is imperative that Canada acts on the matter.  Without certification, Canadian suppliers risk being excluded from future international defence procurement opportunities. The new program will aim to reduce industry burden by pursuing mutual recognition between Canada and the U.S., allowing certified Canadian suppliers to be recognized in both jurisdictions.  Quotes “Threats to cyber security are complex and rapidly evolving, and in the world of defence procurement, cyber incidents pose a threat to the protection of unclassified federal information. That’s why we are taking action to protect our defence supply chain by establishing a Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification to protect Canadians and Canadian businesses.” The Honourable Helena Jaczek Minister of Public Services and Procurement  “Cyber security is national security. In government and in the private sector, we must adapt our practices to the changing security environment. Today, we are presenting a plan to improve the resiliency of our defence supply chains. The Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will help ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces have the secure tools that they need to meet their operational demands, today and into the future. Because this certification will increase the trust in the resiliency of Canadian suppliers, our world-class defence industry will also benefit, and be in an even better position to access procurement opportunities with our closest allies.” The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of National Defence  “With this new certification, we are protecting our critical supply chains, and ensuring Canadian suppliers can continue to play a key role in the U.S. defence procurement supply chains as it is critical to grow our industry and to create jobs and prosperity for workers across Canada.” The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Quick facts As part of Budget 2023, the Government of Canada allocated $25 million over 3 years for the creation of a new Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification for defence procurement. The new Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will help to maintain Canadian companies’ access to international procurement opportunities with Canada’s close allies and partners, where mandatory cyber security certification is required. Increasing the cyber security resilience of the Government of Canada’s defence industrial base will reinforce the goals of Canada’s National Cyber Security Action Plan and National Cyber Security Strategy. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s National Cyber Threat Assessment for 2023-24 assesses that Canadian organizations will continue to be targeted by malicious cyber threat activity by state-sponsored actors over the next 2 years. The Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will verify and strengthen the cyber security measures Canadian defence companies are taking to protect their networks, systems and applications. Associated links Budget 2023: A Made-In-Canada Plan https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2023/05/government-of-canada-helping-defence-industry-protect-itself-from-cyber-security-threats.html