Back to news

May 12, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

RCAF transport aircraft withdrawn from United Nations service because of COVID-19

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

The Canadian military has pulled back its commitment of a transport aircraft for the United Nations.

The C-130 service to the UN stopped on March 6 and personnel redeployed back to Canada, UN and military sources told this newspaper.

The Canadian military confirmed the information.

“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic situation worldwide, and given the strict isolation measures imposed by Uganda for crews arriving in the country, it is anticipated that the crew's and the aircraft's availability for operations in Canada would be severely limited,” the Canadian Forces stated in an email Thursday. “The CAF has therefore deferred the April-May combined iteration, and the feasibility of the iteration scheduled for 25 June-6 July 2020 will be reassessed at the beginning of June.”

Starting last year the Canadian Forces committed a tactical airlift detachment on a monthly basis to Entebbe, Uganda to assist the UN's Regional Support Centre in the sustainment of ongoing UN operations. That involved a C-130J Hercules aircraft and about 20 personnel. The aircraft deployed for up to five days each month to assist with transporting troops, equipment and supplies to the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

“Operation PRESENCE – Uganda is the provision of that tactical airlift support via the Regional Support Centre in Entebbe, Uganda, to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa and is an important part of Canada's commitment to making valuable contributions to UN peace support operations on the continent,” the military has noted on its website.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/rcaf-transport-aircraft-withdrawn-from-united-nations-service-because-of-covid-19/

On the same subject

  • NATO Pitch Event and Deadline Reminder for Current IDEaS Calls for Proposals // Événement de présentation de l'OTAN et rappel des dates limites pour les appels de propositions IDEeS en cours

    December 3, 2021 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    NATO Pitch Event and Deadline Reminder for Current IDEaS Calls for Proposals // Événement de présentation de l'OTAN et rappel des dates limites pour les appels de propositions IDEeS en cours

    NATO Pitch Event; Reminder deadlines for 5G and CDIS Beam Me Up nets the top Made in Canada Prize at the NATO Innovation Challenge Congratulations to Beam Me Up, winner of the Made in Canada prize in the Fall 2021 NATO Innovation Challenge! The team put together a stellar performance and won a special cash prize from IDEaS. The NATO Innovation Challenge Fall 2021 Pitch Day recorded video is now available on Youtube. Deadlines for 5G, Corrosion Detection in Ships Fast Approaching 5G: The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) are seeking innovative solutions via the Faster, Stronger, More Secure: Advancing 5G capabilities and concepts for defence and security challenge. Deadline to apply is 2:00 PM (Eastern Time), Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Corrosion detection: DND/CAF is also looking for functional solutions to rapidly and easily detect and inform the operators and engineers of all corrosion in a vessel while it is in operational use. Solutions will do so in a non-destructive manner that does not rely on human visual inspection or the removal of equipment. See the Corrosion detection in ships page for details. Deadline to apply is 2:00 PM (Eastern Time), Thursday, December 16, 2021 Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN; Rappel des dates limites pour les défis 5G et CDIS Beam Me Up remporte le prix Fabriqué au Canada au Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN Félicitations à Beam Me Up, lauréat du prix Fabriqué au Canada lors du Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN de l'automne 2021! L'équipe a réalisé une performance exceptionnelle et a remporté un prix spécial en argent d'IDEeS. La vidéo de la journée de présentation du Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN de l'automne 2021 est désormais disponible pour être visionnée dans son intégralité sur Youtube. (disponible en anglais seulement) Les dates limites pour les défis 5G et la détection de la corrosion à bord des navires approchent à grands pas 5G : Le ministère de la Défense nationale et les Forces armées canadiennes (MDN/FAC) recherchent des avancées technologiques pour les capacités 5G pour les défis de défense et de sécurité via le défi Plus rapide, plus fort, plus sécurisé : avancer les capacités et les concepts 5G pour la défense et la sécurité. La date limite pour postuler est 14h00 (HNE), le mardi 7 décembre 2021. Détection de la corrosion : Le MDN/FAC recherche également des solutions fonctionnelles pour détecter et informer rapidement et facilement les opérateurs et les ingénieurs de toute corrosion dans un navire pendant son utilisation opérationnelle. Les solutions le feront d'une manière non destructive qui ne repose pas sur une inspection visuelle humaine ou sur le retrait de l'équipement. Voir la page Détection de la corrosion à bord des navires pour plus de détails. La date limite pour postuler est 14h00 (HNE), le jeudi 16 décembre 2021.

  • Canadian, U.S. military leaders agree on framework to retool Norad

    August 9, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

    Canadian, U.S. military leaders agree on framework to retool Norad

    By Murray Brewster Military leaders from the U.S. and Canada have come to an agreement on the nuts and bolts retooling of Norad, CBC News has learned. It is a milestone that could end up pitting the next government in Ottawa against both the Trump administration and perhaps even northern Indigenous communities at home. Now over six decades old, the bi-national air and maritime defence command — and its associated airfields, radar stations and satellite network — has been in need of a major overhaul in the face of emerging threats, such as North Korean ballistic missiles and rapidly advancing cruise missile technology. Word of the understanding comes as two Canadian CF-18s and two American F-22 Raptors intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers, which pressed close to North American airspace, on Thursday. The agreement of "what's in and what's out" of the new North American Aerospace Defence Command was struck a few months ago, said a defence source in Ottawa, who was granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. Separately, the Canadian general who is the deputy commander of Norad confirmed the two countries are on the same page when it comes to the new framework needed to defend the continent, but cautioned there is still a lot of work and negotiation ahead over capabilities and what is affordable. "We have established the operational requirements," Lt.-Gen. Christopher Coates in an interview with CBC News. A bi-national panel is examining the specifications and make recommendations to both the Pentagon and the Department of National Defence in Ottawa. Eventually, Coates said, each government will have to "determine whether or not those capabilities will be provided — or some other option" will be pursued. And that is where things could potentially get messy, according to defence experts. James Fergusson, of the University of Manitoba, one of the pre-eminent researchers on Norad, said the price tag will be substantial. Replacing the North Warning System chain of radar stations, alone, could cost as much as $11 billion, he said. The Liberal government has made much of saying its defence plans are fully costed, but it deliberately did not include the calculation for Norad modernization in its policy. There will have to be some negotiation with Washington, even though the cost sharing formula (60-40 split between the U.S. and Canada) has long been established. Steve Saideman, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, said he can't see any Canadian government being anxious to open negotiations with the Trump administration, regardless of how long standing the arrangements might be. U.S. President Donald Trump has long complained American allies do not pay their fair share of costs for the NATO alliance, and Saideman said it is not beyond the realm of possibility that government-to-government technical negotiations over Norad could devolve. Fergusson disagreed. If they argue over money, he said, it will likely involve environmental cleanup costs related to the existing, remote north warning radar stations. When Norad abandoned its first chain of early warning sites — known as the DEW line — in 1993, the cleanup took 21 years and Canada was stuck with the $575 million bill. More problematic, as far as Fergusson is concerned, is whether Norad's proposed new capabilities will affect northern indigenous communities, which — unlike the past — will rightfully expect to be consulted and have a say over what the military does with the land. "When they [the Canadian and U.S. military] go up there in Northern Canada, now, they can't simply ignore the Indigenous people," said Fergusson, "And that's a political issue." https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/norad-canada-us-military-1.5240855

  • Héroux-Devtek announces acquisition of Québec-based Alta Précision Inc.

    June 10, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

    Héroux-Devtek announces acquisition of Québec-based Alta Précision Inc.

    Héroux-Devtek Inc., the world's third-largest landing gear manufacturer, announced that it has concluded the acquisition of all the outstanding shares of Montreal-based Alta Precision Inc., a manufacturer of high-precision landing gear components. The transaction, which is subject to final purchase price adjustments, is valued at $23 million and was funded through the corporation's credit facilities. Héroux-Devtek, with its head office in Longueuil, Que., has 1,960 employees around the world, of which approximately 800 are located in Québec following the acquisition of Alta Precision Inc. Since its inception in 1942, Héroux-Devtek has grown from a small repair and overhaul facility to a world-class supplier of landing gear and actuation systems, delivering on major platforms such as the Boeing 777 and 777X. This acquisition, along with those of CESA, Beaver and Tekalia announced over the last year, strengthen its leadership position around the world. “The acquisition of Alta Precision Inc. expands our portfolio of commercial products by providing both access to new programs and additional content on existing platforms. It also comes with the backlog and manufacturing capacity necessary to grow the existing business”, said Martin Brassard, president & CEO of Héroux-Devtek. “We would like to welcome the Alta Precision Inc. employees and its president Guillermo Alonso who will join the growing Héroux-Devtek team. Together, we are confident in our ability to add value to Alta Precision Inc.'s operations and meet growing demand for our world-class landing gear offering”, added Brassard. “We are delighted to join Héroux-Devtek, a leading landing gear manufacturer for the global aerospace industry. With its growing customer base in North America and Europe, we will play a strong role in accelerating the growth of the corporation,” said Alonso, president of Alta Precision Inc. Founded in 1980, Alta Precision Inc. is a privately owned company which operates a state-of-the-art 72,000 square foot facility located in Montreal, Que. The company has approximately $18 million in annual revenues and employs 110 highly skilled personnel. Alta Precision Inc. manufactures complex landing gear components and assemblies for large customers such as Embraer, Safran, Liebherr and the United States Air Force. Alta Precision's strong backlog is comprised mainly of commercial aircraft landing gear components for the new E-2 and Airbus A-220 programs and for the Boeing 787 and Airbus A-350, two recent and growing commercial platforms. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/heroux-devtek-announces-acquisition-of-quebec-based-alta-precision-inc/

All news