Remplacement d'avions de surveillance | Ottawa pourrait couper la poire en deux

On the same subject

• 

  April 25, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian proposed as the right choice for RPAS in Canada

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)–a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems–continues the on-time development of its latest RPAS, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. GA-ASI is designing MQ-9B as the next generation of multi-mission Predator B fleet and has named its baseline MQ-9B aircraft SkyGuardian. As Canada looks to fulfil its RPAS project requirements, the multi-mission SkyGuardian stands out as the perfect solution. GA-ASI is collaborating with its Team SkyGuardian Canada teammates–CAE, MDA, and L3 Wescam–to deliver the perfect RPAS to Canada. The team combines the best of Canadian industry with the world's most advanced medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) RPAS to fulfil Canada's RPAS project requirements. The Royal Air Force (RAF) is acquiring SkyGuardian as part of its Protector RG Mk1 program and is scheduled for first delivery in the early 2020s. Belgium also selected SkyGuardian for its defence needs. The RPA is being considered as an option for the Australian Defence Force, which chose GA-ASI to supply the RPA system for Project Air 7003. “MQ-9B is the world's only RPAS being developed to be certified to fly in non-segregated, controlled airspace,” said Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI. “The development is the result of a five-year, company funded program to deliver an unmanned aircraft to meet the stringent airworthiness type-certification requirements of NATO and various civil authorities.” As part of the certification effort, MQ-9B is being provisioned with a GA-ASI-developed detect and avoid (DAA) system. The DAA system consists of a due regard radar (air-to-air radar), coupled with a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). The first-ever transatlantic flight of a MALE RPAS was accomplished in July 2018 as part of the Royal Air Force's (RAF) centenary celebration (RAF100). SkyGuardian flew from Grand Forks, N.D., to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, U.K., covering 3,760 nautical miles in 24 hours. Other recent achievements include: Demonstration of SATCOM launch and recovery for MQ-9B using expeditionary command and control (XC2)–December 2018 First flight of the second MQ-9B SkyGuardian–September 2018 Integration of MQ-9B with GPS and GALILEO satellite systems–June 2018 Successful lightning tests on MQ-9B–May 2018 Demonstration of auto takeoff and landing using SATCOM for MQ-9B–December 2017 The MQ-9B set an endurance record for GA-ASI aircraft when it flew for more than 48 consecutive hours in April 2017. This is an unprecedented level of endurance that enables the MQ-9B to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) around the clock with an operating cost well below most manned platforms. MQ-9B has a range of over 6,000 nautical miles and is equipped with nine hard-points for sensor or weapons carriage with over 4,000 pounds of available payload. SkyGuardian is capable of all-weather day/night operations. The cold weather engine start capability allows ground operations down to -41 C. These RPAS also have an electro-expulsive de-icing system (EEDS) for wing leading edges, anti-ice heated engine inlet, heated pitot tube and static ports, and lightning protection. Interoperable with the U.S., FVEY and NATO, SkyGuardian's multi-mission capability makes it a valued asset in a variety of scenarios–including environmental protection, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, maritime domain awareness, search and rescue (SAR) and overland and overwater ISR. To date, GA-ASI has delivered over 850 aircraft and more than 300 ground control stations. Every second of every day, close to 70 GA-ASI-delivered RPA are airborne worldwide. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/mq-9b-skyguardian-proposed-as-the-right-choice-for-rpas-in-canada/

• 

  November 28, 2018 | Local, Naval

  Ottawa’s legal bill nearly $12 million for warship work

  Andrea Gunn (agunn@herald.ca) The federal government has spent $11.8 million on legal fees relating to the Canadian Surface Combatant project over the past two years, some of that owing to a large number of amendments to the project's request for proposals. In an answer to a written question posed last month by a Calgary Conservative MP, Public Services and Procurement Canada confirmed that 88 amendments had been made between July 1, 2016, and Oct. 2, 2018 to the request for proposals for the massive, multibillion-dollar project that aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's fleet of frigates. The request for proposals — the document that interested consortiums would have crafted their bids around — was released to 12 companies that had been pre-qualified to participate in the procurement by Irving Shipbuilding in October 2016. Irving is the prime contractor for the combat portion of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, which includes the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and the Canadian Surface Combatant, and is tasked with building the 15 warships at its Halifax shipyard. At a projected cost of between $56 and $60 billion, it's the largest and most complex procurement in Canadian history. There were a number of delays in the closing date for the request for proposals. Originally set for April 2017, the first bids weren't received until last November. In its many technical briefings and media releases from that period, PSPC said the delays were partially as a result of the back-and-forth between industry, government and Irving — feedback which resulted in a number of amendments to the RFP. “A total of 88 amendments were issued by Irving Shipbuilding between November 1, 2016 and August 13 2018,” the order paper question response reads. “These amendments were developed and issued to address inquiries from the 12 pre-qualified bidders, and to incorporate process improvements to the competitive RFP so as to maximize the opportunities for bidders to demonstrate the value of their solutions to Canada.” The response goes on to say the $11.8 million was spent by the government of Canada on project legal fees during the amendment period, but that PSPC is not able to provide a breakdown on how much was spent on the amendments themselves. PSPC also noted that because Irving issued the RFP, they would have also incurred legal fees. In the end, three firms submitted bids for the Canadian Surface Combatant and last month the federal government chose a consortium of Lockheed Martin Canada and BAE Systems offering the UK navy's Type 26 global combat ship as the preferred bidder. Full article: https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/local/feds-legal-bill-nearly-12m-for-warship-work-261231/

• 

  May 16, 2023 | Local, Other Defence

  Canadian Armed Forces donate $6.5 million in equipment to the Lebanese Armed Forces

  May 16, 2023 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces On April 26 2023, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) held a ceremony in Beirut, Lebanon, where $6.5 million in non-lethal equipment was donated to the LAF. Equipment donated included snowshoes, trekking poles, snowmobiles, first aid kits, utility task vehicles, explosive ordnance disposal equipment and solar panels. This equipment will support the LAF and is in addition to the training that the CAF has provided throughout the year, including training in combat first aid, civil-military co-operation, and winter warfare techniques. Since 2016, the Canadian Training and Assistance Team – Lebanon (CTAT-L) has provided specialized equipment donations to the LAF and trained over 2,000 LAF personnel as part of its enduring mission to contribute to security and stability in the region, under the mandate of Operation (Op) IMPACT. Canadian Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, Stefanie McCollum; Deputy Commander of Op IMPACT, Colonel Jay Lachine; LAF Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Brigadier-General Hassan Jounieh; as well as several other senior CAF and LAF officers and non-commissioned officers, attended the donation ceremony. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/05/canadian-armed-forces-donate-65-million-in-equipment-to-the-lebanese-armed-forces.html