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  April 7, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

  COVID-19 and aviation: Survival, recovery, and innovation

  Posted on April 7, 2020 by Dr. Suzanne Kearns This article originally appeared in The Hill Times and is published here with the permission of the author. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Canadians to adapt their way of life. Aviation professionals are playing a vital role in preserving societal functioning, with airlines volunteering to repatriate Canadians abroad, crew members risking exposure to reunite travellers with their families, and cargo operations playing a vital role in the supply chain – distributing essential medical supplies. These critical activities are only possible because of the work of the entire aviation sector that includes maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers, airport professionals, and so many others. In 2019 airlines carried 4.3 billion passengers, 58 million tonnes of freight, and supported 65.5 million jobs around the world (3.6 per cent of the world's gross domestic product according to the Aviation Benefits Report). The tourism sector is interconnected with aviation, supporting a further 37 million tourism-related jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the aviation industry in ways that were unfathomable at the beginning of this year. International aviation had been on a growth trajectory, with traffic projected to double in the coming 15 years. As 2020 began, some of the most pressing industry challenges were how to meet the demand for aviation professionals and achieve emission-reduction targets towards environmental sustainability. Aviation has always been a cyclical industry directly and rapidly impacted by downturns in the economy. The industry reported losses in the early 1990s due to the recession and again in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks; in 2003 following the SARS epidemic, and in 2008 linked to the financial crisis. Each of these downturns was followed by a period of economic recovery. Looking specifically at SARS, airlines lost $6 billion in revenues with the outbreak's economic impact having a V-shape where the rapid decline was matched by a speedy economic recovery. Despite the airline industry's cyclical nature it has maintained profitability for the past 10 years, with a profit of $25.9 billion in 2019 despite recent tragedies and challenges, according to IATA. For example, the sector faced the 737 Max accidents in 2018 and 2019, the Ukraine Airlines Flight 752 shot down in Iran, and the emergence of “flygskam” flight shaming air travel due to its emissions. Each of these events impacts passenger confidence in aviation, and many industry experts were bracing for an economic decline as a result. The industry maintaining profitability over the last decade is a testament to its strength and resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the aviation sector in new ways. The entire industry is being stretched to a breaking point, without interventions, it can not survive the crisis. Assuming travel restrictions are lifted after three months, 2020's passenger demand will be 38 per cent less than 2019, resulting in an impact of USD$ 252 billion according to IATA. Airports are projected to lose $46 billion in 2020, said Airport Council International (ACI). Although previous pandemics were followed by a sharp recovery, they did not cause recessions as COVID-19 might. This has led to three critical questions about the future of international aviation. When will the impacts of COVID-19 subside – and what will society look like when it does? How long will it take for people to have the funds and confidence to begin flying again? What specifically can be done to ensure the industry survives the crisis? How can we innovate during the downturn to craft a stronger future? The most pressing need for aviation is essential financial support through the pandemic, and in the coming months as society faces future waves of the virus. Beyond support to operators, it is critical to recognize that this situation also creates an opportunity to reflect upon and innovate practices within the industry. We will overcome this challenge, and hopefully build a better future. Key priorities during this time should explore how to mobilize Canada's innovation and research infrastructure towards aviation challenges. We have leading researchers in sustainability, cognitive science and engineering, material science, machine learning, automation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence among other areas. We are in a position to apply Canadian expertise towards aviation innovations, as important elements of our economic recovery strategy. What is certain is that COVID-19 will change the world – what is unknown is how we can learn from this to create a stronger and more resilient future together. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/covid-19-and-aviation-survival-recovery-and-innovation

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  April 2, 2019 | Local, Security

  Thales Completes Acquisition Of Gemalto To Become A Global Leader In Digital Identity And Security

  Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) has today completed the acquisition of Gemalto (Euronext Amsterdam and Paris: GTO), creating a global leader in digital identity and security. With Gemalto, Thales will cover the entire critical decision chain in a digital world, from data generation via sensors, to real-time decision support. This acquisition increases Thales's revenues to €19 billion and self-funded R&D to €1 billion a year, with 80,000 employees in 68 countries. PARIS — Completed in 15 months, the acquisition of Gemalto by Thales for €4.8 billion creates a Group on a new scale and a global leader in digital identity and security employing 80,000 people. The larger Thales will master all the technologies underpinning the critical decision chain for companies, organisations and governments. Incorporating the talent and technologies of Gemalto, Thales will develop secure solutions to address the major challenges faced by our societies, such as unmanned air traffic management, data and network cybersecurity, airport security or financial transaction security. Thales completes acquisition of Gemalto to become a global leader in digital security This combination creates a world-class leader with an unrivalled portfolio of digital identity and security solutions based on technologies such as biometry, data protection, and, more broadly, cybersecurity. Thales will thus provide a seamless response to customers, including critical infrastructure providers such as banks, telecom operators, government agencies, utilities and other industries as they step up to the challenges of identifying people and objects and keeping data secure. Research and development: inventing the world of tomorrow Thales and Gemalto share a passion for the advanced technologies that serve as a common foundation and focus for their 80,000 employees. Research and development (R&D) is at the core of the new Group, with its 3,000 researchers and 28,000 engineers dedicated to R&D. Thales has been developing state-of-the-art technologies to meet the most demanding requirements of customers around the world for decades. Today the Group has become a giant laboratory inventing the world of tomorrow, with a portfolio of 20,500 patents, of which more than 400 new ones were registered in 2018. Technological synergies The new Thales will cover the entire critical decision chain in an increasingly interconnected and vulnerable world, with capabilities spanning software development, data processing, real-time decision support, connectivity and end-to-end network management. With €1 billion a year devoted to self-funded R&D, the Group will continue to innovate in its key markets, drawing in particular on its world-class digital expertise in the Internet of Things, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The first illustrations are as wide as the Group's portfolio: Banking: Big Data analytics Defence: biometrics Aerospace: unmanned traffic management Ground transportation: Internet of Things Space: Internet of Things Telecommunications: Big Data analytics An extended global footprint Following this acquisition, Gemalto will form one of Thales's seven global divisions, to be named Digital Identity and Security (DIS). Gemalto will interact with all of the Group's civil and defence customers and will significantly strengthen its industrial presence in 68 countries. Thales will considerably expand its operations in Latin America (2,500 employees, up from 600), triple its presence in Northern Asia (1,980, from 700), Southeast Asia (2,500, from 800) and India (1,150, from 400) and North America (6,660 employees, up from 4,600). “With Gemalto, a global leader in digital identification and data protection, Thales has acquired a set of highly complementary technologies and competencies with applications in all of our five vertical markets, which are now redefined as aerospace; space; ground transportation; digital identity and security; and defence and security. These are the smart technologies that help people make the best choices at every decisive moment. The acquisition is a turning point for the Group's 80,000 employees. Together, we are creating a giant in digital identity and security with the capabilities to compete in the big leagues worldwide.” Patrice Caine, Chairman and CEO, Thales About Thales The people who make the world go round – they rely on Thales. Our customers come to us with big ambitions: to make life better, to keep us safer. Combining a unique diversity of expertise, talents and cultures, our architects design and deliver extraordinary high technology solutions. Solutions that make tomorrow possible, today. From the bottom of the oceans to the depths of space and cyberspace, we help our customers think smarter and act faster – mastering ever greater complexity at every decisive moment along the way. Thales generated revenues of €19 billion in 2018 with 80,000 employees in 68 countries. https://montrealgazette.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/thales-completes-acquisition-of-gemalto-to-become-a-global-leader-in-digital-identity-and-security/

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  January 17, 2024 | Local, Naval

  Cost of Canadian Coast Guard patrol ships jumps by $500 million in less than a year, MPs told

  The project budget for the two Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships is now $2.1 billion, up from a previous estimate of $1.6 billion.