August 10, 2018 | Local, Aerospace
CAE today announced it has been awarded a contract from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to provide the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) with a CAE 700MR Series NH90 flight training device (FTD).
The contract also includes the provision of long-term maintenance and support services upon delivery of the simulator to RNZAF Base Ohakea in 2020. The contract for the CAE 700MR Series NH90 FTD and through-life support services, including options, is valued at more than C$50 million.
CAE recently launched the new CAE 700 Mission Reality (MR) Series FTD at the Farnborough Airshow. The CAE 700MR is designed specifically for military helicopter flight and mission training.
“Increased use of New Zealand-based simulators is the best way to train and sustain the number of pilots in the fleet,” says New Zealand Minister for Defence Ron Mark. “The availability of in-country simulator-based flight training will reduce the need to use NH90s for training flights, ensuring the helicopters are available for more operational tasking.”
The CAE 700MR Series FTD offers an immersive and realistic training environment in a fixed-based platform that includes a dynamic seat for vibration and motion cueing. The RNZAF NH90 simulator will feature the CAE Medallion-6000XR image generator and an extreme field-of-view visual display system (240 degrees horizontal by 88 degrees vertical) ideal for practicing and rehearsing high-risk maneuvers such as ship deck and confined area landings.
“We are pleased the New Zealand Defence Force has once again placed its trust and confidence in CAE to deliver a high-fidelity training system and comprehensive training support services that will contribute to the mission readiness of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's NH90 helicopter aircrews,” said Ian Bell, CAE's Vice President and General Manager, Asia-Pacific/Middle East.
CAE currently provides the NZDF with training support services on a range of platforms, including the T-6C ground-based training systems at RNZAF Base Ohakea and the SH-2G(I) helicopter training systems located at RNZAF Base Auckland.
July 10, 2023 | Local, Other Defence
Canada has quietly pushed to expand the definition of what counts toward NATO's military spending target of two per cent of a nation's gross domestic product (GDP).
June 28, 2023 | Local, Aerospace
The estimated cost of $5.9 billion would include up to 16 Boeing-built P-8A Poseidon aircraft as well as numerous onboard systems.
January 14, 2022 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Neither the December 2021 economic and fiscal update nor the 2021 budget contained much new spending for defence beyond some very targeted incremental funding to deal with more recent issues not covered in the 2017 defence policy. These issues include NORAD’s renewal, increased support to the NATO alliance and funding for operations and resources to address sexual misconduct and gender-based violence. This should not be surprising to those who follow defence issues. The 2021 budget emphasizes that the 2017 defence policy, Strong Secure Engaged, “set out a vision for a long-term, fully-funded plan to renew and re-equip the Canadian military, built around people.” Perhaps more important for DND’s longer term funding requirements are the projected deficits in the budget, beginning at $354 billion in FY20-21 and reducing to $30 billion in FY 2025-26. Historically, when governments in Canada face large deficits and start reducing costs, the largest discretionary spending category – defence – invariably takes a hit. Based on the government’s desire to focus on getting Canadians back to work by promoting innovation and small business, it is worth discussing whether continuing defence spending at the levels planned in Strong, Secure, Engaged will help achieve those goals.