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February 25, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land

The Canadian Armed Forces to host international partners in Nunavut

This week, approximately 350 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel will deploy to Resolute Bay and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut as part of Operation Nanook-Nunalivut 2020 (Op Na-Nu 20).

From Feb. 24 to March 27, 2020, CAF personnel and international partners will work together to enhance and test their specialized Arctic skill-sets, and reaffirm their ability to operate in the High Arctic.

Ranging from ground and underwater activities to complex logistical support, Op Na-Nu 20 will demonstrate the presence and capabilities of the CAF in the Arctic, and will improve our readiness to operate in the region: a key component of Canada's Defence Policy – Strong, Secure, Engaged. Operations like Op Na-Nu 20 also enhance Canada's ability to work effectively with northern partners and allies.

“Each year, Operation Nanook-Nunalivut provides us with a renewed focus on our operational capabilities and effectiveness in the High Arctic. The North is a vast, harsh and unique place to operate, and because of this, careful preparations and close collaboration with our northern partners is key. Sharing knowledge with our partners and allies will allow us to be better able to adapt to new demands and challenges in the North, and address common northern defence, security and safety concerns in the High Arctic,” said BGen Patrick Carpentier, commander, Joint Task Force (North).

https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/the-canadian-armed-forces-international-partners-nunavut

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  • CC-295 maintenance trainer arrives in Canada

    January 31, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

    CC-295 maintenance trainer arrives in Canada

    A training variant of the CC-295 that will be used to instruct Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) maintenance technicians is now flying across the country towards CFB Comox, B.C., the home of search and rescue training in Canada. Flown by an Airbus Defence and Space flight crew, the fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft maintenance trainer (AMT) landed in St. John's, N.L., before arriving at CFB Greenwood, N.S., on Jan. 30. It left Greenwood on Jan. 31 and is making its way across the country, stopping at the RCAF bases where it will eventually be in service (Greenwood, Trenton, Ont., and Winnipeg, Man.) before arriving at its new home at Comox. According to 14 Wing Greenwood public affairs officer Capt. Matt Zalot, the AMT attracted much attention from RCAF members on base, who currently fly the aging CC-130H Hercules in a search and rescue role. The arrival of the AMT represents a key milestone in Canada's FWSAR aircraft replacement program, said the RCAF. “As with any program, the FWSAR project is one of milestones, and the arrival of the AMT is an important one on the overall journey towards operational implementation of the CC-295 fleet,” said Isabelle Latulippe, FWSAR project manager. The AMT is for training purposes only and is not equipped to perform search and rescue missions. It is not part of Canada's order, signed in December 2016, for 16 CC-295 aircraft. Upon arrival in Comox, the RCAF said the aircraft will be disassembled and then reassembled inside the new training centre as a maintenance training aid. On Dec. 20, Airbus announced via Twitter that Canada had accepted the first of its 16 CC-295s at the manufacturer's facility in Seville, Spain, and that it would be ferried to its home base at Comox sometime in mid-2020. Members of RCAF 434 Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron have been at Airbus's International Training Centre since last fall to evaluate and train on the aircraft. In November, Skies reported that complications with the CC-295's technical manuals could delay the first delivery. Airbus unveiled the aircraft in RCAF livery in mid-October. Last July, the RCAF asked the public to help choose the name of the new search and rescue aircraft, offering five choices: Canso II, Guardian, Iris, Kingfisher and Turnstone. About 33,000 people voted for their favourites and RCAF Commander LGen Al Meinzinger was set to make the final decision. However, no announcement has been made to date. The RCAF is reportedly in the midst of legal procedures associated with using its selected name and no further details have been released. Canada is receiving the latest C-295 variant, featuring winglets for fuel savings and increased performance. The aircraft has an advanced avionics suite, fuselage reinforcements and a hatch for rapid evacuation in case of a forced water landing. Airbus tailored the cabin interior to meet RCAF operational requirements, with a new wireless intercom system for crew communications, increased equipment storage space, brighter lighting for medevac treatment, and lighting compatible with the use of night vision systems. The CC-295s will eventually replace the de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo and Lockheed Martin CC-130H Hercules fleets that currently perform the search and rescue role. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/cc-295-maintenance-trainer-arrives-in-canada

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  • Canadian government quietly signs $2 billion defence contract with General Dynamics

    September 12, 2019 | Local, Land

    Canadian government quietly signs $2 billion defence contract with General Dynamics

    By DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN A $2 billion dollar contract for new armoured vehicles was quietly signed with General Dynamics Land Systems earlier this month. The Liberal government originally announced Aug. 18 that negotiations were underway for the sole source deal to purchase 360 combat support Light Armoured Vehicles from General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada in London, ON. A notice on the federal government's procurement website noted that Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of National Defence, awarded the contract to General Dynamics valued at $2 billion on Sept. 5. That cost includes initial spare parts, technical manuals and training. Public Services and Procurement Canada did not issue a news release about the major award. The department did not respond to a request for comment. The overall project is estimated to cost $3 billion but that includes in-service support, construction of new facilities and other support to the program. The combat support Light Armoured Vehicles was originally announced by the Liberal government with an estimated cost between $500 million and $1.5 billion. The plan was to award the contract in 2023 after a competition between defence firms. But with the federal election looming the deal was fast-tracked by the Liberals, joining a series of recent defence-related funding announcements. A competition was jettisoned, replaced with a sole-source deal with General Dynamics. The deal includes a $650 million repayable loan to General Dynamics. Details have not been released. General Dynamics will provide the new vehicles in eight variants. They will be used as ambulances and in other roles such as vehicle recovery, engineering, mobile repair, electronic warfare and as command posts. The current fleet of armoured support vehicles is comprised of the LAV II Bison and the M113 tracked vehicle. The DND stated the contract was sole-sourced to General Dynamics as the firm builds most other armoured vehicles for the Canadian Forces and having a vehicle based on the same chassis allows for savings in maintenance and training. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-government-quietly-signs-2-billion-defence-contract-with-general-dynamics

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