October 16, 2023 | Local, Land
No, Rafael’s ‘Iron Beam’ laser didn’t blow up missiles over Israel
Manipulated footage pulled from the Arma 3 video game has previously been attributed to front lines in Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine.
June 7, 2019 | Local, Aerospace
Top Aces sees expanded role for red air as Air Force training evolves
The federal government's request for proposals for a next-generation fighter jet may be delayed until July, but the company that provides aggressor or “red air” training for the fighter fleet is already preparing for a more data-driven training environment.
“More and more, that is how you fight: Take data, process data, share data, accomplish the mission,” said Paul Bouchard, a former CF-188 Hornet pilot and the president and CEO of Montreal-based Top Aces. “We have put a lot of thought into that.”
In October 2017, Top Aces, then under the banner of Discovery Air Defence, edged out a joint venture between CAE and Draken International to retain the Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) contract, a program it pioneered in the mid-2000s. The 10-year deal is worth $480 million, but includes options that could extend the service to 2031 and the value to as much as $1.4 billion.
Though the CATS contract cemented the company's footprint in Canada and strengthened its export potential, Bouchard said it will have to evolve to meet a changing training environment.
“CATS is the largest program of its kind in the world today,” he told Skies during an interview at CANSEC on May 30. “That allows us to deliver the current service and have growth potential within that for Canada, which we think is really exciting given the next generation fighter and the future aircrew training program — as they roll out, there will be a need for more advanced training.”
That will likely mean the addition of a more advanced aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-16A to the Top Aces fleet of Dornier Alpha Jets and Bombardier Learjet 35As, if the Royal Canadian Air Force acquires the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.
“That is quite logical,” said Bouchard, though he noted that a decision on the next training jet for the Fighter Lead-In Training (FLIT) program could also be a factor in any future fleet.
“What's interesting for Canada is whether they will treat programs like FLIT and advanced adversary as separate or combine them, because the capabilities required for both those aircraft could be quite similar,” he said.
The company has invested significantly in a flexible and expandable proprietary mission system architecture for its aircraft to “effectively plug and play different applications or capabilities” as the Air Force, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Navy develop their digital networks and synthetic training environments.
As part of the CATS requirements to enhance training, Top Aces has begun modifying both the Alphas and Lear jets at its facility in Bagotville, Que., updating avionics suites, electro-optical and infrared capability, and night vision systems. It is also configuring some Learjets into special mission aircraft.
Consequently, Bouchard said the “workhorse” Alpha Jet would remain the prime adversary fighter for the foreseeable future, and he suspects that could involve more enemy role playing with new pilots as the Air Force seeks to introduce more advanced skills earlier in the training curriculum.
“I think that is what is likely to occur,” he said. “As that gets pushed down, it creates an opportunity for CATS and future aircrew training to take on more of the mandate that was inside the CF-188 training pipeline for years, including at 419 [Tactical Fighter Training Squadron].”
Top Aces is not one of the qualified bidders for the Future Aircrew Training program (FAcT), but he believes the company has some insight to support any future primate contractor.
“We think we offer a very deep understanding of how the Air Force trains, especially the fighter force,” he said. “So I think we have a role in providing expertise and the flying support as it evolves.”
The high standards set by the CATS program have been crucial to international opportunities. Top Aces secured a similar training support contract with the German Armed Forces in 2014 and, more recently, a two-year trial with the Australian Defence Force. And it will be a bidder on several large U.S. Air Force and Navy aggressor air programs, as well as a partnership with Leonardo and Inzpire on the U.K.'s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) program.
“Canada did it right,” explained Bouchard. “They thought through how they were going to regulate and oversee this, because it is a commercial service. Normally, it would be regulated by Transport Canada as an air regulator. But this is providing a very specialized military mission, so they formulated a MOU [memorandum of understanding] in the mid-2000s and updated it for the CATS program, and it really represents the highest standard that this type of business is regulated to in the world, and that is a calling card for us. It was a differentiator in Germany and Australia.”
He said the same market forces that drove Canada to outsource aggressor air over a decade ago are still in play and forcing many NATO allies to consider contracting red air training, opening markets in Europe and Asia.
“You have this general downward pressure on operating budgets, you have fourth generation fleets that have had to operate longer and harder than was expected, you have the impact of fifth-gen, which is significant in terms of how air forces train and how robust the training has to be, and then there is an evolving and capable threat,” he observed.
“There are less than a handful of companies in the world that are qualified to do this. We are by all metrics the world leader in terms of hours flown, programs we operate, geographic footprint, safety record. We are really proud of that. And it's made in Canada. The CATS contract is a foundation we can build off of ... I think we're in a great position and I'm really excited for our future.”
https://www.skiesmag.com/news/top-aces-sees-expanded-role-for-red-air-as-air-force-training-evolves/
On the same subject
-
-
November 19, 2018 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Calian Re-Wins Significant Defence Training Contract Valued at up to $170 Million
OTTAWA -- Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY) is pleased to announce that it has been selected to deliver a significant training contract for the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Army Simulation Centre (CASC). The initial term of the Training and Support Services Contract is valued at $93 million over five years. With two optional extension periods of two years each, the aggregate contract value over the full nine-year period is approximately $170 million. The current Training and Support Services Contract expires March 31, 2019 and management expects demand on the new contract will continue to run at current levels. Through CASC, a Center of Excellence for Constructive Simulation, the Canadian Army accepts training projects on behalf of its own members as well as other branches of the Canadian Armed Forces and federal government departments. For these training exercises, Calian's expert team of some 600 full- and part-time resources apply their substantial experience, knowledge and passion to create realistic and cost-effective synthetic training environments. Calian Training ensures maximum value from the training delivered through CASC while preparing future military leaders and security authorities for events in which failure is unacceptable. Through CASC, Calian Training also designs and delivers complex, multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional emergency management exercises to help ensure safety and security readiness for major events. These exercises have supported the Vancouver Olympics and G7, G8 and G20 world leader summits in Canada. Calian, an award-winning veteran friendly employer, has proudly supported military training and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operational readiness through this contract for over 20 years. Calian and CASC have developed tools and a framework and methodology supporting a wide range of military and emergency management training exercises for government and military clients, nationally and internationally. In partnership with CASC, Calian's skilled exercise design experts have integrated custom 2D/3D software for virtual and constructive simulation exercises, tailored to specified training objectives. The result is a total immersive training experience that replicates the operational environment that the CAF or customer may face. “Our innovative technology solutions allow the training audience to be immersed into complex environments, complete with real-world considerations such as simulated social media channels. These tools, combined with our passionate, expert employees, put us in a position to offer these complex exercises and training programs,” said Donald Whitty, Vice President, Calian Training. “We're seeing increased demand for the expertise we bring to CASC, particularly in the field of emergency management. There's no company quite like Calian to deliver these specialized, innovative and scalable services.” “This contract supports the CAF and the customer retention pillar of our four pillar growth framework. For Calian, supporting the operational readiness of the Canadian Forces is more than just a commitment – it's a passion and a privilege. I'm proud of our delivery of state-of-the-art, realistic learning and training exercises that help keep soldiers and all Canadians safe,” added Kevin Ford, President and CEO, Calian. “The innovation happening at Calian Training, and with CASC, is very exciting. Calian's advanced toolset is integrated with those of the Canadian Armed Forces, demonstrating our focus on continuous process improvement both at Calian and in the work we do with our customers.” To see exclusive footage from inside a CFB Kingston training facility, watch Calian's three-minute video on CASC here. About the Canadian Army Simulation Centre The Canadian Army Simulation Centre provides training capabilities in support of land operations and concept development. This world-class training organization provides support to the Canadian Army, RCAF, CJOC, CAF, and other government departments. Calian designs, develops and delivers training services for CASC under the Training and Support Services Contract. CASC is located in Kingston with Divisional Simulation Centres in Edmonton, Petawawa, Valcartier and Gagetown. About Calian Training For more than 20 years Calian Training has been providing a full-suite of specialized training services to both public and private sector organizations, including the Canadian Armed Forces and nuclear power operators. We help customers in both the emergency management and military domains validate their plans and team performances. Calian's training experts help large and small organizations prepare for events in which the consequences of failure are unacceptable. About Calian Calian employs over 3,000 people with offices and projects that span Canada, U.S. and international markets. The company's capabilities are diverse with services delivered through two divisions. The Business and Technology Services (BTS) Division is headquartered in Ottawa and includes the provision of business and technology services and solutions to industry, public and government in the health, training, engineering and IT services domains. Calian's Systems Engineering Division (SED) located in Saskatoon provides the world's leading space technology companies with innovative solutions for testing, operating and managing their satellite networks. SED provides leading-edge communications products for terrestrial and satellite networks, as well as providing commercial (including agriculture) and defence customers with superior electronics engineering, manufacturing and test services for both private sector and military customers in North America. For investor information, please visit our website at www.calian.com or contact us at ir@calian.com https://www.calian.com/en/calian-rewins-defence-training-contract-valued-170-million
-
August 9, 2023 | Local, Naval
Damage to HMCS Winnipeg limits warship's operations, DND confirms
Royal Canadian Navy’s frigate has sustained damage to its propellor and has structural cracks and corrosion, limiting the operation of the ship.