May 7, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

Trump may have given Trudeau the excuse he needs to ditch the F-35 once and for all

The defence and aerospace industry is abuzz about the letters the U.S. government sent to Canada over the upcoming competition to acquire a new fleet of fighter jets to replace the RCAF's CF-18s.

In short, the Trump administration has given an ultimatum to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government. If Canada insists that industrial and technological benefits must come from the outlay of $19 billion for a new fighter jet fleet then Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth jet is out of the race. Full stop.

The U.S. argument is that because Canada is a partner in the F-35 program it cannot ask Lockheed Martin to meet specific industrial benefits for a Canadian competition if the F-35 is selected. Under the F-35 agreement, partner nations are prohibited from imposing requirements for industrial benefits as the work is determined on the best value basis. In other words, Canadian firms compete and if they are good enough they get work on the F-35 program. Over the last 12 years, Canadian firms have earned $1.3 billion U.S. for their work on building F-35 parts.

The U.S. had boldly stated it cannot offer the F-35 for the Canadian competition if there are requirements to meet for set industrial benefits.

But that ultimatum could seriously backfire on the Trump administration.

Trudeau and the Liberal government has never been keen on the F-35 (Trudeau campaigned against purchasing the jet). There have also been a number of negative headlines over the last year outlining the increasing maintenance costs for the F-35s, not a good selling point for the jet.

The U.S. ultimatum may have just given Trudeau a way out of his F-35 dilemma, particularly if the prime minister can say that it was it was the Americans themselves who decided not to enter the F-35 in the Canadian competition.

Trudeau will also be able to point to the other firms ready and keen to chase the $19 billion contract.

Airbus, a major player in Canada's aerospace industry, says it is open to producing its Eurofighter Typhoon in Canada with the corresponding jobs that will create.

Boeing, which has a significant presence in Canada, will offer the Super Hornet.

Saab has also hinted about building its Gripen fighter in Canada if it were to receive the jet contract.

To be sure, if the U.S. withdraws the F-35 from the competition, retired Canadian military officers and the defence analysts working for think-tanks closely aligned with the Department of National Defence be featured in news reports about how the Royal Canadian Air Force will be severely hindered without the F-35. Some Canadian firms involved in the F-35 program may complain publicly about lost work on the F-35 program but companies tend not criticize governments for fear they won't receive federal contracts or funding in the future.

There will be talk about how U.S.-Canada defence relations will be hurt but then critics will counter that U.S. President Donald Trump used national security provisions to hammer Canada in ongoing trade disputes.

And let's face it. Defence issues are rarely a factor in federal elections or in domestic politics.

The Trump administration, which is not the most popular among Canadians, may have just given Trudeau a political gift.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/trump-may-have-given-trudeau-the-excuse-he-needs-to-ditch-the-f-35

On the same subject

December 7, 2022 | Local, Naval

CCGS Hudson to be responsibly deconstructed
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - Following an illustrious 59 years of service supporting ocean science work in Canada and around the world, the CCGS Hudson is taking its final voyage and is set for deconstruction and environmentally-responsible disposal. On November 28, 2022, after an open competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), awarded the contract for the vessel’s deconstruction to Antigonish-based marine contracting company R.J. MacIsaac Construction Ltd (RJMI). The cost for this environmentally-responsible disposal contract is $1.6 million. In the coming weeks, the Canadian Coast Guard will sign over the care and custody of the decommissioned vessel to RJMI. The vessel will then be towed from the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to a temporary storage site in Halifax Harbour for a few months. In Spring 2023, RJMI will tow the vessel to their Sheet Harbour facility where the hazardous material remediation and disposal process will be performed. By Fall 2023, the vessel will be removed from water and the hull and superstructure will be disassembled. The overall project is expected to be completed by the end of Fall 2023. RJMI will ensure that any steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or other recyclable materials onboard the vessel are recycled while non-recyclable materials are disposed of in an environmentally-responsible manner, in compliance with federal, provincial, and municipal regulations. As well, the contractor will salvage and return the CCGS Hudson’s hull transducers and propellers to the CCG.  Quotes “Today is a bittersweet day as the Canadian Coast Guard responsibly disposes of the CCGS Hudson, a trailblazing vessel that has served Canadians and Canadian scientists for nearly 60 years. The Canadian Coast Guard taking this step serves as a reminder to all vessel owners across the country to have a plan to dispose of their ships in an environmentally responsible way to protect our lands and oceans.” The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "For over half a century, the CCGS Hudson has proudly served our country. As this vessel retires, I’m thrilled to see a local company in Sheet Harbour receive the contract to deconstruct the vessel which will create jobs in Sheet Harbour and support the local economy." The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship “As we mark the final chapter of CCGS Hudson’s illustrious history, I’m reminded of all of the Canadian Coast Guard personnel that sailed on the ship and left their mark on Canadian ocean science. I am particularly proud that some of the CCGS Hudson’s history will be preserved as a reminder to celebrate the past as we navigate the future in oceanographic science missions.” Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard Quick facts Prior to the handover of the ship to R.J. MacIsaac Construction Ltd., Canadian Coast Guard personnel removed a number of items including the ship’s bell, the wheel, chronometer, anchors, and photographs from the CCGS Hudson which are currently being safely stored. The historic items will be archived or donated to maritime museums, installed on the future Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel currently under construction at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyard, installed on other CCG vessels where appropriate, or placed as historical decorative pieces at departmental sites. The CCGS Hudson was a key platform for Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s oceanographic science program. The yet to be named Offshore Oceanographic and Science Vessel, isn’t expected to be delivered until 2025. The Canadian Coast Guard continues to work closely with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to mitigate the impacts on science programming. The future Offshore Oceanographic and Science Vessel is being built as part of the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).  The Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV), the second class of Canadian Coast Guard vessels being built by Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, is a critical step in the renewal of the Coast Guard Fleet. The OOSV will support the Government of Canada’s next 30 plus years of cutting edge scientific research that will help inform decisions about protecting our fisheries, oceans and coastal areas.  https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-coast-guard/news/2022/12/ccgs-hudson-to-be-responsibly-deconstructed.html
May 11, 2023 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

IDEaS Marketplace 2023 is coming
We are thrilled to announce that the IDEaS Marketplace event is back! IDEaS Marketplace 2023 will be held at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, on June 2, 2023, from 9h00 to 16h00. Innovators will have the chance to showcase their IDEaS-funded innovations, create partnerships and network with Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) personnel, as well as leaders in industry and government to further advance their technologies. Dynamic and interactive presentations will cover a number of challenges faced by DND/CAF. Some of the themes include: Identifying and countering cyber threats; Detection of concealed explosives; Maritime surveillance and quantum sensing technologies; Communications and ground solutions for combat in the arctic; Tracking and de-orbiting space debris and protection of satellites from natural and artificial threats; Portable power solutions for soldiers on the move; Real-time insights for pandemic decision making; Sanitizing cleaning sensitive equipment and workspaces; Autonomous systems: Trust and barriers to adoption (Innovation Networks); Advanced materials: Innovation in detection avoidance and physical protection (Innovation Networks); Fast and adaptive logistics planning for military missions; and much more! Participation to this event is FREE - and by invitation only. Attendance will be limited to other government departments and large defence companies with the ability to invest in technology developed by IDEaS, as well as DND/CAF personnel. If you are from another government department or large industry stakeholder, and would like to attend, please contact Heather at: heather@allianceevents.ca. The IDEaS team
December 28, 2022 | Local, Land

Canadian Army feeling squeeze of more demands, fewer soldiers
Lt.-Gen. Joe Paul says the Army shrunk by 1,200 soldiers last year as departures outpaced recruiting ⁠ — and that it could lose hundreds more unless the situation changes.

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Trump may have given Trudeau the excuse he needs to ditch the F-35 once and for all

On the same subject

Canadian Army feeling squeeze of more demands, fewer soldiers Lt.-Gen. Joe Paul says the Army shrunk by 1,200 soldiers last year as departures outpaced recruiting ⁠ — and that it could lose hundreds more unless the situation changes.

Canadian Army feeling squeeze of more demands, fewer soldiers
Lt.-Gen. Joe Paul says the Army shrunk by 1,200 soldiers last year as departures outpaced recruiting ⁠ — and that it could lose hundreds more unless the situation changes.