September 24, 2018 | Local, Aerospace
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN
The U.S. government has approved Canada's purchase of used F-18 fighter jets from Australia, paving the way for the deal to be completed by the end of the year.
The sign-off from the Americans was needed because the aircraft were built in the U.S. with U.S. technology.
Dan Le Bouthillier of the Department of National Defence said Friday negotiations with Australia over the sale of the 25 used fighter jets is on-going.
“Should all negotiations and approvals move forward as planned, aircraft would start arriving in Canada in 2019, and the project remains on track to achieve this milestone,” he said. “The delivery plan, including mode of delivery, will be finalized once negotiations are complete and the aircraft being purchased are selected.”
In June, Postmedia reported that Canada had boosted the number of used Australian fighter jets it is purchasing to 25 from 18 but that the deal still hinged on approval from the U.S. government.
Although U.S.-Canada relations have hit a slump, with President Donald Trump vowing to punish Canadians because of ongoing trade disputes, DND officials hope the situation won't affect approvals for the fighter jet sale to proceed.
The Liberal government originally announced it would buy 18 used Australian F-18 jets to augment the Royal Canadian Air Force's CF-18s until new aircraft can be purchased in the coming years. But it has added seven more used Australian F-18 aircraft to the deal.
Those extra aircraft will be stripped down for parts or used for testing.
The exact cost of purchasing the 25 aircraft, along with weapons and other equipment, is not yet known, Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough pointed out earlier this year. The Liberal government has set aside up to $500 million for the project.
Earlier this year, Pat Finn, the Department of National Defence's assistant deputy minister of materiel, said the government has received what's called a letter of cost proposal on the impending sale. “The Australians have now gone to the U.S. State Department for the transfer under ITAR,” Finn explained to MPs on the Commons defence committee at the time.
Finn indicated the DND wants to have the deal in place by the end of this year. “The idea of firming this up in the fall of 2018 was for the start of delivery of the two first aircraft to be next summer, and then quickly beyond it,” he added.
The federal government has confirmed the Australian aircraft will be operating alongside the RCAF's other CF-18s at Bagotville, Que., and Cold Lake, Alta. “The aircraft will be employed at 3 Wing Bagotville and 4 Wing Cold Lake,” a government official noted. “DND is currently reviewing infrastructure requirements to accommodate the additional aircraft. Any modifications are expected to be minimal as the supplemental jets are of similar age and design to the CF-18.”
The Liberal government had planned to buy 18 new Super Hornet fighter jets from U.S. aerospace giant Boeing.
But last year Boeing complained to the U.S. Commerce Department that Canadian subsidies for Quebec-based Bombardier allowed it to sell its C-series civilian passenger aircraft in the U.S. at cut-rate prices. As a result, the Trump administration brought in a tariff of almost 300 per cent against the Bombardier aircraft sold in the U.S.
In retaliation, Canada cancelled the deal to buy the Super Hornets. That project would have cost more than US$5 billion.
July 27, 2023 | Local, Aerospace
Design work is underway on a program that will deliver 16 almost-new CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters to the RCAF over the next six years.
March 7, 2022 | Local, Aerospace
Le français suit Sandbox CUAS Detect and/or Defeat Challenge is closing soon! The closing date for the Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) 2022 Sandbox challenge is fast approaching! Don't miss your opportunity to bring your ‘A' game and demonstrate how your solution can detect and/or defeat our team of drones. Get your technology at the forefront where you will interact one-on-one with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP end-users and science experts. Submit your application prior to 2 PM on April 13, 2022. Heads-up: new IDEaS challenges coming your way! Spring is upon us and the IDEaS program will soon be offering a breath of fresh air to its innovators. The Contests element will be launching a new challenge called Robot Round-up: Advanced robotics platforms and solutions. This next challenge invites the masterminds of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence domain to go head-to-head for a chance to win cash and bragging rights. Stay tuned for more information and timelines. Incoming! Competitive Projects will launch new challenges this spring. Keep your ears to the ground to find out what we have in store for our Canadian Innovators in this new call for proposals. Domains will include C4ISR, the arctic and Space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance SB-ISR. Embark on a journey to take your technology to new heights through our Competitive Projects element. Seize your chance to work with the US Department of Defense The Defense Innovation Unit operated by the United States' Department of Defense (DoD) is inviting Canadian Innovators to submit their commercial solutions to help solve national security challenges. View their open solicitations now: Endpoint Accuracy: The DoD is seeking technology that will deflect or self-aim a standard issue round to its target. This technology will augment the system to increase accuracy against targets selected by the shooter. System characteristics include: software compatibility with small arms fire control systems; standardized interfacing for fire control flexibility; improved accuracy; and shortened time of engagement through the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA) process. Closes March 11, 2022. Autonomous Perimeter Security: The DoD is seeking to prototype an automated system of networked, collaborative sensors that can detect, track and identify potential intruders for perimeters in environments including forests, urban areas, coastlines, rivers and harbors. Closes March 14, 2022. L'Environnement protégé du défi Détecter et/ou Vaincre les systèmes aériens sans pilotes (CUAS) fermera bientôt ! La date de clôture de l'environnement protégé des systèmes aériens sans pilote (CUAS) 2022 approche à grands pas ! Ne manquez pas votre chance de démontrer comment votre solution peut détecter et/ou vaincre notre équipe de drones. Mettez votre technologie au premier rang où vous interagirez avec les utilisateurs et les experts scientifiques des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) et de la GRC. Soumettez votre candidature avant 14 h 00 le 13 avril 2022. Attention : de nouveaux défis IDEeS arrivent ! Le printemps est à nos portes et le programme IDEeS offrira bientôt une bouffée d'air frais à ses innovateurs. L'élément Concours lancera un nouveau défi appelé Foules robots : Plates-formes et solutions de commande robotique avancées. Ce prochain défi invite les cerveaux du domaine de la robotique et de l'intelligence artificielle (IA) à s'affronter pour tenter de gagner des prix et des droits de célébrer. Restez à l'écoute pour plus d'informations. Nouveauté ! Les Projets compétitifs lanceront de nouveaux défis ce printemps. Restez à l'écoute pour découvrir ce que nous réservons à nos innovateurs canadiens dans ce nouvel appel de propositions. Les domaines comprendront le C4ISR, l'Arctique et le renseignement spatial, la surveillance et la reconnaissance SB-ISR. Amener votre technologie vers de nouveaux sommets gr'ce à notre élément Projets compétitifs. Saisissez votre chance de travailler avec le département américain de la Défense Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) gérée par le Department of Defence (DoD) des États-Unis invite les innovateurs canadiens à soumettre leurs solutions commerciales pour aider à résoudre des problèmes de sécurité nationale. Consultez leurs sollicitations ouvertes maintenant : Précision des points finaux (en Anglais seulement) : le DoD recherche une technologie capable de faire dévier ou de viser automatiquement une balle standard vers sa cible. Cette technologie augmentera le système pour accroitre la précision contre les cibles sélectionnées par le tireur. Les caractéristiques du système comprennent : la compatibilité logicielle avec les systèmes de contrôle de tir des armes légères ; interface standardisée pour la flexibilité du contrôle de tir ; précision améliorée; et raccourcissement du temps d'engagement gr'ce au processus Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA). Fermeture le 11 mars 2022. Sécurité périmétrique autonome (en Anglais seulement) : le DoD cherche à prototyper un système automatisé de capteurs collaboratifs en réseau capables de détecter, de suivre et d'identifier les intrus potentiels pour les périmètres dans des environnements tels que les forêts, les zones urbaines, les côtes, les rivières et les ports. Fermeture le 14 mars 2022.
July 8, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Dear members, On July 3, 2020, the Government of Canada announced it will review applications for the export of “sensitive military items” or “sensitive goods” destined to Hong Kong with the same considerations as it does for those items destined for the People's Republic of China. Whether or not to approve a permit will now be a case-by-case political decision taken by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. What constitutes “sensitive military items” and “sensitive goods” will be determined by Global Affair Canada (GAC), on a case-by-case basis, from items that are found on any of the seven Export Control Group Lists (ECL). Permits for what are considered "sensitive military items" will not be approved. While Canadian firms have exported very little in the way of ECL Group 2 items to Hong Kong in recent years, these changes appear to create a high level of regulatory risk for companies considering new business opportunities that would require exporting items found on the Export Control Group Lists. You are encouraged to review your business development plans and reconsider accordingly. You can read the details of the: July 3 Statement here. (link: canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2020/07/canada-takes-action-following-passage-of-national-security-legislation-for-hong-kong.html) July 7 Notice to Exporters (Serial No. 1003) here. (link: international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/controls-controles/notices-avis/1003.aspx?lang=eng) Canada's Export Control Group Lists (ECL) here. (link: international.gc.ca/controls-controles/about-a_propos/expor/guide-2018.aspx?lang=eng) CADSI is working with GAC to inform impacted companies. If you have any questions, please contact your GAC Permit Officer and let CADSI know of any impacts on your company by emailing Mindy Pearce, Policy Advisor: mindy@defenceandsecurity.ca.