US Army extends Palantir’s contract for its data-harnessing platform

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  November 21, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  Le Canada manque d'avions de chasse et de pilotes, constate le vérificateur général

  Le Canada dispose d'un nombre insuffisant d'avions de chasse pour répondre au niveau d'alerte le plus élevé et honorer ses engagements à l'endroit de l'OTAN. C'est la conclusion inquiétante du vérificateur général du Canada, Michael Ferguson, qui déplore du même coup l'absence de plan pour mettre fin notamment à l'importante pénurie de pilotes et de techniciens. Un texte de Marc Godbout Des appareils qui ne sont pas à jour et un sérieux manque de pilotes et de techniciens : les conclusions du vérificateur général sont loin d'être rassurantes. En fait, même si la Défense nationale disposait d'un nombre suffisant d'appareils, les problèmes ne seraient pas réglés pour autant, confirme Michael Ferguson. Elle n'a aucun plan pour surmonter les plus grands obstacles au respect de la nouvelle exigence opérationnelle, à savoir la pénurie de pilotes et le déclin de la capacité de combat de ses aéronefs. Extrait du rapport Il faudra donc plus que les 3 milliards de dollars déjà prévus pour prolonger la durée de vie de la flotte actuelle et pour acheter, exploiter et entretenir des avions de chasse d'occasion de l'Australie. « Les investissements décidés ne suffiront pas pour lui permettre d'avoir chaque jour un nombre suffisant d'appareils disponibles afin de répondre au niveau d'alerte le plus élevé du NORAD (Commandement de la défense aérospatiale de l'Amérique du Nord) et honorer dans le même temps l'engagement du Canada envers l'OTAN (Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord) », précise Michael Ferguson. Y a-t-il un pilote dans l'avion? Le rapport confirme que la Défense nationale disposait de seulement 64 % des pilotes de CF-18 qualifiés pour satisfaire aux exigences opérationnelles. Entre avril 2016 et mars 2018, l'Aviation royale canadienne a perdu 40 pilotes de chasse qualifiés et en a formé seulement 30 nouveaux. Extrait du rapport Michael Ferguson va même plus loin : « Si les pilotes continuent de quitter à ce rythme, il n'y aura pas assez de pilotes expérimentés pour former la prochaine génération de pilotes de chasse. » Le problème est confirmé par le ministre des Transports fédéral, Marc Garneau. « C'est un défi qu'on a au Canada de recruter plus de pilotes, non seulement du côté militaire, mais aussi du côté commercial. C'est un dossier sur lequel je me penche en ce moment pour essayer de trouver des solutions pour recruter plus de gens », a indiqué le ministre aux journalistes mardi. M. Garneau souligne que le coût d'une formation de pilote est très élevé, et que c'est la raison principale pour laquelle pas assez de gens sont attirés vers le domaine. « Pour devenir un pilote commercial, ça coûte 80 000 $ », dit-il. Par ailleurs, Marc Garneau ne voit pas de contradiction entre le fait d'acheter des avions usagés australiens et l'absence de pilotes pour les conduire. « Nos forces armées sont en train de travailler très fort pour recruter des pilotes, et quand les pilotes vont être là, il faut que les avions soient là. Alors il faut s'occuper des deux en parallèle », pense-t-il. Manque de techniciens pour préparer les avions De plus, les techniciens avaient été en mesure de préparer à peine 83 % des aéronefs nécessaires pour satisfaire aux engagements en matière de défense auprès du NORAD et de l'OTAN. Or, si le nombre de techniciens expérimentés n'augmente pas, prévient Michael Ferguson, les vols que pourra effectuer chaque pilote de CF-18 diminueront. Le rapport précise que, l'an dernier, les pilotes avaient enregistré moins d'heures de vol que le nombre minimal requis de 140 heures. La Défense nationale n'a pas pu faire le nécessaire, constate le vérificateur général, « vu l'incertitude entourant la date de remplacement de la flotte d'avions de chasse ». Sécurité des ambassades, graves lacunes Près de 8000 employés travaillent dans les missions canadiennes à l'étranger, dont la moitié se trouvent dans des endroits où leur sécurité était menacée en raison de l'imprévisibilité politique ou de troubles civils. Or, le vérificateur général en arrive à un autre constat inquiétant : « Affaires mondiales n'avait pas pris toutes les mesures de sécurité dans ses missions à l'étranger en fonction de l'évolution des menaces. » Le ministère avait pourtant relevé des lacunes qui devaient immédiatement être corrigées, dont de nombreuses failles majeures dans plusieurs de ses 175 missions diplomatiques et consulaires. Les délais pour remédier aux lacunes entraînent « des retards pour assurer efficacement la protection du personnel et des biens à l'étranger », conclut Michael Ferguson. Vidéosurveillance inadéquate, absence de barrière pour restreindre l'accès des véhicules aux entrées des missions et mécanismes d'alarme défaillants sont cités en exemple par le vérificateur général. Une mission située dans un endroit où la menace était élevée ne disposait pas d'appareil de radiographie pour contrôler les visiteurs, alors que l'on en trouvait dans des endroits où la menace était plus faible. Extrait du rapport De plus, de nombreux employés qui travaillaient dans des endroits dangereux n'avaient toujours pas suivi la formation obligatoire. Michael Ferguson souligne que les retards sont attribuables « à une mauvaise gestion et à une surveillance inadéquate des projets » par Affaires mondiales. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1136935/avions-chasse-canadiens-verificateur-general

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  June 10, 2020 | Local, Land

  Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin join forces in bid to win Canadian Army Land Vehicle Crew Training System program

  June 5, 2020 - Army's Land Vehicle Crew Training System (LVCTS) project. Rheinmetall Canada will take the lead in a partnership that includes Lockheed Martin Canada, Rheinmetall Electronics of Bremen, Germany, and Lockheed Martin Training and Logistics Solutions in Orlando, Florida. In cooperation with its partners, Rheinmetall Canada will offer the Canadian Army a solution for the LVCTS project that is mature, modular, and cost effective, while ensuring high-value economic benefits to Canada. The LVCTS solution will enable the Canadian Army to conduct progressive training at the individual, crew, platoon, and higher echelon levels using high- to medium-fidelity reconfigurable trainers, as well as standard trainee workstations combined with a robust virtual environment and a comprehensive instructional system. The software will be common to all levels of training and designed to generate increasingly challenging situations, including the ability to realistically simulate various terrain types, weather conditions, capabilities, and tactics. The instructional system will score crews to a doctrinal standard at all levels of complexity. Individual Crew Training Systems (CTSs) will be linked through the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocol and High-Level Architecture (HLA) gateways to provide section, platoon, or higher echelon training. The system will also include a learning management system that allows for customization of training scenarios, monitoring of trainee progress, and after-action review. As Pietro Mazzei, Vice-president, Rheinmetall Canada, notes, “This partnership combines two of the world's leading providers of military training solutions in order to supply the Canadian Army with the most advanced modular system. Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin have strong global track records when it comes to supplying and supporting leading-edge systems for precision gunnery and crew task training. We look forward to bringing this expertise to the Canadian Army.” “Lockheed Martin Canada is proud to partner with Rheinmetall on an LVCTS solution for the Canadian Army”, says Lorraine Ben, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Canada. “Building on 80 years of support to the Canadian Armed Forces, we look forward to leveraging our team's skills and experience, including in world-class simulation and training systems. This partnership connects industry-leading technology with Canadian expertise for a critical land training capability in Canada for decades to come.” Lockheed Martin Training and Logistics Solutions is a leading provider of Army training solutions worldwide including the world's two largest virtual collective training systems—the U.S. Army's Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) and the UK Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (UK CATT). About Rheinmetall Canada Rheinmetall Canada is the Canadian arm of Germany's Rheinmetall Group, Europe's largest supplier of systems and equipment for armed forces and security services. With employees at locations in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Québec and Ottawa in Ontario, Rheinmetall Canada has accumulated over three decades of expertise in system integration, real-time command and control software development, and communication solutions. Serving as prime contractor, Rheinmetall Canada has also managed several major Canadian Army programs such as the Leopard 2 repair and overhaul, medium range radar, integrated soldier system, and satellite communications on the move. About Lockheed Martin Canada Headquartered in Ottawa, Lockheed Martin Canada is the Canadian unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company that employs some 110 000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Canada has been Canada's trusted defence partner for 80 years, specializing in the development, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The company has around 1000 employees at major facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, and Victoria, working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence, and commercial sectors. About Rheinmetall Electronics Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH supplies mission systems and simulation solutions to military, governmental, and commercial customers. Its simulation and training solutions range from fundamental e-learning and basic part-task training all the way up to fully network-enabled training systems or complex training centres to ensure excellent performance of soldiers, airmen, and sailors in their future missions. Rheinmetall Electronics has delivered customized solutions to global customers including the Mechanized Training Centre in Thun, Switzerland, and the Leopard 2 Gunnery Skills Trainer and Driving Simulator in Canada and Indonesia. Its portfolio encompasses reconnaissance, fire control, soldier, and command systems, guided weapon platforms, as well as training, learning, and engineering applications for individuals, teams, and entire customer organizations. Customers in more than 40 countries rely on technology from Rheinmetall Electronics. RHEINMETALL AG Corporate Sector Defence Press and Information Oliver Hoffmann Rheinmetall Platz 1 40476 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: +49 211 473-4748 Fax: +49 211 473-4157 View source version on Rheinmetall : https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/news/latest_news/index_24000.php

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  October 18, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Conservatives promise to 'protect' defence spending from deficit battle

  Defence takes a fifth of the federal budget and has often been a target for deficit cutters Murray Brewster The Conservatives have pledged to "protect" the budget of the Department of National Defence even as they work to eliminate the federal deficit. In their election platform, the Tories said they would find $5 billion in savings by cutting operational expenses, but were not clear on precisely what that meant, other than to say it would not affect services to Canadians. The Liberals, through their two-year-old defence policy, committed to increase defence spending by 70 per cent to $32 billion annually by 2024-25 — a program that would unfold at precisely the same time a potential Conservative government intends to cut expenditures.​​ The Liberals have also set in motion plans to buy two of the military's biggest-ticket items — new fighter jets and navy frigates. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said Wednesday his party would stick with those purchases, but would be more efficient. "We are committed to the funding allocated to the Department of National Defence," he said during a campaign stop in in southwestern Ontario. "We will not do what the Liberals did, which is waste hundreds of millions of dollars stopping and starting the procurement process." The Conservatives have pledged to depoliticize the process of buying military equipment and have complained about the Liberal government's delivery timelines and decisions, including the plan to purchase used Australian F-18s to supplement the existing fighter jet force until a decision is made on brand-new warplanes. Says money wasted "They have wasted so much money when it comes to procurement," Scheer said, adding that Conservatives would "protect the budgets of National Defence [and] we're going to ensure that the money that's allocated to National Defence is spent wisely." At least two experts wonder how the Conservatives can live up to that pledge in light of the fact the Defence Department is the single biggest discretionary expense on the federal balance sheet and the last two times Conservatives — or Liberals — tried to balance the budget, military spending took major hits. Under the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper, the defence budget was cut by $2.1 billion annually and the department racked up sizeable chunks of lapsed spending, money that was appropriated by Parliament, but not spent. The reduction took place after the Afghan war and the department faced concurrent spending cuts through the Conservative strategy review and deficit reduction action plan. Both Liberal and Conservative governments in the 1990s cut defence spending and postponed buying new equipment, most notably new maritime helicopters, which only came into service in the last few years Defence spending an obvious target "Balancing a federal budget without looking at defence spending is extraordinarily difficult, to impossible," said Dave Perry, an analyst and expert in defence spending at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "Defence spending accounts for one-fifth of the federal budget." And even if the Conservatives did look for savings, a change to the accounting structure at Defence leaves little room for them to recoup much money by cancelling or postponing equipment purchases. Reducing the size of the military or the civil service was something previous governments did, but Perry said those kinds of cuts "take two years or more" to make their way through the system. Kevin Page, the former parliamentary budget officer and CEO of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy, said much of what all of the parties are proposing — and their ability to deliver — is contingent on the kind of Parliament that is elected on Monday. CANADA VOTES How much will the defence file matter to voters? PBO pushes up cost estimate for Canada's frigate build by $8 billion In a minority government scenario, the Conservatives might find themselves struggling to deliver savings outside of the Defence Department, he suggested. Would need majority "If elected, I would assume the Conservatives would need a majority government to push through the savings on direct program spending – infrastructure, wage bills, other operations, corporate and development assistance," Page said. The Liberal record on defence spending is up for debate. An internal DND slide presentation, obtained by CBC News, lays out projections for the department going to up to the 2036-37 fiscal year. Faced with extraordinary pressure from the Trump administration to meet NATO's goal of earmarking two per cent of gross domestic product for military spending, the Liberal government committed to a 70 per cent increase by 2024-25. The Feb. 25, 2019 slide presentation shows that spending will peak in 2026-27 and begin to fall again in the preceding decade. Used Australian fighter jets could cost $1.1B: Parliamentary budget officer The document also shows that, for two years running, the Liberals have not spent as much as they planned on new equipment. While $12.7 billion was set aside in their plan between 2017-19 for new military gear, the Trudeau government only asked Parliament for permission to spend $8.34 billion — leaving $4.4 billion still in the treasury. The slide presentation said part of the reason is that some existing projects came in under budget, but in one-third of the instances the spending delay was because the Defence Department — or the federal government in general — could not get the projects organized. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservatives-defence-spending-1.5323618