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DUBAI — Canada will kick start its competition for a future fighter jet in 2019 with the hopes of awarding a contract by 2021, but the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force wants the process to move as quickly as possible. “The plan right now is to have a request for proposal out to industry by 2019. we're in discussions and have been in discussions with a number of the people who are considering competing for that, and what I'd like to see is that accelerated as much as possible,” said RCAF commander Lt. Gen. Michael Hood, in an exclusive interview with Defense News. “A 2019 RFP would get us into contract probably by 2021, and certainly my advice to government is the sooner the better.” The RCAF wants to procure 88 fighter jets to replace its current inventory of aging 76 F/A-18 Hornets, which are nearing the end of their lifespans. Canada is an international participant in the F-35 joint strike fighter program and has helped pay for the development of the aircraft. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed not to procure the F-35 during his campaign, and his government has opened up the competition to industry instead of moving forward with a sole-source acquisition. The Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Boeing Super Hornet and Saab's Gripen E are all projected to compete for the opportunity. To bridge the gap between its Hornet fleet and a future fighter, the RCAF initially intended to procure 18 F/A-18 Super Hornets from Boeing — a move some analysts speculated could trigger a larger procurement later on. However, the Canadian government suspended the deal due to Boeing's legal complaint against Canadian aerospace company Bombardier over its commercial business. With a Super Hornet buy unlikely as long as Boeing and Bombardier feud, and Trudeau's promise not to buy the F-35, U.S. defense experts worry that Canada could be driven into the arms of a European fighter manufacturer, thus eroding Canada's long tradition of flying U.S. jets — a move that increases the militaries' interoperability. However, Hood stated that interoperability with the United States continues to be “the most important thing to me as command of the Royal Canadian Air Force.” “Every step less of interoperability is one step less of effectiveness, so interoperability is right at the top of the list beside operational advantage,” he said. “I want the young men and women that are going to be flying fighters into harm's way to have an operational advantage, and that will be key to me in the competition that's coming.” That need for interoperability with the U.S. Air Force does not diminish the chances of European fighters, he added. Canada continues to investigate alternative ways to acquire an interim fleet of F/A-18s, including potentially buying used Hornets from Australia. However, a potential deal for Super Hornets with Boeing is still on the table, Hood said. “I think the government has been presented with the FMS case for Boeing. And as they're looking at options, that's one option,” he said. “The Australian aircraft are another, and the government has not made a decision yet.” If the RCAF moves forward with a used Hornet buy from Australia, it will have to extend the lives of the airframes, which are meeting their structural ends, Hood noted. That business would likely go to L3 Technologies, which has done life extension work on the Canadian F/A-18s in the past. But Canada would still be able to acquire the aircraft “within the next couple of years” once a decision is made. Lockheed officials have said that if Canada ultimately decided not to procure the F-35, it could end its industrial partnership with Canadian firms — which totals 110 Canadian companies with $750 million in contracts, according to Lockheed — that already help manufacture the F-35. However, asked whether Canada was concerned about losing that business, Hood demurred. “I'm not privy to the industrial aspects of our partnership with Lockheed Martin,” he said. “What I can say is Lockheed Martin is a fantastic partner for Canada and for the Royal Canadian Air Force, has been for years. We remain very, very strongly engaged both in the joint project office and helping to continue with the development of the F-35, and Canadian companies continue to bid and win on contracts with that.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dubai-air-show/2017/11/11/canadian-air-chief-the-sooner-the-better-on-fighter-acquisition/

The Canadian government and Irving Shipbuilding Inc. are extending the submission deadline for the request for proposals for the design of the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) fleet to November 30. The previous deadline had been Nov. 17. The Canadian Surface Combatant is the largest, most complex procurement undertaken by the government, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada. The ships being built will form the backbone of the Royal Canadian Navy. A winning bidder will be announced sometime in 2018 and the start of ship construction remains scheduled for the early 2020s, the government noted in a statement Friday. Bidding has been delayed a number of times now. At one point, construction of the vessels was supposed to start in 2018. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/submission-of-bids-delayed-again-on-canadian-surface-combatant-program

OTTAWA/MONTREAL (Reuters) - Airbus SE (AIR.PA) could cooperate further with Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) beyond a recent venture in the CSeries jets, if its fighter jet is permitted to compete in a Canadian military procurement, and its partners agree, an executive said on Wednesday. Canada said last year it will launch an open competition to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets and a request for proposal for the open competition is expected in 2019. Dirk Hoke, chief executive of Airbus Defense and Space, said the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet could be an option for further collaboration with Bombardier, although he did not specify further. “We will definitely also look at additional potential further cooperation with Bombardier beyond just the CSeries,” Hoke told Reuters on the sidelines of an Ottawa aerospace conference, adding that he was “very optimistic and positive about us entering this competition.” Airbus last month agreed to take a majority stake in Bombardier's CSeries jets program, bolstering the Canadian plane's sales and giving it a possible way out of a damaging trade dispute with Boeing Co (BA.N) and U.S. regulators. The CSeries trade dispute has muddied a potential interim military contract between Boeing and Canada for 18 Super Hornet fighter jets, creating new opportunities for rivals like Airbus, Dassault Aviation SA (AVMD.PA) and Lockheed Martin(LMT.N). Boeing and Canada had initially discussed purchasing the fighters as a stop-gap measure while the country prepared an open five-year competition to replace its aging fleet of 77 Boeing CF-18 fighter jets. Canada has halted talks with Boeing because of the dispute. Hoke said Airbus is not considering jumping into the interim bid for fighter jets and is waiting to see the specifics from the Canadian government on the open competition. “Right now, we have a very positive feeling about it but of course we have to see ... what (are) the specifications that have been finally defined and confirmed.” In 2016, Canada selected Airbus C295W aircraft for its fixed-wing search and rescue program, estimated at C$3 billion ($2.36 billion). Boeing has accused Bombardier of receiving illegal subsidies and dumping the CSeries at “absurdly low” prices in the U.S. market to win a key April 2016 order from Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N). The U.S. Commerce Department has notched up proposed trade duties on U.S. sales of CSeries jets at nearly 300 percent, in a case that will be decided next year at the International Trade Commission.

(Montreal, QC and Calgary, AB, Canada, November 7, 2017) - Esterline CMC Electronics and NovAtel Inc. (NovAtel) are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership, extending their collaboration in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technology that started in the late 1990s. The partnership will see NovAtel's industry-leading GNSS measurement technology integrated into a new Esterline CMC-designed multi-constellation, multi-frequency (MCMF) chipset for certified aviation use. The DO-254 Level A certified chipset will allow both companies to develop new GNSS receiver solutions for use in a variety of safety critical applications, including DO-178C Level A certified products designed for commercial aviation, military and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Combining the world-class capabilities of NovAtel's GNSS expertise with Esterline CMC's aviation and certification experience will allow the companies to bring innovative solutions to the market, meeting the requirements of new and evolving industry standards as the modern age of MCMF GNSS positioning in aviation is ushered in. As two industry-leading technology companies, NovAtel and Esterline CMC will combine their complementary resources to deliver competitive solutions that will establish a new standard for excellence in this exciting application space. John Studenny, Director Aviation GPS Products at Esterline CMC Electronics, said: Esterline CMC and NovAtel have a highly successful and growing relationship built on the strengths of both companies often described as “1+1 yields 3!”. While Esterline CMC Electronics is an acknowledged industry leader with its reliable, dependable, DAL-A certified CMA-5024 and CMA-6024 landing system receivers, our company will usher in a new generation of high-performance Multi-Constellation-Multi-Frequency (MCMF) GNSS products certified to the highest levels, supporting current and new aircraft GNSS precision approach.” Jonathan Auld, Vice President of Engineering and Safety Critical Systems at NovAtel said “We are proud to extend our long-standing and successful collaboration with Esterline CMC Electronics. We believe that this partnership will strengthen the technology portfolio of both companies. NovAtel is a major supplier of precise GNSS technology to mission-critical military and civilian UAS, for example, and with this new, certified chipset we will extend our solution portfolio with assured positioning solutions to meet the emerging industry standards.” https://www.novatel.com/about-us/news-releases/news-releases-2017/esterline-cmc-electronics-and-novatel-partner-on-new-aviation-certified-gnss-receiver/

If the Canadian government is to inject billions of dollars into military procurement over the next decade and successfully deliver on dozens of major capital projects, the defence industry must play a critical role. When the new defence policy was released in June 2017, the Liberal government committed to increase the Department of National Defence (DND) budget from $18.9 billion to $32.7 billion by 2026-27 and provide up to $62 billion for the military over the next 20 years. Experience has shown, however, that increased spending can strain government and industry capacity to meet the requirements and schedules for multiple projects. Industry is up for the challenge providing it has predictability in the programs and the process, said Mike Greenley, president of Burlington, Ont.-based L3 WESCAM and a former chair of the board for the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). “Industry capacity to respond and surge is obviously greater the more horizon you can give it,” Greenley said at a recent Ottawa conference, hosted by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, examining the implications of Canada's Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged. Greenley–a former executive with General Dynamics and CAE and a veteran of many procurement programs–said large foreign and Canadian manufacturers would make the necessary investments in smaller Canadian companies and production capacity if they have confidence in the opportunity. “If we talk about these things far enough ahead of time, I think people will invest and have Canadian content ready,” he added. MGen Jean-Marc Lanthier, chief of program, said the new policy had generated almost four dozen projects, but he cautioned that the government and military could not succeed if “we don't tap into innovation.” One way to encourage early industry engagement might be to run competitions at the research and development (R&D) phase of certain projects, rather than waiting until after the statement of requirements (SOR) has been fully defined. “If [you wait] for the SOR and everyone fights to the death for that thing, then your ability to respond and scale up is obviously diminished because you are not going to believe in it until, for sure, you absolutely have [it],” Greenley stated. “Industry can do a lot more if they are engaged earlier.” As an example, he pointed to the process to replace the current fleet of CP-140 Aurora aircraft, which is undergoing a series of block upgrades to extend service life into the 2030s. If, as the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has suggested, the goal is a Canadian-built maritime patrol platform with Canadian-developed anti-submarine warfare and other capabilities, “while we modernize the CP-140s today, we could run a competition tomorrow [to get] an industrial team together for next generation maritime patrol.” That would “allow things to happen easier and quicker, engage the whole base sooner, in addition to giving them stability” to survive a change in government or government priorities, he said. “We wouldn't normally do that in Canada. But to [earlier] points about how do you connect industrial capacity with innovation, with trying to get more done with less people with more money, we could [do it].” Defence policies rarely survive as economic blueprints beyond their first few years. In a panel on framing the government's challenge, several former senior public executives noted how quickly a shift in the domestic financial picture or international circumstances forced previous governments to change course. Still, current government officials were optimistic about the policy, noting it is still early days. Andre Fillion–chief of staff, Materiel, and a former RCAF officer who led the acquisition programs for the CC-177 Globemaster, CC-130J Hercules, CH-147F Chinook and CH-148 Cyclone–acknowledged that more certified project managers are needed, as are improvements to streamline the procurement process. An increase in contracting authority to $5 million would allow the Army, Navy, Air Force and special operations forces to directly manage about 80 per cent of DND's procurement projects, freeing up resources and staff for the larger, more challenging and riskier programs. The department will look more holistically at projects, factoring in infrastructure requirements, like hangars, when it acquires an aircraft, and it will place greater reliance on analytics using data to drive decisions on complex programs, said Jody Thomas, deputy minister of National Defence. The department also added two new associate deputy ministers with extensive experience in government and procurement. “We are restructuring the department to deliver,” concluded Thomas. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/oems-will-invest-canadian-content-procurement-program-stability/

Québec City, Monday October 16th 2017: Davie Shipbuilding today announced that during the weekend it launched the largest naval vessel ever to be delivered from a Canadian shipyard – on time, to budget and at an internationally competitive cost. Commissioning of all onboard systems began in early September and on the 16th November 2017, the ship will perform its sea-trials prior to achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC). During the sea-trials – overseen by Lloyds Register – the ship's safety, quality, systems and functionality will be tested against the high military standards and specifications which it has been built to. The build quality and modern design of this ship, with the latest Canadian naval systems, is testament not only to Davie's experience, infrastructure and unparalleled expertise but also to the incredible contribution by the hundreds of Canadian suppliers involved. Over 900 Canadian companies have contributed to the build of the ship, including the supply of key military-specified equipment such as its Integrated Navigational and Tactical System (INTS), its NATO-compliant Replenishment-At-Sea (RAS) systems and its naval Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). Alex Vicefield, Chairman of Davie Shipbuilding, commented, “The delivery of this ship has clearly demonstrated that there is a Canadian shipyard capable of delivering complex naval platforms on time, to budget and at internationally competitive prices. In the knowledge that the Royal Canadian Navy needed this ship urgently, our 1,400 staff have worked day and night to ensure that it is not only delivered on time but that it is of a quality that will be able to serve Canada proudly for decades to come. The success of this multi-functional design, which is equally suited to both combat and humanitarian operations, has generated worldwide interest from foreign navies.” Spencer Fraser, CEO of Federal Fleet Services, added, “Our Canadian crew are all onboard and are ready to begin operations alongside the Royal Canadian Navy. We have prepared for this moment for two years and we will very soon be ready to support Canadian Forces in any theater of operations, worldwide, at a minute's notice.” http://www.davie.ca/news/systems-go-like-clockwork-resolve-class-naval-support-ship-launched/

OSI Maritime Systems is pleased to announce that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) will deploy ECPINS® Warship 6.2 on all ships and submarines. ECPINS is recognized as the most advanced Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System (WECDIS), with military capabilities well beyond NATO WECDIS STANAG 4564. STANAG 4564 defines the primary function of WECDIS, which is to contribute to safe navigation and to enhance the conduct of warfare. Further, OSI has received Marine Equipment Directive (MED) Type Approval certification from DNV GL for ECPINS against new International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for ECDIS. These international maritime standards are a requirement of NATO WECDIS STANAG 4564. “We are proud of our relationship with the RCN which began in 2001 with a fleet-wide installation of ECPINS,” said Ken Kirkpatrick, President & CEO. “We attribute that beginning with where OSI is today, a leading provider of integrated navigation and tactical solutions to many of the NATO and Allied navies. In addition, OSI is now a major player in the warship Integrated Bridge System (IBS) market – in fact, we are presently delivering IBS to the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship project.” Headquartered in Burnaby, BC, OSI is the only 100 percent Canadian company that produces and delivers a complete range of naval integrated navigation and tactical solutions across four continents. For more information: Simon Wills +1 778-373-4655 simon.wills@osimaritime.com http://osimaritime.com/mediaReleases/OSI_release20171024_RCN_ECPINS_Upgrade.pdf

Montreal, October 31, 2017 – Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. (“DA Defence”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Air Inc., today announced it has been awarded through a competition the long-term Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) contract by the Government of Canada. This contract is for 10 years with 1 two-year option and a second 17-month option. DA Defence will deliver CATS services to the Canadian Armed Forces from permanent operating bases located in four different Canadian provinces using a fleet of modernized Alpha Jet and Learjet aircraft. “It is an honour to be selected as Canada's long term partner for the provision of CATS by offering a true made-in-Canada solution,” said Paul Bouchard, President of DA Defence. “Our outstanding team of highly experienced CF-18 pilots and fighter weapons instructors combined with our team of dedicated maintenance, engineering and support personnel will continue to deliver the world's most comprehensive airborne training to prepare the Canadian military for ever-changing challenges and threats to Canada and its allies beyond 2030. “Over the course of the past 12 years, we have exceeded all customer expectations to become Canada's trusted provider of airborne training,” said Didier Toussaint, Group President and Operations Manager of DA Defence. “Our proven track record of safety, experience and innovation will continue to serve the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces well into the future. I am also very proud that this long-term CATS award will support ongoing economic and technological benefits in the Montreal aerospace supercluster and boost Canada's Key Industrial Capabilities in aerospace on the world stage.” Both Messrs. Bouchard and Toussaint are also former CF-18 fighter weapons instructor pilots. DA Defence is the most experienced provider of turnkey tactical airborne training in the world. With eight Main Operating Bases across three continents, DA Defence operates the world's largest privately-owned fleet of aggressor and combat support aircraft. With an unparalleled safety record, including 66,000 accident-free flight hours, DA Defence, along with their wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, Top Aces Corp., is the exclusive contracted airborne training service provider to the Canadian, German, and Australian armed forces. DA Defence's unique mix of modern fighter and special mission aircraft equipped with representative 4th generation threat capabilities delivers the mission profiles, flexibility, and availability demanded by the Canadian Armed Forces and the world's leading air forces. About DA Defence and Discovery Air DA Defence and its U.S. subsidiary, Top Aces Corp., have the world's largest privately-held operating fleet of fighter aircraft. The training provided supports the operational readiness of both current and future generation fighter aircraft. Discover more on how DA Defence is changing the face of air combat training at experiencematters.ca. #CdnInnovation #AeroInnovates Discovery Air Inc. is a global leader in specialty aviation services. We deliver exceptional air combat training; medevac equipped aircraft services; air charter services; helicopter operations; and transport and logistics support to ensure operational readiness, health, safety, and vital lifelines for our clients and the communities we serve. Discovery Air's unsecured convertible debentures trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol DA.DB.A). For Further Information: Discovery Air Defence Garrick Ngai Director of Marketing Garrick.Ngai@discoveryair.com 514-694-5565 Discovery Air Investor Relations Toll-Free (866) 903 3247 http://www.discoveryair-ds.com/page?a=2047&lang=en-CA

October 20, 2017 – Ottawa The All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) Science & Technology program will support the development of options, over a period of five years, for enhanced domain awareness of air, maritime surface and sub-surface approaches to Canada, in particular those in the Arctic. Surveillance solutions explored and selected through the ADSA Science & Technology program will strengthen the Government of Canada's ability to exercise sovereignty in the North, and will provide a greater awareness of safety and security issues, as well as transportation and commercial activity in Canada's Arctic. Canada's contributions to regional Arctic security also form a core part of the Canada-United States defence relationship. Nowhere is this more apparent than in joint efforts to renew the North Warning System (NWS) and modernize elements of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). As the security dynamics in the Arctic evolve, Canada and the United States will continue to work side by side to secure our shared northern air and maritime approaches. The NWS is a chain of unmanned radar stations in Canada's Arctic that provides aerospace surveillance of Canadian and United States northern approaches. While the current NWS is approaching the end of its life expectancy from a technological and functional perspective, the range of potential threats to the continent, such as those posed by cruise missiles, has become more complex and increasingly difficult to detect. To this end, Canada and the United States have already launched bilateral collaboration to seek innovative technological solutions to continental defence challenges including early warning. Studies are ongoing to determine how best to replace this important capability as part of the overall modernization of NORAD. The ADSA Science & Technology program is part of this bilateral collaboration. The following are the successful proposals from the first Call for Proposals: Title: Acoustic Source for Ocean Propagation Experimentation Supplier: GeoSpectrum Technologies Inc Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Domain: Sub-Surface Surveillance Project Type: Technology Demonstration Funding: $4,953,038 (until 31 March 2020) GeoSpectrum Technologies Inc has been awarded a contract to develop, design, build and test an acoustic source which will support scientific experiments in underwater sound propagation. Such a device may form part of future systems capable of providing long distance underwater communications to support, for example, an unmanned underwater vehicle engaged in open ocean or under ice survey work. Title: Acoustic Array for Persistent Under-Ice Vehicles Supplier: GeoSpectrum Technologies Inc Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Domain: Sub-Surface Surveillance Project Type: Research and Development Funding: $1,944,175 (until 20 September 2019) The objective of this project is to design and build a sensor array suitable for towing from an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). The innovative design, employing a fishing line-like cable with acoustic sensors, may be suitable for year-round underwater and under-ice operations, in environmentally hostile Arctic waters. Title: Development of the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Models (CHAIM) Supplier: University of New Brunswick Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick Domain: Air Surveillance Project Type: Research and Development Funding: $1,165,143 (until 31 March 2020) Current ionospheric models, used for prediction of radio wave propagation for communications and other applications, have significant shortcomings in Arctic regions. This is due to inaccuracies and limited local ionospheric observations. This project aims to improve this by producing high latitude electron density models at altitudes between 100 and 3,000 kilometres. Title: Bistatic High Elevation Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Air System (UAS) Scenario Study Supplier: C-CORE Location: Ottawa, Ontario Domain: Surface Surveillance Project Type: Study Funding: $221,000 (until 31 July 2018) This project is for the study of the potential capabilities of using a high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned air system (UAS) as a receiver in a bistatic configuration with commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) missions, both current and future. The study will look at how various configurations of transmitters and HALE UAS-mounted receivers can augment current detection and discrimination capabilities, while providing a highly mobile, persistent, all weather surveillance asset that currently does not exist. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2017/10/government_of_canadaannouncessuccessfulproposalsforalldomainsitu.html