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Today, machine learning (ML) is coming into its own, ready to serve mankind in a diverse array of applications – from highly efficient manufacturing, medicine and massive information analysis to self-driving transportation, and beyond. However, if misapplied, misused or subverted, ML holds the potential for great harm – this is the double-edged sword of machine learning. “Over the last decade, researchers have focused on realizing practical ML capable of accomplishing real-world tasks and making them more efficient,” said Dr. Hava Siegelmann, program manager in DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O). “We're already benefitting from that work, and rapidly incorporating ML into a number of enterprises. But, in a very real way, we've rushed ahead, paying little attention to vulnerabilities inherent in ML platforms – particularly in terms of altering, corrupting or deceiving these systems.” In a commonly cited example, ML used by a self-driving car was tricked by visual alterations to a stop sign. While a human viewing the altered sign would have no difficulty interpreting its meaning, the ML erroneously interpreted the stop sign as a 45 mph speed limit posting. In a real-world attack like this, the self-driving car would accelerate through the stop sign, potentially causing a disastrous outcome. This is just one of many recently discovered attacks applicable to virtually any ML application. To get ahead of this acute safety challenge, DARPA created the Guaranteeing AI Robustness against Deception (GARD) program. GARD aims to develop a new generation of defenses against adversarial deception attacks on ML models. Current defense efforts were designed to protect against specific, pre-defined adversarial attacks and, remained vulnerable to attacks outside their design parameters when tested. GARD seeks to approach ML defense differently – by developing broad-based defenses that address the numerous possible attacks in a given scenario. “There is a critical need for ML defense as the technology is increasingly incorporated into some of our most critical infrastructure. The GARD program seeks to prevent the chaos that could ensue in the near future when attack methodologies, now in their infancy, have matured to a more destructive level. We must ensure ML is safe and incapable of being deceived,” stated Siegelmann. GARD's novel response to adversarial AI will focus on three main objectives: 1) the development of theoretical foundations for defensible ML and a lexicon of new defense mechanisms based on them; 2) the creation and testing of defensible systems in a diverse range of settings; and 3) the construction of a new testbed for characterizing ML defensibility relative to threat scenarios. Through these interdependent program elements, GARD aims to create deception-resistant ML technologies with stringent criteria for evaluating their robustness. GARD will explore many research directions for potential defenses, including biology. “The kind of broad scenario-based defense we're looking to generate can be seen, for example, in the immune system, which identifies attacks, wins and remembers the attack to create a more effective response during future engagements,” said Siegelmann. GARD will work on addressing present needs, but is keeping future challenges in mind as well. The program will initially concentrate on state-of-the-art image-based ML, then progress to video, audio and more complex systems – including multi-sensor and multi-modality variations. It will also seek to address ML capable of predictions, decisions and adapting during its lifetime. A Proposers Day will be held on February 6, 2019, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (EST) at the DARPA Conference Center, located at 675 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia, 22203 to provide greater detail about the GARD program's technical goals and challenges. Additional information will be available in the forthcoming Broad Agency Announcement, which will be posted to www.fbo.gov. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-02-06

Rachel Aiello, Ottawa News Bureau Online Producer OTTAWA -- Over the next year, the top-secret National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians plans to probe the threat foreign interference poses to Canada, and examine how the military collects and uses information about Canadians. The committee gave notice this week of its planned studies for the year, all of which will happen behind closed doors. The high-level oversight body was created in 2017, and mirrors similar committees set up in the other "Five Eyes" alliance countries. Members include MPs and Senators, who must have the highest level, or “top secret” security clearance. The committee garnered a higher profile in Canada and abroad after then-member Tony Clement stepped down from all parliamentary roles after revealing he sent sexually explicit images and a video of himself to someone he thought was a consenting female, but who was actually a "foreign actor" seeking to financially extort the long-time MP. Months later, two men in West Africa were arrested and accused of being behind the blackmail attempt. This situation prompted questions over potential security ramifications and the vetting of members of the committee. As the committee looks to the year ahead the first study on its agenda will be a look at the threat of foreign interference to Canada's national security and the measures currently in place to counter it. Then the plan is to move on to a probe of the Canada Border Services Agency's national security and intelligence activities related to enforcing immigration and customs laws. Next up will be a review of "issues of diversity and inclusion in Canada's security and intelligence community." Specifically the committee will look at federal security agencies' progress and consult leaders in these offices to recommend ways to improve the culture and representation within the highest levels of the intelligence community. Lastly, the committee is looking to examine the way the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces collect, use, and disseminate information about Canadian citizens as it conducts defence intelligence activities. The committee's findings and recommendations on the military's treatment of citizens' data will be submitted to the prime minister and the minister of national defence before the end of 2019. Of course, all this work could be usurped by other issues that may arise. The committee can undertake special studies at any time, as it did with the prime minister's troubled India trip in 2018. "Our planned reviews for 2019 will continue to build a picture of the various parts of the security and intelligence community and how it works together to protect our security, our freedoms and our institutions," said chair of the committee Liberal MP David McGuinty in a statement. The 11-member committee has continued to meet despite being having vacancies in both of the spots reserved for Conservative MPs. In addition to Clement's vacancy, the spot held by late-Conservative MP Gord Brown has been vacant since May 2018. There has already been a byelection in the riding he held, where a new Conservative MP has been named. The appointments and necessary clearances rest with the Privy Council Office and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "The Committee is continuing to meet, but is looking forward to welcoming two new members from the Official Opposition as soon as possible," executive director of the committee told CTVNews.ca in a statement. Asked about when the new Conservative members will be named, PMO spokesperson Eleanore Catenaro told CTV News.ca that the processing is "almost complete" and they expect the new additions will be named "in short order." Just before Christmas, the committee issued its first annual report to the prime minister, and a declassified version will be tabled in Parliament within 30 sitting days, meaning it could be April before that happens. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/top-secret-committee-to-study-foreign-meddling-military-use-of-canadians-info-1.4285158

Gennevilliers, le 6 février 2019. Safran inaugure la nouvelle plateforme de recherche sur les aubes de turbines avancées pour moteurs d'avions et d'hélicoptères en présence de Florence Parly, ministre des Armées, d'Ursula von der Leyen, ministre de la Défense allemande et de Philippe Petitcolin, Directeur Général de Safran. La plateforme de recherche sur les aubes de turbines avancées de Safran Tech, centre de Recherche et Technologie du Groupe, rassemble les compétences d'une trentaine d'ingénieurs et doctorants, dans un b'timent de 3 000 m2 doté d'équipements de haute technologie, pour mener l'ensemble des travaux de développement des futures aubes de turbines à très haute performance. Conception multi-disciplinaire, fonderie mono-cristalline, noyaux céramiques par fabrication additive, barrières thermiques, circuits de refroidissement, digitalisation des procédés, micro-perçage auto-adaptatif, contrôles non destructifs avancés utilisant l'intelligence artificielle sont quelques exemples des domaines d'expertise et d'innovation mis en oeuvre au sein de la plateforme. Les nouvelles aubes de turbines réalisées sur cette plateforme seront intégrées sur les moteurs actuels du Rafale afin d'améliorer la disponibilité opérationnelle des aéronefs et diminuer le coût du maintien en condition opérationnelle ainsi que le coût de production. Les technologies développées par la plateforme intègreront également le futur moteur militaire à haute performance de Safran Aircraft Engines dans la perspective du Système de Combat Aérien du Futur franco-allemand (SCAF). La plateforme développe également des technologies qui seront utilisées sur les moteurs civils et les moteurs d'hélicoptères. A cette occasion, Florence Parly, ministre des Armées et Philippe Petitcolin, Directeur Général de Safran ont signé le renouvellement de la convention de soutien Action PME, en présence de trois PME, Alliance Outillage, Chesneau et MSC Scanning, fournisseurs notamment de la plateforme de recherche. Le site de Gennevilliers, en activité depuis 110 ans, est l'un des sites historiques du Groupe. Situé à une quinzaine de kilomètres au nord-ouest de Paris, il regroupe, sur 15 hectares en bord de Seine, les activités de forge, de fonderie et d'usinage de pièces aéronautiques de Safran Aircraft Engines réparties en trois centres d'excellence industrielle : pour les aubes de turbines, les aubes de compresseurs et les pièces tournantes. https://www.safran-group.com/fr/media/safran-inaugure-sa-plateforme-de-recherche-sur-les-aubes-de-turbines-avancees-gennevilliers-20190206

By: Christina Mackenzie PARIS – Arquus, formerly Renault Trucks Defense, is keen to get a piece of the emerging Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) program. "We think we have things to contribute, notably concerning fuel cells, hybrid drivetrains and robotization,” CEO Emmanuel Levacher told reporters in Paris on Tuesday. While the Franco-German program is generally thought of as a future main battle tank, Arquus is thinking more along the lines of the program's official name: a combat system. “Will tomorrow's tank even be a tank?” asked Arquus' director of innovation, François Deloumeau. He argued that “pushing existing concepts further is not very interesting,” contending that the MGCS was “unlikely to be a super Leclerc tank or a Leopard 3.” Arquus is not being financed to develop ideas for the MGCS, “but we are thinking about it and thinking out of the box,” said Levacher. He mentioned that France and Germany “are not yet aligned in terms of concept, or even of their needs,” which means nothing has been set in stone. “We are talking with the end-users, the DGA and other manufacturers about this,” Levacher said, using shorthand for the French government's defense-acquisition organization. Also on the subject of Germany, Levacher remarked that Arquus was forced to find alternative suppliers of components such as joints, automatic gear boxes or engines designed for civilian vehicles but destined for inclusion in military products for export. That is because Germany export approval procedures “are extremely long” for these types of products, he explained. In addition, the list of countries that Berlin will not give approval for “is getting longer,” with Indonesia and India recently added to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Levacher said. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/02/06/french-vehicle-maker-arquus-sets-its-sights-on-new-european-battle-tank/

NAVY BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Hudson, New Hampshire, is awarded $225,034,247 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001919F2701 against a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-17-D-5517) to procure 9,999 additional Lot 7, full-rate production units of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II. The procurement of the additional APKWS II weapons will upgrade the current 2.75-inch rocket system to a semi-active laser guided precision weapon in support of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and the governments of Nigeria and the Netherlands. Work will be performed in Hudson, New Hampshire (70 percent); and Austin, Texas (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition (Army, Navy and Marine Corps and Air Force); and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $225,034,247 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded an $114,563,249 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) fiscal 2019 depot maintenance period Chief of Naval Operations availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS Bulkeley. This is a “long-term” availability and was competed on a coast-wide (East coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. BAE will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating, and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $136,226,668. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $114,563,249 will be obligated at time of award, $85,275,770 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-18-R-4448. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4448). (Awarded Feb. 1, 2019) Marine Hydraulics International Inc. (MHI), Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $103,384,447 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) fiscal 2019 Chief of Naval Operations-scheduled dry-docking selected restricted availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of USS Gunston Hall. This is a “long-term” availability and was competed on a coast-wide (East Coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. MHI will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernization. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $149,237,975. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by April 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding; and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $103,384,447 will be obligated at time of award, and $103,159,625 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received in response to solicitation N00024-18-R-4448. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4450). (Awarded Feb. 1, 2019) General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $67,179,025 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) fiscal 2019 dry-docking selected restricted availability Chief of Naval Operations availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS Arleigh Burke. This is a “long-term” availability and was competed on a coast-wide (East Coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. NASSCO will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating, and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $74,718,063. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $67,179,025 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by November 2019. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received in response to solicitation No. N00024-18-R-4448. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4449). (Awarded Feb. 1, 2019) Group W Inc., Vienna, Virginia, is awarded a $24,999,999 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract with a five-year ordering period for research and innovative technical analysis support services for the Marine Corps Operations Analysis Directorate. Work will be performed in Vienna, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed within the delivery dates set forth in each task order. The ordering period will commence on Feb. 5, 2019 and end on Feb. 4, 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funding on this contract will be obligated at the task order level. Operations and maintenance (Marine Corps), and research and development (Marine Corps and Navy) funding will be used for the task orders. Fiscal 2019, operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $950,200 will be obligated for task orders one and two and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations Command, National Capital Region, Regional Contracting Office Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M00264-19-D-0007). PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $23,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract. This contract provides continued Contractor Instruction, Maintenance, Operations and Training Support (CIMOTS). CIMOTS will support the national strategic sealift Cargo Offload Discharge System requirements and facilitate training for the Improved Navy Lighterage System powered and non-powered craft at Expeditionary Warfare Training Groups, Pacific and Atlantic. Work will be performed in Coronado, California (90 percent);and Norfolk, Virginia (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-19-D-1020). General Atomics, San Diego, California, is awarded $8,417,378 for ceiling-priced delivery order N00383-19-F-NA05 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00383-18-G-NA01) for the manufacture of 17 various line items for initial spares acquisition in support of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System for use on aircraft carriers. Work will be performed in Tupelo, Mississippi, and work will be completed by January 2022. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $6,313,034 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. ARMY MDM Construction,* Rockford, Illinois (W911SA-19-D-2005); Greenstone Construction,* Fargo, North Dakota (W911SA-19-D-2006); Richard Group,* Glenview, Illinois (W911SA-19-D-2007); Allcon Construction,* Butler, Wisconsin (W911SA-19-D-2008); Progressive Construction Services,* Janesville, Wisconsin (W911SA-19-D-2009); JMJ Construction,* Baraboo, Wisconsin (W911SA-19-D-2010); Relyant Global,* Maryville, Tennessee (W911SA-19-D-2011); RHI Construction Services,* West Haven, Utah (W911SA-19-D-2012); Platt Construction,* Franklin, Wisconsin (W911SA-19-D-2013); and Signature Renovations,* Capitol Heights, Maryland (W911SA-19-D-2014), will compete for each order of the $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Department of Public Works construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 14, 2024. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $26,182,720 modification (P00136) to contract W31P4Q-13-C-0129 to procure Command Launch Unit retrofits. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,182,720 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Social Services Missouri Dept., Jefferson City, Missouri, was awarded a $19,195,300 modification (P00003) to contract W911S7-18-C-0011 for full food service. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 5, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $19,195,300 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is the contracting activity. Valiant Government Services LLC, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was awarded a $16,255,102 modification (P00009) to contract W91278-18-C-0011 for operations and maintenance services. Work will be performed in Natick, Massachusetts; Daleville, Alabama; Silver Spring, Maryland; Aberdeen, Maryland; Frederick, Maryland; and Dover, Delaware, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army; and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $16,255,102 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Panamerican Consultants Inc.,* Memphis, Tennessee, was awarded a $7,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for cultural resources related services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-19-D-0003). R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates Inc.,* New Orleans, Louisiana, was awarded a $7,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for cultural resources related services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-19-D-0006). Coastal Environments Inc.,* Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $7,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for cultural resources related services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-19-D-0007). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, San Diego, California, is being awarded a $30,900,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00013) to a previously awarded contract (HQ0277-l 7-C-0001). The value of this contract is increased from $37,850,000 to $68,750,000. Under this modification, the contractor will continue to demonstrate passive Missile Defense Agency configured MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicles in Ballistic Missile Defense System tests. The work will be performed in San Diego, California. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and engineering funds in the amount of $l,445,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (HQ0277-17-C- 0001). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1750408/source/GovDelivery/

Murray Brewster · CBC News The Liberal government has decided to pull out all the stops on the construction of the navy's planned permanent supply ships — a move that's raised questions about how quickly the Canadian Coast Guard will get a critical oceanographic science vessel. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) issued a statement Tuesday that announced the re-sequencing of the construction schedules for vessels being built at the Vancouver Shipyard, which is owned by Seaspan. The company has already started preliminary construction work on the first of the navy's long-awaited Joint Support Ships and the federal government says the work will continue until the vessel is completed. Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan was suppose to first construct three small fisheries research ships and a larger oceanographic vessel before working on the navy's long-awaited supply ships. Adhering to that plan in the face of repeated organizational delays meant delivery of those supply ships — which are considered critical to allowing the navy to operate beyond Canadian shores — would not happen until 2023 at the earliest. The PSPC statement said that once the first supply ship is finished, Seaspan will turn its attention to the coast guard oceanographic ship and then build the last planned naval supply ship. "Given the complexity of this build, this change in sequencing will ensure focused engineering resources on each of the projects, while allowing for time between construction of the first and second [Joint Support Ship] to incorporate lessons learned," said PSPC spokesman Pierre-Alain Bujold in a statement. "Moreover, this allows for uninterrupted work at the shipyard, mitigating the risk of potential layoffs and production gaps between builds." Bujold said additional details on the construction schedule will be released at a later date. The change to the schedule was, according to sources in the defence industry, agreed upon at the recent Trudeau government cabinet retreat in Sherbrooke, Que. Rob Huebert, a defence expert at the University of Calgary, said the decision "leaves most people scratching their heads" because of the difficulty involved in getting a shipyard to switch up construction between different types of vessels. "Why you would interrupt the building of ships by putting another style and class of vessel in the middle completely boggles my mind," said Huebert, a noted expert on the Arctic. "I don't know why you would do it." If anything, he said, the federal government should simply build both naval ships and then move on the coast guard ship. The re-sequencing means the navy could be waiting until the late 2020s for its second supply vessel, which would make the program a multi-decade odyssey. The Liberal government of former prime minister Paul Martin originally ordered the replacement of the auxiliary ships in 2004, but the program was cancelled in 2008 by the Conservatives when cost estimates exceeded the budget envelope. Huebert said Tuesday's announcement also raises questions about when Canadians will see the heavy icebreaker that Seaspan is also slated to build. The PSPC website says the program is under review and "no activities are planned until work on other projects has advanced." The federal government apparently has not yet formally notified Seaspan of the schedule change, although the shipyard has awarded a series of sub-contracts to companies such as INDAL in Mississauga, Ont., and L3 MAPPS in Montreal, for supply ship components. Seaspan is expected to announce another contract on Wednesday with Lockheed Martin Canada related to the supply ships. Ever since the Conservatives cancelled the first iteration of the supply ship project, the federal government has struggled to get it back on track, setting and missing several deadlines. The supply ships were supposed to arrive in 2017. The date was pushed back to 2019, and then to 2022. The absence of a supply ship prompted the Davie shipyard, in Levis, Que., to pitch a converted civilian cargo ship for navy use. That $668 million lease deal is at the centre of the breach-of-trust case against Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. Davie is pitching the federal government on leasing another cargo ship. A spokesman for Davie, Frederik Boisvert, called Tuesday's decision "an insult to taxpayers" and claimed that Seaspan has failed to deliver on the supply ship project and "should be blacklisted by the government and not rewarded for failure." The effect of switching up the schedule means the navy might not need a second supply ship leasing deal. Sources within the coast guard and the defence industry have said that the design and project coordination for the fisheries science vessel is not as far advanced as the navy supply ship program and that is an important factor in the federal government's timing decision. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-pushes-navy-s-planned-supply-ships-to-the-front-of-the-construction-queue-1.5006785

By The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The Royal Canadian Air Force is hoping to pull the trigger on the purchase of new drones within six years after spending nearly two decades weighing different options. The Canadian Forces has been working since the early 2000s to find unmanned aerial vehicles that can conduct surveillance over Canada's vast territory and support overseas missions. Yet aside from purchasing a small number of temporary, unarmed drones for the war in Afghanistan, the military has never been able to make much progress on a permanent fleet. Air Force commander Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger says he believes that is about to change after the Trudeau government became the first to officially authorize the acquisition of a fleet of armed UAVs through its defence policy. In an interview, Meinzinger says the air force is nearly finished drawing up options — where it has been stuck for years — and will soon move into the next phase by presenting its proposals to procurement officials. While the military has welcomed Canada's decision to buy armed drones and promised to abide by international laws, some arms-control advocates have expressed concern about the legal grey zone such weapons inhabit. The Canadian Press https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2019/02/06/air-force-aiming-to-have-armed-drones-in-the-air-in-next-six-years-commander-3/#.XFsws1xKiUl

PARIS (Reuters) - France and Germany will on Wednesday announce a 65 million euro ($74 million) contract financed equally by both countries over two years as the first act of the joint programme to design a next-generation combat jet, a French army source and two other sources familiar with the matter said. Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which will build the jet that is expected to replace Dassault's Rafale and Germany's Eurofighters by 2024, will start work on the concept and architectures of the program, the source said. The French and German governments are expected to award the companies involved additional contracts to advance technologies and work on demonstrators this summer. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel first announced plans in July 2017 for the new Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which will include a fighter jet and a range of associated weapons, including drones. After nearly two years of preparatory work by the companies involved, Wednesday's agreements and contract signing will pave the way for the programme to begin in earnest. The initial contracts being signed on Wednesday will run for two years, the sources said. Airbus and Dassault have been waiting for initial contracts to be signed to start work on the new project. France's Safran and Germany's MTU Aero Engines are expected to join forces to develop the engine for the new warplane, while French electronics firm Thales and European missile maker MBDA would also participate. French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen will preside over the signing ceremony at a Safran site in northeastern Paris on Wednesday. Germany removed a key obstacle to progress on the project last week when it bowed to French demands and excluded Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter from a multibillion-euro tender to replace ageing Tornado fighter jets that are fitted to carry U.S. nuclear weapons. Paris, Germany's closest European partner, had warned that buying the F-35 in particular would derail plans to develop the new Franco-German fighter by 2040 since it would constitute a potential competitor to that project. France and Germany will add Spain as a full partner in the programme this summer, sources told Reuters in December. Britain, which is due to exit the European Union in March, unveiled its own rival aircraft development programme, dubbed Tempest, at the Farnborough Air Show in July. European military and industry executives say they believe the two programmes could and should eventually be merged given the need to compete internationally and the many billions of euros needed to develop a new combat aircraft. The French army source said France and Germany were open to more European partners joining the programme. Germany's embargo on arms sales to Saudi Arabia has been a source of friction with France, which has been unable to deliver Meteor missiles built for Saudi Arabia by MBDA, sources said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-france-defence/france-and-germany-to-launch-first-contracts-on-future-combat-jets-idUSKCN1PU2K0

Airbus will deploy Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform to take major step forward in its digital transformation Airbus makes digital design, manufacturing and services a reality across all divisions and product lines Airbus and Dassault Systèmes (Paris:DSY) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to cooperate on the implementation of collaborative 3D design, engineering, manufacturing, simulation and intelligence applications. This will enable Airbus to take a major step forward in its digital transformation and lay the foundation for a new European industrial ecosystem in aviation. Under the MOA, Airbus will deploy Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which delivers digital continuity, from design to operations, in a single data model for a unified user experience, making digital design, manufacturing and services (DDMS) a company-wide reality for all Airbus divisions and product lines. DDMS paves the way for breakthroughs in new product design, operational performance, support and maintenance, customer satisfaction and new business models, as it represents a move from sequential to parallel development processes. Instead of first focusing on product performance, Airbus will be able to co-design and develop the next generation of aircraft with the manufacturing facilities that will produce them, reducing costs and time to market. “We are not just talking about digitalisation or a 3D experience, we are rethinking the way aircraft are designed and operated, streamlining and speeding up our processes with customer satisfaction in mind,” said Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “DDMS is a catalyst for change and with it we are building a new model for the European aerospace industry with state of the art technology. Our target is a robust production setup that offers a reduction in product development lead time.” “Nothing exemplifies the intersection of technology, science and art more than aviation. When we reflect on how the industry has evolved to where it is today, it's a blend of technical prowess, digital precision and inspiration,” said Bernard Charlès, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systèmes. “The Aerospace industry has a proven track record of fast transformation, faster than in most industries. It delivers high quality innovation and new services for operations in highly complex and regulated environments. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform will accelerate the digital transformation of Airbus. Airbus can capture insights and expertise from across its ecosystem to deliver new experiences that only the digital world makes possible.” Share on Twitter: @Airbus @Dassault3DS embark on strategic partnership to create the European aerospace industry of tomorrow #digitaltransformation #smartmanufacturing #factoryofthefuture #3DEXPERIENCE * * * About Airbus Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of € 59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. About Dassault Systèmes Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systèmes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 250,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. This and other press releases and high resolution photos are available on: AirbusNewsroom https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190205006036/en/