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The Canadian Defence Liaison Staff (Washington) and the Trade Commissioner Service would like to make Canada’s defence industry aware of an opportunity to meet with the US Department of Defense Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) Program at CANSEC 2023! We ask that you share this message with your colleagues, contacts, and clients who may benefit from the FCT Program.   Interested firms should complete the attached Product Sheet and return to via email to LCdr Alain Gilbert - alain.gilbert@forces.gc.ca – (with a CC to Trade Commissioner Bobby Tate – Robert.tate@interational.gc.ca) by Friday, May 12th.   The FCT program scans for vendors in non-US countries that have innovative technologies that speak to the US DoD’s 14 Critical Technology Areas. Please note that the Critical Technology Areas have been updated for 2023:   o          Biotechnology o          Quantum Science o          Future Generation Wireless Technology (FutureG) o          Advanced Materials o          Trusted AI and Autonomy o          Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems o          Microelectronics o          Space Technology o          Renewable Energy and Storage o          Advanced computing and Software o          Human-Machine Interfaces o          Directed Energy o          Hypersonic o          Integrated Sensing and Cyber   The USD(R&E) Technology Vision for an Era of Competition provides additional context. It can be found here: https://www.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/usdre_strategic_vision_critical_tech_areas.pdf   DoD will also consider technologies that satisfy urgent operational needs on a relevant fielding schedule and/or technologies that provide significant life cycle savings. In short, they’re looking for technology that does an existing capability better, cheaper, or faster!   For more information, an overview presentation on the FCT program can be found here: https://ac.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/fct_overview_presentation_approved_7_14_2020.pdf   Companies who submit a product template may have the opportunity to meet with the FCT program during the CANSEC exposition  (31 May – 1 June 2023).  The expo will be held at the EY Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. Again, interested firms should complete the attached FCT Product Sheet, and send it to LCdr Alain Gilbert, A/Defence Cooperation Attaché at alain.gilbert@forces.gc.ca with a CC to Bobby Tate at Robert.tate@international.gc.ca   We hope you consider this opportunity to learn more about the U.S. Department of Defense’s FCT program.   Questions may be addressed to LCdr Alain Gilbert, Assistant Defence Cooperation Attaché at alain.gilbert@forces.gc.ca and Mr. Bobby Tate, Trade Commissioner, Defense, Security, and Aerospace, at robert.tate@international.gc.ca

More than 60 of this country's former top security officials, military commanders and politicians - along with a former top Supreme Court justice - have signed an open letter imploring the Liberal government to take national security and defence more seriously.

April 17, 2023 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces The first Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) senior promotions and appointments of General and Flag Officers for 2023 have been announced by General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff. The requirement for General and Flag Officers is driven by the need to lead defence priorities at the institutional level, create and sustain a diverse and inclusive culture, and project leadership abroad. Major-General M.H.L. Bourgon has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and remains Acting Chief Military Personnel and Acting Commander Military Personnel Command (CMP/CMPC), in Ottawa.  Additional General and Flag Officer promotions and appointments announced via CANFORGEN 070/23 for those at the rank of Rear-Admiral/Major-General and below will be available on the General and Flag Officer website by visiting General Officers and Flag Officers - Canada.ca The CAF’s evolving promotion process is continuing to ensure that inclusive leaders who embody the CAF’s professional values and ethos are chosen. Promotion candidates completed an evidence-based character assessment. Promotion candidates then underwent a “360 degree” evaluation known as the multi-rater assessment. This approach uses a diverse group of evaluators to reduce bias and foster diverse perspectives to obtain a holistic perspective of the candidate’s leadership behaviour and effectiveness. Additionally, the promotion candidate is subject to an interview conducted by a third party, external to Department of National Defence and CAF, which focuses on personal experiences, self awareness, past challenges, failures, and successes. Information regarding the promotion selection process . Further promotions, appointments, and retirements will be announced when they have been confirmed. Related products Lieutenant-General M.H.L. (Lise) Bourgon, CMM, MSC, CD - Canada.ca https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/04/chief-of-the-defence-staff-announces-first-2023-canadian-armed-forces-general-and-flag-officer-senior-promotions-and-appointments.html

Systemic barriers to innovation persist within the military’s acquisition system that prevent the adoption of emerging technology.

The undersecretary of defense for research and engineering said the document is finished and awaiting approval from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Moldova needs 250 million euros ($275 million) to modernise its armed forces following Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last year, a senior defence official in the pro-Western country said on Wednesday.

Given the political drama stemming from the FY24 budget request, it is worth investigating what’s not in the president's submission.

The service for business opportunities monitoring will be limited in the coming days. This situation is beyond our control and involves a system migration on the government side, which makes access to information more difficult. We are currently working on a solution to restore the service. Thank you for your understanding.

The Army is taking steps to master contested logistics by focusing on key modernization requirements taking shape now.