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FORT COLLINS, Colorado/VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Remote GeoSystems, North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters are pleased to announce the successful deployment of a geoDVR™ Gen2 with a FLIR daylight EO/IR gyro-stabilized video camera on an Airbus TwinStar (AS355) for Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. The geoDVR Gen2 is an advanced mil-spec DVR for recording multiple channels of HD & Standard-Definition geospatial full motion video in airborne and rugged vehicle environments. The geoDVR's ability to reliably record HD color and IR, along with continuous GPS data and Live Moving Maps, makes it ideally suited for professional airborne search & rescue, law enforcement and infrastructure inspection applications that utilize multi-sensor gimbal video cameras. “Remote Geo has a reputation for building one of the industry's most dependable and user-friendly airborne geospatial video recorders, complete with flexible post-flight mapping tools. So the geoDVR Gen2 was an obvious choice when we were asked to fly the FLIR on the TwinStar for mountain search and rescue,” says Peter Murray, Founder/Operations Manager at Talon Helicopters. North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters team operate the geoDVR and FLIR during ground training in October 2017 “Adding the FLIR camera to North Shore Rescue's toolbox has been a great enhancement to NSR's capabilities. Having the ability to record and geo-track the location of the video seemed essential to maximizing the full potential of the FLIR camera. The geoDVR allows searchers to review recorded video for clues that may or may not have been observed during the flight,” says Jim Loree, North Shore Rescue SAR Manager and Air Operations Coordinator. According to Loree, “This feature could also be highly valuable in a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake where widespread areas are surveyed for damage. Emergency Operation Centers would be able to use the data to help them make decisions on where and how to deploy resources based on the exact location and extent of damages provided by the video recording.” North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters will use the geoDVR with a FLIR generously donated by Port of Vancouver to perform helicopter-based SAR operations with color and infrared. Then, using LineVision™ software post-flight, North Shore Rescue will review the geoDVR videos and flight tracks overlaid on Google Earth and Esri maps for training mission planning and recovery operations. Since North Shore Rescue is an all volunteer organization, Remote GeoSystems donated 18 LineVision Esri Maps and LineVision Google Earth licenses as part of the implementation. ### About North Shore Rescue North Shore Rescue (North Shore Search and Rescue) is a volunteer community-based Mountain Search and Rescue Team based in Vancouver, BC and performs approximately 130 rescue calls a year. The team consists of approximately 45 volunteers skilled in search and rescue operations in mountain, canyon and urban settings. The team has existed for 50 years, making it one of the oldest SAR teams in Canada. During this time the number of calls each year has gradually increased. Over the past 50 years the team has been involved in more than 2500 search and rescue operations volunteering over 200,000 hours of effort. These calls have involved over 2000 subjects, and approximately 25% of the calls have involved subject injuries or death. Learn more by visiting http://www.northshorerescue.com/ About Talon Helicopters Talon is Vancouver's number one supplier of helicopter services, and the region's largest supplier of intermediate helicopters. Talon is locally owned and operated, and provides exceptional customer service with 20 years of incident and accident free operations. Specialized mission services include search & rescue, broadcast and film, wildfire suppression and utility patrols/operations. Learn more by visiting http://www.taloncopters.com/ https://www.remotegeo.com/north-shore-rescue-talon-helicopters-geodvr-flir-sar/

Ask Charles Bouchard what keeps him awake at night and the chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Canada won't hesitate: “Our ability to protect our cyber systems.” At a time when access to intellectual property (IP) is raising debate among aerospace OEMs, suppliers, in-service support and MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) companies, and governments and militaries, protecting data is a hot topic. Lockheed Martin has seen enough of its IP stolen in recent years to take the problem seriously. But Bouchard believes many industry executives don't truly understand the challenge or the cost. “It's one thing to say, we want the IP. The next question is, can you defend it? Can you protect it? That is a problem today,” he told Skies. “Subcontractors . . . need to protect their data because they are connecting to our systems, especially if IP will be passed to them. How are we going to do that? We have gone beyond putting a guard at the front gate and a lock on the door. [And] for some, it's a significant investment.” Cyber defence is a national imperative, said retired Major-General Robert Wheeler, a 32-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a senior advisor to Avascent Global Advisors. Whether the threat comes from nations or non-state actors such as terrorist or criminal organizations, cyber experts are seeing an increase in frequency and capability “in this particular type of warfare.” “They are going after companies that are not prepared to deal with it, to take their IP and create havoc...,” the former deputy chief information officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense told executives at the Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa Nov. 7. Modern aircraft, with their vast supply chains and increasingly networked systems, present an attractive “avenue for bad guys to get in.” In a presentation that highlighted recent attacks in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere, Wheeler showed how the relentless pursuit of corporate and government data has jeopardized military, commercial and critical infrastructure systems and programs. The 2011 attack on Defence Research and Development Canada, for example, was not only a costly systems problem to fix, it also raised questions about what government, industry and research data was exfiltrated. Likewise, the 2015 hack of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management was alarming because the benign-sounding agency houses the security clearances, including digital photo and biometric identification, for government, intelligence and military personnel. “Data is the commodity of the 21st century,” said Wheeler. While the sheer volume of new data might be a sign that more intellectual property is being created and the economy is growing, corporate breaches are keeping pace, and “the cost of each breach is accelerating” in terms of dollars and lost IP. Cyber attacks are also starting to impact the C-suite, he noted. The 2013 breach of Target's payment card system cost chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel his job, and executives with credit reporting agency Equifax have been “publicly flogged” in the wake of the hack of millions of client records in October. ere may be greater consequences for companies that don't do due diligence, Wheeler suggested, pointing to changes taking shape in the legal regime following the Target attack. While greater investment in cyber defence is important, “this is not a technology issue,” he said. “This is a leadership issue” that requires a change in organizational culture and executives who understand the challenge and can “walk the talk.” It also requires more employee training, not only in best cyber hygiene practices, but also in how to use networking and cyber tools to be more resilient, agile and quick to respond. The payoff is a more effective, efficient and competitive company. “[So] many solutions to problems of this world today are in the data,” he said. “If you do this correctly . . . there is an opportunity to be more competitive, more collaborative, to come up with faster ideas in an environment and age when we have to come up with faster ideas.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/cyber-consequences-attacks-hitting-c-suite/

Canada is waiting to hear back from Australia on its offer to purchase F-18s from that country. The Australian planes would be added to the RCAF's flight line to shore up the existing fleet of CF-18s. But if that deal does proceed the RCAF expects that structural work will have to be done to extend the lives of the planes. RCAF commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Hood suggested to Defense News and FlightGlobal that L-3 in Quebec would get any upgrade contract since that firm has done similar work for the airforce on its existing CF-18s. But Hood told Defense News at the Dubai airshow that even with that work to be done, the RCAF would be able to acquire the Australian aircraft “within the next couple of years” once a decision is made. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/australian-f-18s-being-considered-by-canada-to-need-overhaul-to-keep-flying?utm_source=skies-daily-news-news-from-the-web

From the Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force's Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The project is currently in the options analysis phase. This fall, the project's name was changed to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) project. This change is consistent with recent changes in the lexicon and classification systems of our allies, and is a more accurate reflection of how the systems are operated. As outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged, released in June 2017, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) have become integral to modern military operations. Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) such as the RCAF's CU-170 Heron and other unmanned aircraft have been deployed on Canadian military operations in the past and offer several advantages including the ability to remain airborne significantly longer than current strategic surveillance platforms. The use of remotely piloted aircraft also reduces the risk to CAF personnel operating the aircraft from a distance and within a lower threat environment, and will also aid in identifying potential threats to CAF personnel in area of operations. Remotely piloted aircraft will be equipped with a variety of payloads and sensors to detect items of interest in all-weather operations including into Canada's Arctic, and will be able to assist in a range of missions from persistent surveillance to supporting search and rescue, to combat operations. The RPAS project anticipates that remotely piloted aircraft can in fact be employed in all eight core missions outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged, both domestically and overseas. Directly, the RPAS project supports initiatives 91 and 92, which state the government will also “invest in a range of remotely piloted systems” and “conduct research and development of remotely piloted land, sea and aerial capabilities.” The RPAS project Although the name has changed, the RPAS project's aim remains to provide an integrated persistent long-range, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability. The project will operate as part of a system-of-systems network and will be capable of providing near-real time information to tactical, operational and strategic commanders to support both domestic and deployed operations, and when required, provide a precision strike capability to support operations. The project will complement existing capabilities within the CAF, such as the CP-140 Aurora long range patrol aircraft. The RPAS project is not a platform replacement. Project phases The RPAS project is currently in the options analysis phase: Options analysis allows departmental senior management to make informed decision on the best way to implement a project, attempting to achieve the capability identified in a manner that is acceptable to the Government. During this phase, options are formulated, cost and benefits assessed, and a business case for the options developed. The definition phase of a project marks the transition from determining what should be done to deal with a lack of a capability, to determining how the preferred option will be implemented. A project is planned during this phase. Activities include carrying out a detailed review of the project requirements and risk assessment as well as costing and planning for the implementation phase and a preferred procurement strategy selected. Projects in the implementation phase have received the approvals required to enter into contracts and commit to the expending funds and resources for the project to proceed to completion. Initial operational capability, when the ability to employ the capability is first attained, is planned for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, based on direction contained in Strong, Secure, Engaged. Project costs Costs are being evaluated as part of the options analysis phase and will be further refined during the definition phase. The estimated cost will depend on the approved procurement strategy, infrastructure and the type of platform(s) chosen. Costs will include associated sensors, ground elements and infrastructure. Number of aircraft No decision has been made concerning the number of aircraft. The number of RPASs will be sufficient to meet three simultaneous lines of tasking and may be affected by the procurement strategy, infrastructure, and specific platform(s) chosen. Economic benefits The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, including the Value Proposition will apply to this procurement, requiring that the prime contractor on this project invest 100 percent of the contract value back into Canada's economy. The Value Proposition is the economic commitment that bidders make to Canada up front at bid time, which is a scored and weighted factor in winner selection. This becomes a contractual commitment for the winning bidder. Value Proposition requirements are tailored to each procurement to allow the government to steer investments and take advantage of the unique economic opportunities offered by each project. RPAS uses Domestically, the RPAS will provide a strengthened ability for surveillance of the maritime and northern approaches to Canada and support to search and rescue operations. The RPAS will allow the CAF to assist other government departments in support of special security events, such as international summits, aid to the civil authorities – such as response to forest fires or floods – and Assistance to Law Enforcement Agencies operations. Overseas, the RPAS will be capable of detecting, recognizing, identifying, and tracking targets of interest in complex environments and integrate with the systems required to process and fuse the collected information into actionable intelligence. RPAS precision strike capability Strong, Secure, Engaged indicates that the RPAS will have a precision strike capability – it will be capable of being armed. The ability to target and execute precision strikes ensures that if a threat is detected that it can also be addressed at that time. As with any use of weapons systems, the CAF will operate in accordance with domestic and international laws. Operations will be conducted in strict accordance with all the controls, procedures, and rules of engagement that govern the use of force or any other weapon. All of these systems would be remotely piloted by CAF personnel who would be directly involved in the decision making process to execute a strike. However, the RPA(s) will be armed only if necessary for the assigned task(s). Operating environments The RPAS will be able to operate worldwide, in all weather conditions, at any time of day with the range and endurance to cover all of Canada's airspace from any suitable operating location. The system will also need to be able to operate in low-to-medium threat environments, within joint environments with other government departments, and as part of a coalition with our allies. The Royal Canadian Air Force ensures the sovereignty of Canada through its ability to respond rapidly to any threat. The investment in the RPAS project, as outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged, enhances the RCAF's capability to continue to provide agile, integrated air power with the necessary reach to fulfill any requirement asked by the Government of Canada. Interested suppliers should direct question related to this project to the Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) contracting authority. Article: http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/news-template-standard.page?doc=update-and-new-name-for-the-joint-unmanned-surveillance-target-acquisition-system-justas-project/j9u7rzyf

Gen. Jonathan Vance said that despite speculation, there was never a plan in the works to deploy troops on a single UN operation. OTTAWA—Training foreign troops will be the “flagship” of Canada's newly announced peace operations strategy, says the country's top soldier, who concedes that elements of the plan still require months more work. Prime Minster Justin Trudeau on Wednesday took the wraps off his government's long-awaited effort to reengage with United Nations peace missions. Elements of the strategy include $15 million in funding to boost participation by women soldiers in UN operations; an initiative to end the recruitment of child soldiers; and the promise of Canadian personnel to assist with training. It also pledges up to six helicopters, two transport aircraft and a quick reaction force of up to 200 personnel to support UN missions. But apart from Trudeau's promise of a single transport aircraft for UN operations based in Uganda, the plan offered no details on possible deployments. Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, said it would be “inappropriate” to say when those might start. “I'm not even going to hazard a guess on that one right now. Step number one is now to get into detailed planning with the UN and find out . . . the what, the where and the when,” he said in an interview. This week's announcement was months in the making. The Liberals pledged in the 2015 election to “recommit” to UN peace operations, in part by providing specialized capabilities such as medical teams and engineering support. That promise was followed in August, 2016 by a commitment to deploy up to 600 troops and 150 police officers on UN operations. Canada's contributions to UN peace missions are at their lowest levels in years with just 23 military personnel currently assigned to such operations. That's not likely to change soon. In the wake of Wednesday's commitments, Vance made clear that it will take many months yet of planning and discussions with the United Nations to determine how Canada's offers of personnel and equipment can best fit with ongoing missions. “Some of the ‘when' on smart pledges is years away. Some of the ‘when' on other potential operations is sooner than that,” he said. Some observers criticized the Liberal government for not committing personnel to a single mission, choosing instead to disperse personnel among many possible locations. But Vance said that despite speculation, there was never a plan in the works to deploy troops on a single UN operation, saying, “I've never received guidance that said do a mission with 600 (troops).” Suggestions that troops were headed to Mali, for example, or that the announcement had been delayed “didn't match the reality of the work we were doing,” Vance said. “There were a lot of assumptions made about, ‘hey, we're going to Africa',” Vance said Instead, he said that Canada was working with the United Nations “to figure out a new way of doing business.” And he said repeated fact-finding trips by bureaucrats and politicians, including visits to African countries, were not about scouting any one particular mission. “That's us doing research . . . that allowed us to arrive at an approach that government could consider,' he said. “We've been working for over a year to determine what are the various options available to government in terms of how to improve UN performance overall with Canadian troops,” Vance said. Yet given that Africa is the location of many UN missions so “it's very likely a place where we would offer contributions,” Vance said. The peace support strategy calls for a new training and advisory team to work with a nation before and during a deployment to improve their own ability to conduct peace operations. It also says that Canada will contribute to training centres and schools. Vance said such activities will be the “flagship” of the plan. “We're going to try and leverage the Canadian expertise, one of the best trained militaries in the world and best equipped, . . . so that UN mission performance can improve,” Vance said. Defence analyst Dave Perry said elements of the peacekeeping strategy make sense. The problem, he said, is that the government itself had raised expectations with its drawn-out decision-making and rhetoric about its intentions. “It wasn't just what the government was saying publicly. I think there were also a number of commitments that were strongly intimated to some of Canada's key allies,” Perry said in an interview. “My sense is that the different options that were put forward by the department of national defence for whatever reasons weren't palatable to the government,” said Perry, a senior analyst with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. While he said the contributions to UN operations were “modest,” Perry said Canada is better off providing military support to other missions, such as coalition efforts to combat Daesh, or NATO roles. “Bluntly, there are better ways of achieving Canadian national objectives in the world that through UN missions,” Perry said. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/11/16/training-foreign-troops-will-be-the-flagship-of-canadas-new-un-peace-strategy-top-soldier-says.html

Montreal, November 14, 2017 – Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. (“DA Defence”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Air Inc., today announced that it has now flown its first fast jet training mission in support of the Australian Defence Force's Fast Jet Trial contract. Two DA Defence upgraded Alpha Jets and four Air Affairs Learjets participated in air-to-air missions as Red Air aggressors near RAAF Williamtown, New South Wales. The jets were participating in the Royal Australian Air Force 81 Wing workups for future exercises. “This inaugural fast jet mission is a great milestone for everyone involved in our new Australian program,” said Steven “Bunt” Nierlich, DA Defence Program Manager and a highly-experienced former CF-18 pilot. “Discovery Air Defence and Air Affairs Australia are committed to delivering the world's best adversary training to the Australian Defence Force.” “This mission marks the achievement of initial operating capability (IOC) in our Australian fast jet program,” said Paul Bouchard, President of DA Defence. “Working closely with our partner Air Affairs Australia, also an expert in providing both jet and unmanned target services, we look forward to training the Australian Defence Force with highly-representative adversary threats beyond this trial and into the future.” 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 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: Garrick Ngai Director of Marketing Garrick.Ngai@discoveryair.com 514-694-5565 http://www.discoveryair-ds.com/page?a=2082&lang=en-CA

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Chris Thatcher The in-service support and training systems team behind Canada's new fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft expects to begin construction on a training centre at 19 Wing Comox, B.C., before the end of the year. Eva Martinez, PAL Aerospace vice president of in-service support, said the first shovel should break ground in December. “We're working on finalizing that date,” she told the Best Defence Conference in London, Ont., on Nov. 1. Canada's 16 C295W aircraft will likely be distributed three per base, with two marked for training and two to be rotated amongst the SAR squadrons to cover for aircraft undergoing maintenance. Airbus Photo The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will take delivery of the first of 16 Airbus C295W search and rescue aircraft in April 2020 at a renewed main operating base at 19 Wing, scheduled to be stood up in December 2019. Airbus was awarded a $2.4 billion contract in December 2016 to replace the RCAF's fleet of six CC-115 Buffalos and several CC-130H Hercules assigned to search and rescue duty. The contract includes delivery of the aircraft, construction of a state-of-the-art training centre, and the first five years of maintenance and support. Options for an additional 15 years of maintenance and support services could extend the agreement to 2042 and the total value to $4.7 billion. As part of the Airbus team, PAL Aerospace will provide program management services, in-service support (ISS), maintenance and logistics support, heavy maintenance, a mobile repair team, and manage a centralized supply chain. The two companies have created a Canadian joint venture called AirPro to serve as the ISS integrator. And as a Tier 1 supplier to Airbus, PAL will provide direct maintenance, repair and overall (MRO) services as well as logistics and engineering augmentation. While CAE Canada has responsibility for the training program, infrastructure and support, PAL has the task of creating a contractor field office and tool and parts warehouse and staffing an integrated team of aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) at the four main operating bases in Comox, Winnipeg, Trenton, Ont., and Greenwood, N.S. It will also set up a central warehouse in Winnipeg to supply all four bases, alongside an MRO facility for heavy inspections and the mobile repair party. An interim warehouse will be created in St. John's, N.L., until the Winnipeg facility is ready in December 2022. “Next year, we begin the wave of hiring,” said Martinez, noting that AMEs, a senior maintenance manager and other personnel will all need to be in place as the facilities and services at each main operating base come online, starting with Comox and then likely Winnipeg, Trenton and Greenwood, “though that may change.” This rendering shows the new fixed-wing search and rescue training centre to be built at 19 Wing Comox, B.C. CAE Image The 16 C295W aircraft will likely be distributed three per base, with two marked for training and two to be rotated amongst the SAR squadrons to cover for aircraft undergoing maintenance, she said. Although St. John's-based PAL has been providing airline, aviation and manufacturing services since 1972, establishing a global reputation in the process, the FWSAR contract has helped put the company “on the map” in Canada, Martinez acknowledged. As part of its central role in the program, PAL will be leaning on a wider supply chain of small and medium Canadian companies to achieve its industrial and technological benefits (ITB) obligations. “[We] will be expecting [our] suppliers to provide the support that we need so we too can meet our ITB and value proposition contractual commitments,” she said. As one of the first large projects to move through the procurement process since the government in 2014 introduced a defence procurement strategy emphasizing value propositions (VP) to enhance economic returns, the “FWSAR contract is actually the first in Canada to fall under a measured VP,” Martinez noted. “In other words, [the VP] wasn't just used for bid evaluation. A variety of tasks have already been pre-determined against which every Tier 1 will have to identify their labour hours specific to each of those tasks.” While Airbus will have an obligation to invest at least 15 per cent of its ITB commitments in small and medium enterprises, PAL's requirement is just 1.4 per cent. Martinez stressed, however, that the company would be looking well beyond that for additional Canadian content. “That does not mean we are going to cap ourselves at 1.4 per cent. We have just as much interest [as Airbus] in working with small and medium enterprises where it makes sense in terms of performance,” she said. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/pal-soon-hiring-sar-main-operating-bases/

​The 36-State ICAO Council. In endorsing the very first Global Aviation Security Plan today to improve international coordination, reponse, and planning relating to threats to civil aviation passengers, aircraft and facilities, the Council encouraged the ICAO Secretariat to continue refining and improving it on the basis of close continued cooperation with States and security stakeholders globally, and with due attention to all applicable implementation assistance and capacity building requirements in ICAO's Regions. ​ Montréal, 15 November 2017 – The ICAO Council took an historic step in endorsing the very first Global Aviation Security Plan to improve international coordination, response, and planning to counter threats to civil aviation passengers, cargo, aircraft and facilities. “This new strategic document will assist ICAO Member States in their aviation security coordination with other States and applicable security agencies, as well as helping to nurture security cultures and capabilities, place greater focus on the role of new technologies and innovations, and refine related frameworks for oversight and quality assurance,” affirmed ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. A set of indicators and target dates have also been established, and all associated targets and outcomes will be regularly reviewed and adjusted, taking into account all new and emerging aviation security threats. “The Council has encouraged the ICAO Secretariat to continue refining and improving this critical living document, on the basis of close continued cooperation with States and security stakeholders globally, and with due attention to all applicable implementation assistance and capacity building requirements in ICAO's Regions,” Dr. Aliu further commented. Subsequent to its first review of the new Global Aviation Security Plan in June 2017, the Council authorized its transmission to ICAO Member States and international organizations for comment. Ninety-six percent of those replies indicated agreement with its scope and purpose, as well as the related strategies and global targets, which will continue to be refined. “The ICAO Secretariat has developed this strategic document on an accelerated basis to answer the call of ICAO's Council and Member States and the respective commitments and actions of national governments will now be essential to its overall impact and value,” commented ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. “This new Global Aviation Security Plan will now take its place alongside ICAO's existing Global Plans for aviation safety and system-wide capacity and efficiency, and importantly it directly responds to various resolutions and expectations regarding aviation security and terrorism which have been expressed to ICAO by the United Nations Security Council.” The ICAO Global Aviation Security Plan calls for action at the global, regional and national levels by States, industry and other stakeholders in raising the level of implementation of Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation – Security. Secretary General Liu further confirmed that a roadmap outlining 94 tasks, accompanying 32 actions under five key priority outcomes, will be central to the new Global Plan's roll out. These lay the groundwork for objectives over the next three years until the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly in 2019. In line with its contribution to the Global Counter-terrorism Strategy of the United Nations, ICAO will continue to coordinate with the Security Council and its various committees on all priorities relevant to aviation and border security, and bring together the private and public sector partners who help ensure our network remains at the dependable service of societies and economies. https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/ICAO-Council-endorses-new-Global-Aviation-Security-Plan.aspx

On 13 November 2017 ministers from 23 member states signed a joint notification on the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and handed it over to the High Representative and the Council. The possibility of the Permanent Structured Cooperation in the area of defence security and defence policy was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. It foresees the possibility of a number of EU member states working more closely together in the area of security and defence. This permanent framework for defence cooperation will allow those member states willing and able to jointly develop defence capabilities, invest in shared projects, or enhance the operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces. The member states who signed the joint notification are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. It is possible for other member states to join at a later stage. The joint notification is the first formal step to set up the PESCO. It sets out: the principles of the PESCO, in particular underlining that the "PESCO is an ambitious, binding and inclusive European legal framework for investments in the security and defence of the EU's territory and its citizens" the list of "ambitious and more binding common commitments" the member states have agreed to undertake, including "regularly increasing defence budgets in real terms in order to reach agreed objectives", proposals on PESCO governance, with an overarching level maintaining the coherence and the ambition of the PESCO, complemented by specific governance procedures at projects level. Joint notification by member states to the High Representative and to the Council on PESCO Next steps The Council now has to adopt a decision establishing PESCO by reinforced qualified majority. This could take place at the next Foreign Affairs Council (11 December). A first list of projects to be undertaken within the PESCO framework should be agreed by the participating member states once PESCO has been established. These could cover areas such as training, capabilities development and operational readiness in the field of defence. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/11/13/defence-cooperation-23-member-states-sign-joint-notification-on-pesco/ Factsheet: https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/pesco_factsheet_13-12-2017_final.pdf