22 juin 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

Aerospace firm drops lawsuit against DND as defence officials award it multibillion-dollar contract

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen

An Italian aerospace firm dropped a lawsuit against Canada over what it claimed was a rigged aircraft purchase shortly before the federal government awarded it a new sole-source deal potentially worth billions of dollars.

But the Canadian Forces and officials with Italian defence company, Leonardo, say the ending of the legal action in May had nothing to do with the company being picked for a new project the same month.

Leonardo has been selected by the Royal Canadian Air Force to upgrade its Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters and provide seven additional aircraft.

It is estimated the project will cost taxpayers between $1 billion and $5 billion, a price tag that includes the purchase of simulators and support equipment.

Leonardo had been fighting the Canadian government in Federal Court over its 2016 decision to award its rival, Airbus, a contract to build fixed-wing search-and-rescue planes as part of a $4.7-billion program. The company was asking the court to overturn the contract to Airbus and instead award the lucrative deal to Leonardo and its Canadian partners. It alleged the Airbus aircraft failed to meet the government's basic criteria.

But that legal action was stopped in May just as the Canadian government was awarding Leonardo the new helicopter deal.

The Department of National Defence suggested the decision to drop the lawsuit was not related to its decision to select Leonardo for the sole-source deal. “The Government of Canada's priority is to select a best-value package for the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade,” the DND noted in an email. “Decisions related to this procurement were made based on consultations with industry and our subject matter experts and follow standard procurement reviews.”

But the sole-source deal to Leonardo caught the aerospace industry by surprise. The RCAF had asked companies just last year for informal proposals on how Canada's future search and rescue helicopter needs could be met.

One firm, Sikorsky, went as far as launching a campaign to promote its civilian S-92 helicopter as a cost-effective solution. It proposed that it was cheaper to buy new helicopters than to upgrade the older Cormorants.

The federal government acknowledged that it has now received correspondence from aerospace firms raising issues about the sole-source deal with Leonardo.

“We have received some responses,” Pierre-Alain Bujold, a spokesman for Public Services and Procurement Canada, stated in an email. “PSPC officials are currently reviewing the responses, in collaboration with the Department of National Defence and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.”

“Once this review is complete, officials will determine appropriate next steps and inform respondents accordingly,” Bujold added.

But defence industry insiders say the review is simply for the sake of appearances and it is expected the deal with Leonardo will proceed.

Leonardo officials said their decision to drop the lawsuit was made in April but it took until the next month before that process could be completed.

The Cormorant fleet entered service in the year 2000 and the modernization would allow the helicopters to operate for another 25 years at least. One of Leonardo's subsidiaries was the original manufacturer of the Cormorants.

The decision to sole-source the deal moved through the federal system quickly. On April 20, RCAF spokesman Maj. Scott Spurr stated the air force was still examining options on how to proceed and that the next phase of the project wouldn't come until 2019.

But on May 24 the Canadian government announced it had decided to go with Leonardo on the exclusive deal.

Department of National Defence officials say it was determined that it was more cost effective to stay with the Cormorant fleet as it is a proven aircraft the RCAF knows well.

The upgrade program is expected to include the latest avionic and mission systems, advanced radars and sensors, vision enhancement and tracking systems.

http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/aerospace-firm-drops-lawsuit-against-dnd-as-defence-officials-award-it-multibillion-dollar-contract

Sur le même sujet

  • Le gouvernement fédéral investit dans la formation novatrice pour les secteurs de l’aérospatiale et de la défense

    17 mai 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

    Le gouvernement fédéral investit dans la formation novatrice pour les secteurs de l’aérospatiale et de la défense

    Communiqué de presse Cet investissement permettra de créer et de maintenir plus de 200 emplois et de promouvoir l'innovation au Canada atlantique Le 16 mai 2018 — Halifax (Nouvelle-Écosse) — Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada Le gouvernement du Canada crée et protège des emplois bien rémunérés pour la classe moyenne, stimule la croissance économique et veille à la prospérité à long terme en investissant dans l'essor des petites entreprises pour favoriser l'innovation et la compétitivité mondiale. Le président du Conseil du Trésor, l'honorable Scott Brison, a annoncé aujourd'hui, au nom du ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, l'honorable Navdeep Bains, l'octroi d'un investissement remboursable de 7,6 millions de dollars pour soutenir un projet de 19 millions de dollars mené par Bluedrop Performance Learning Inc. (anglais). L'entreprise fournit aux secteurs de l'aérospatiale et de la défense une technologie de simulation, des simulateurs et des programmes de formation. Le financement alloué à Bluedrop l'aidera à créer ou à maintenir plus de 200 emplois. En effet, il permettra de soutenir la conception et la mise au point de produits de simulation et de formation de prochaine génération dans les domaines de l'aérospatiale et de la marine. Dans le cadre du projet, des technologies mobiles et de jeux, comme la réalité virtuelle et la réalité augmentée, seront adaptées afin de permettre une utilisation accrue de l'intelligence artificielle pour la mise au point de nouveaux produits de simulation et de formation à l'intention des équipages d'aéronef et de navire. Ces fonds permettront d'améliorer la pertinence et l'efficience de la formation ainsi que la sécurité des équipages. L'investissement a été octroyé par l'entremise du Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation, un programme qui vise à attirer et à conserver au Canada des investissements d'envergure dans tous les secteurs de l'économie. Ce programme cible les activités de recherche-développement qui accélèrent le transfert des technologies et la commercialisation de produits, de processus et de services novateurs. Il facilite en outre la croissance et l'expansion des entreprises au Canada. Citations « Notre gouvernement investit afin d'aider les petites entreprises de l'ensemble du pays à croître et à jouer un rôle actif dans les secteurs novateurs de l'économie. Cet investissement dans les technologies novatrices de simulation et de formation de Bluedrop permettra de créer des emplois pour la classe moyenne au Canada atlantique et de favoriser l'essor d'une économie dynamique régionale. Il s'agit d'un exemple concret du programme ambitieux de notre gouvernement visant à renforcer la classe moyenne, à créer des emplois et à assurer à la population canadienne un avenir prospère et inclusif. » — Le président du Conseil du Trésor, l'honorable Scott Brison « Bluedrop reçoit avec grand plaisir cet appui du gouvernement du Canada par l'entremise du Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation. Voilà un atout de taille au moment où nous tentons d'améliorer notre position concurrentielle gr'ce à la mise au point de solutions de formation de prochaine génération. » — Le président exécutif du conseil d'administration de Bluedrop Performance Learning Inc., Derrick Rowe Faits en bref Fondée en 2012, Bluedrop Training and Simulation Inc. conçoit et met au point des systèmes avancés de formation et des produits de simulation à la fine pointe de la technologie en vue de former de façon sécuritaire les opérateurs et responsables de la maintenance d'équipement complexe. L'entreprise a son siège à St. John's, à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, et possède également des bureaux à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse, où le projet sera mené. Le Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation est un programme polyvalent qui prend en compte la diversité de l'innovation dans tous les secteurs de l'économie. Outre le Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation, des centaines de programmes et de services sont en place pour aider les entreprises à innover, à créer des emplois et à stimuler l'économie du Canada. Gr'ce à son interface utilisateur simple, la nouvelle plateforme Innovation Canada permet aux entreprises de raconter leur histoire et d'accéder, en deux minutes environ, à l'information sur les programmes et les services qui leur conviennent le mieux. https://www.canada.ca/fr/innovation-sciences-developpement-economique/nouvelles/2018/05/le-gouvernement-federal-investit-dans-la-formation-novatrice-pour-les-secteurs-de-laerospatiale-et-de-la-defense.html

  • Royal Canadian Navy-led Exercise CUTLASS FURY 2023 Commences

    10 septembre 2023 | Local, Naval, Sécurité

    Royal Canadian Navy-led Exercise CUTLASS FURY 2023 Commences

    Exercise CUTLASS FURY 2023, which runs between September 10 and 22, began today with a unified sailpast and flypast of participants along the waterfront in Halifax, NS.

  • Royal Canadian Navy to be Protected with Lockheed Martin's Advanced and Versatile SPY-7 Radar Under Newly Signed Contract

    12 novembre 2020 | Local, Naval

    Royal Canadian Navy to be Protected with Lockheed Martin's Advanced and Versatile SPY-7 Radar Under Newly Signed Contract

    OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 10, 2020 /CNW/ - From humanitarian assistance to high-intensity conflicts, the Royal Canada Navy's future fleet will perform a wide range of missions requiring advanced technology and multi-role versatility. Lockheed Martin's latest generation SPY-7 radar and Canadian-developed Combat Management System (CMS 330) will form the backbone of the Canadian Surface Combatant. Under a contract awarded by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in September 2020 for the SPY-7 radar system, CSC will have the capability to keep Canada's sailors safe and prepared in the face of modern threats. "We optimized the CSC ship design with this particular radar to ensure the Royal Canadian Navy can fulfill a variety of missions with its flexible architecture," commented Gary Fudge, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary and Mission Systems. "Partnering with our teammates, Lockheed Martin Canada has also begun the technology transfer of selected components of the radar system to Canadian suppliers for design, construction and implementation. The work in Canada will open doors to a new export market for local industry, producing high value jobs in Quebec and across the country through subcontractors and suppliers involved in the production." Canada has secured the world's most versatile radar technology to deliver an integrated fire control system. SPY-7 is a modular and scalable solid-state radar that provides continuous surveillance, protection, and an exceptionally accurate threat picture to its operators. Its scalable, open architecture enables the flexibility to fulfill a variety of missions and expand its capabilities while its modularity provides for ease of maintenance at sea. With planned deployment on more than 24 platforms across four countries, SPY-7 leverages 50 years of continuous evolution and innovation of the U.S Navy's Aegis Combat System. Lockheed Martin has a trusted history of producing, integrating and delivering radars and combat management systems for land, air, undersea and sea-based mission sets. The core building block of the radar (called the "subarray suite") chosen to protect Canada has been directly leveraged from U.S. Government programs and investments. Spain has also selected SPY-7 for its future frigates and Japan has selected SPY-7 for continuous protection of its homeland. In addition to sustaining long-term, high-value jobs, this contract strengthens interoperability and partnership with the U.S. Navy and Royal Canadian Navy. Forming the backbone of Canada's future fleet, the SPY-7 radar and CMS 330 Combat Management System will support and protect the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy for the next 40+ years. About Lockheed Martin Canada Headquartered in Ottawa, Lockheed Martin Canada is the Canadian unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company that employs some 110 000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Canada has been Canada's trusted defence partner for 80 years, specializing in the development, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The company employs over 1000 employees at major facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, and Victoria, working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence, and commercial sectors. SOURCE Lockheed Martin https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/royal-canadian-navy-to-be-protected-with-lockheed-martin-s-advanced-and-versatile-spy-7-radar-under-newly-signed-contract-805682582.html

Toutes les nouvelles