8 avril 2024 | International, Terrestre, Sécurité
11 décembre 2019 | International, Terrestre
Analysis: NATO's defence budget formula is flawed — and Canada isn't going to meet its target
Trump is angry that a number of NATO nations haven't met an agreement, reached five years ago, to spend two per cent of their annual Gross Domestic Product on defence
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Another NATO summit brings another chance for U.S. President Donald Trump to browbeat America's allies for not spending enough on defence.
Trump is angry that a number of NATO nations haven't met an agreement, reached five years ago, to spend two per cent of their annual Gross Domestic Product on defence.
But that GDP yardstick has been rendered almost meaningless this year as the tiny nation of Bulgaria has joined the U.S. super power as being one of NATO's top military spenders.
Bulgaria's GDP is so small that by purchasing eight F-16 fighter jets in a one-time outlay of $1.5 billion, the country will now be spending 3.25 per cent of its economic output on its military.
Only the U.S., which spends 3.4 per cent of GDP on defence, is higher.
Using the GDP measurement means that Estonia, which has one of the smallest navies in the world with four ships, has reached the NATO gold standard of two per cent. Canada, which spends more than 20 times the amount in actual dollars on its military, is viewed as a NATO deadbeat.
For that reason, both Conservative and Liberal governments have pushed back on the GDP measurement, which was agreed to by NATO nations at a summit in Wales in 2014.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, arguably the most supportive leader of the Canadian military that the country had seen in decades, dismissed the notion of reaching that two per cent target, even though Canada signed on to the goal.
At the Wales summit, Harper's staff pointed out that reaching the two per cent mark would have required the military's budget to almost double, something that was not fiscally or politically possible.
Harper himself had come under fire from defence analysts who pointed out that under his government, the percentage of GDP spent on defence reached almost an all-time low of around 1 per cent.
But Harper countered that it's the amount of actual spending and capability of a country's military that matters, not the GDP measurement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was essentially using the same argument Tuesday when he met with Trump at the NATO summit.
“I think it's important to look at what is actually being done,” with defence dollars, Trudeau said.
Canada only spends about 1.3 per cent of GDP on defence.
But tabulate the defence dollars actually being spent on the military and Canada ranks an impressive sixth among the 29 NATO nations.
The Liberal government's defence policy has promised even more money in the future. Military spending is set to increase from the current $21.8 billion to $32.7 billion in 2026-2027.
Trudeau also noted in his meeting with Trump on Tuesday the key role Canada is playing in NATO operations in both Latvia and Iraq.
Germany has taken a similar approach to the one used by Canada's Conservative and Liberal governments. It believes the amount of money actually being spent on military forces is more important than measuring it as a percentage of the GDP. Germany has also pointed out it is the second largest provider of troops for NATO operations.
Trump is expected to once again criticize Germany for its level of defence spending.
But the country does not seem to be in a hurry to make the two per cent goal. Germany currently spends about 1.4 per cent or around $64 billion annually. Earlier this year it told NATO it would reach 1.5 per cent of GDP by 2024.
The other issue facing the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces related to the two per cent goal is one of capacity. Even if the defence budget was boosted to meet two per cent, the department simply doesn't have the ability to spend that amount of money.
Around half the defence budget is for salaries and while the senior military leadership would welcome an increase in the ranks the problem they face is that young Canadians aren't exactly rushing out to join the forces.
The military could spend more money on acquiring additional equipment. But a lack of trained procurement staff has been an obstacle standing in the way of even getting approved programs underway.
Trudeau's explanation Tuesday about Canada's military spending being on a steady increase seemed to placate Trump, at least for now. The U.S. president responded that he views Canada as “slightly delinquent” when it comes to defence spending. “But they'll be okay,” he told journalists. “I have confidence. They'll get there quickly, I think.”
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23 juillet 2018 | International, Aérospatial
Quand le patron de Dassault raille le projet d’avion de combat britannique
Olivier James Lors de la présentation des résultats semestriels de Dassault Aviation, son patron, Eric Trappier, a estimé que les Britanniques "se réveillaient". Des propos teintés d'ironie, alors que leur appareil va concurrencer le projet franco-allemand... sur lequel il en dit un peu plus. "Je peux vous dire que c'est une bonne nouvelle !". Voilà la réponse livrée jeudi 19 juillet par Eric Trappier lorsqu'on lui demande de réagir à l'annonce par les Britanniques, effectuée lundi 16 juillet lors du salon aéronautique de Farnborough, de lancer un nouvel avion de combat, dénommé Tempest. Des propos émis lors de la présentation des résultats semestriels de l'avionneur teintés de sincérité, alors qu'Eric Trappier défend une industrie européenne de défense face aux Etats-Unis : "je vois qu'ils ne se satisfont pas du F-35 américain". Des commentaires également chargés d'ironie, dans la mesure où cet appareil entre en concurrence directe avec l'autre projet européen d'avion de combat franco-allemand, le Système de combat aérien du futur (Scaf), dont Dassault Aviation est le chef de file aux côtés d'Airbus. https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/quand-le-patron-de-dassault-raille-le-projet-d-avion-de-combat-britannique.N722409
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4 décembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 03, 2019
ARMY Oakland Consulting Group Inc., Lanham, Maryland, was awarded a $16,617,465 modification (BA02 31) to contract W91QUZ-11-D-0018 to develop and deliver critical auditability and compliance requirements for the Logistics Modernization Program. Work will be performed at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $7,898,333 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. The Dutra Group, San Rafael, California, was awarded a $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 2, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-D-0001). NAVY Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded an $11,544,415 cost-plus-fixed-fee level of effort delivery order to previously awarded contract N00024-19-D-4306 to accomplish 12 months of execution planning for the repair and alteration requirements for USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78 – aircraft carrier/nuclear propulsion) planned incremental availability. The contracted requirements include the advance planning, design, documentation, engineering, procurement, ship checks, fabrication and preliminary shipyard or support facility work. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding for $1,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, U.S. Navy, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Kampi Components, Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania (SPE7MX-20-D-0011, $10,911,917); and Optex Systems, Richardson, Texas (SPE7MX-20-D-0012, $11,024,488), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE7MX-19-R-0102 for armored V periscopes. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. They are three-year base contracts with two one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania and Texas, with a Dec. 3, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio. Labatt Food Service, San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $9,028,137 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full line, food distribution for customers in Texas and New Mexico. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 172-day contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Texas and New Mexico, with a May 16, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3253). (Awarded Nov. 27, 2019) Heart and Core LLC, Minnetonka, Minnesota, has been awarded a maximum $7,920,000 modification (P00014) exercising the third one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-17-D-1018) with four one-year option periods for moisture wicking t-shirts. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Locations of performance are California and Minnesota, with a Dec. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Chenega Infinity LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded an $8,620,544 modification (P00005) to previously awarded contract HR0011-18-C-0151 for physical security support services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $16,869,621 from $8,249,076. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of December 2020. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $6,735,856 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2030883/source/GovDelivery/