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19 septembre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial
Canadian air force short 275 pilots as attrition outpaces recruitment, training
OTTAWA — The Royal Canadian Air Force is contending with a shortage of around 275 pilots and needs more mechanics, sensor operators and other trained personnel in the face of increasing demands at home and abroad.
The Air Force says it is working to address the deficiencies and that they have not negatively impacted operations, but officials acknowledge the situation has added pressure on Canada's flying corps and represents a challenge for the foreseeable future.
“Right now we're doing everything we can to make sure we recruit, train and retain enough personnel to do our current mission,” said Brig.-Gen. Eric Kenny, director general of air readiness.
“In the next 20 years, it's going to be a challenge to grow the force at the rate that we would like.”
The shortfall in pilots and mechanics was referenced in an internal report recently published by the Department of National Defence, which also flagged underspending on maintenance for bases and other infrastructure, as well as reductions in annual flying times thanks to Conservative-era budget cuts.
Some of those issues have since started to be addressed by the Liberals through their new defence policy, but the personnel shortage remains an area of critical concern given the need for pilots and others to fly and maintain the military's various aircraft fleets at home and abroad.
Those include the planes and helicopters involved in Canada's military missions in Iraq, Latvia, Mali, and Ukraine; domestic search-and-rescue aircraft; and the CF-18 fighter jets deployed in Romania and guarding against a foreign attack on North America.
The Air Force is authorized to have 1,580 pilots, but Kenny said in an interview the Air Force is short by around 17 per cent — or about 275 pilots — along with similar shortfalls for navigators and sensor operators, who work onboard different types of aircraft, as well as mechanics.
Kenny also acknowledged the threat of burnout as service members are forced to pick up the slack left by unfilled positions, and the added burden of promised new drones, fighter jets and other aircraft arriving in the coming years, which will require even more people to fly and maintain.
Efforts to address the shortfalls have looked at retaining service members with tax breaks, additional support and services for family members to ease military life, and plans to free up experienced personnel by assigning administrative staff to do day-to-day tasks.
Several initiatives have also been introduced to speed up recruitment and training, and attract older pilots back into the Forces, which has borne some fruit and aimed at buying time for officials to decide whether to change the length of time pilots and others are required to serve before they can leave.
“This is beyond just looking at benefits,” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Tuesday. “We're looking at a much more holistic approach in how we look after them.”
But the current training system means the Air Force can only produce 115 new pilots each year, which commanders have said is insufficient to meet needs given the rate at which military pilots have moved on to commercial opportunities in recent years.
Conservative defence critic James Bezan suggested one reason the military is losing pilots is because they are being asked to fly older planes, including CF-18 fighter jets that are close to 40 years old.
“If pilots aren't getting new aircraft, why are they sticking around?” Bezan said.
“And so, the idea of bringing in used fighter jets from Australia that are even in worse shape than the current CF-18s that we fly today, why would they stick around?”
The Department of National Defence is drawing up plans for a new system that officials hope will be in place by 2021 and include the ability to expand or shrink the number of trainees in any year given the Air Force's needs.
Kenny said the shortfalls will remain a challenge since the current system will remain in place for several more years — and because it takes four and eight years to train a pilot from scratch.
“We know what capabilities we're receiving and now we can start working to make sure that we have personnel that are trained to be able to meet those requirements,” he said.
“But I'm not going to lie: It's definitely a challenge.”
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28 novembre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial
Aerospace execs call for government strategy to support key industrial capabilities
Chris Thatcher Canada will struggle to retain its position as a leading player in the global aerospace market without a government-backed industrial policy. That was the stark message form a trio of industry executives to the Canadian Aerospace Summit in mid-November as the sector embarks on Vision 2025, an exercise involving industry, federal and provincial governments, and other stakeholders to develop recommendations the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) hopes will lead to a long-term, fully-funded sector strategy. “I think it is important we have a sound industrial policy in Canada,” said David Gossen, president of Halifax-based IMP Aerospace and Defence. “It's clear every nation [that has an indigenous capability] is doing all they can to protect that industry. I think we need to follow that same principle.” As an engineering and in-service support (ISS) provider to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Gossen has seen the business model transform in recent years as OEMs have transitioned from long-term partners to fierce competitors for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work. He's watched emerging markets start to create their own domestic support capabilities–in some cases after requesting IMP know-how. And he's seen established aerospace nations erect barriers to protect their own ISS providers. He's also watched the boom and bust cycle of Canada's shipbuilding industry on the East Coast and drawn lessons he fears aerospace is in danger of repeating. “We don't [want to] spend 10 years trying to figure out how we rebuild [our] industry,” he cautioned. Many of Gossen's concerns were echoed by fellow panellists Dan Goldberg, president and chief executive officer of Ottawa-based Telesat, and Amandeep Kaler, chief executive officer of aerostructure manufacturer Avcorp Group. Goldberg said the 50-year-old satellite communication services provider is being buffeted by similar dynamics as traditional players seek greater protection at home and emerging markets strive to gain entry. “Our industry is changing dramatically,” he said. For manufacturers like Avcorp, a component and repair services supplier to international OEMs and airlines for over 16 years, “our business is being reshaped,” said Kaler, noting the growth of build-to-print suppliers in government-support markets. “The race for best price is not going to slow down anytime soon,” he said. “You can let it happen or you can take the steps . . . to be the leading-edge of that by bringing your own capabilities and leveraging other technologies that are available to us in Canada.” To survive, all three executives pointed to the need for expertise and intellectual property in niche capabilities. But they acknowledged government planning and support will be necessary if aerospace is going to capitalize on new technologies. While Telesat, for example, would prefer its satellites to be manufactured and integrated by Canadian suppliers, many of which have the technical ability, “at the end of the day we are a for-profit company . . . and we are going to procure satellites from the group of companies that can give us the best overall value proposition,” said Goldberg. If Canadian suppliers are to compete in the company's project for a new constellation of low orbit satellites, they will have to make “meaningful investments,” which will require provincial and federal assistance, he acknowledged. “I can say their competitors outside of Canada are receiving that kind of support,” he said. Goldberg flagged niche capabilities such as digital processing in space, phased array antenna technologies, and optical communications which several Canadian companies already provide. “They need to evolve their technologies to deliver what we need, and that is going to be a big investment on their part,” he said. Kaler and Gossen highlighted niche areas like robotics, automation, business aircraft, artificial intelligence as well as simulation and training systems and ISS, both of which were identified in a 2013 report by Tom Jenkins of Open Text, Canada First: Leveraging Defence Procurement Through Key Industrial Capabilities. Though government departments have refined the list of key industrial capabilities since the report was published, the strategy to leverage them is still pending. “Every segment will say we need to be supported. The reality is we can't be everything; we need to pick those we're good at and ensure we have good policies to support them,” said Gossen. “We need a healthy debate within government and industry to identify what those capabilities are,” he added, alluding to the promise of Vision 2025, an exercise now underway and led by Jean Charest, a former Québec premier and federal cabinet minister. “If I were a government policymaker, I'd start with what are we good at today and where these global markets are going, and then try and connect the dots between the two. And then I would start making some bets,” said Goldberg. “If the government doesn't start leaning in on some of these policies, all of these capabilities will completely atrophy.” In a controlled market such as defence, where governments often protect domestic manufacturers and build new capabilities, Gossen also argued for a similar approach to level the play field. Canadian suppliers need government help understanding where they can sell, he said, noting “a lot of markets are just closed to us.” Playing the sovereignty card, he said Canadian companies “should have the ability to service Canada's military equipment,” and suggested an industrial strategy could ensure “homefield is always protected.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/aerospace-execs-call-for-government-strategy-to-support-key-industrial-capabilities
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31 octobre 2017 | Local, Naval
TOUS LES VOYANTS SONT AU VERT : RÉGLÉ AU QUART DE TOUR, LE NAVIRE DE SOUTIEN MILITAIRE DE LA CLASSE RESOLVE EST LANCÉ
Ville de Québec, lundi le 16 octobre 2017 – Chantier Davie Canada inc. a annoncé aujourd'hui que la fin de semaine dernière, l'entreprise a procédé au lancement du plus grand navire militaire jamais livré par un chantier naval canadien, et ce, en respectant les délais et le budget, à un coût concurrentiel à l'échelle internationale. La mise en service de tous les systèmes à bord a commencé au début du mois de septembre. Le 16 novembre 2017, le navire sera soumis aux essais en mer en vue d'atteindre la capacité opérationnelle totale (FOC). Lors des essais en mer supervisés par Lloyd's Register, des éléments tels que la sécurité, la qualité, les systèmes ainsi que la fonctionnalité du navire seront testés afin de s'assurer qu'ils satisfont aux spécifications et aux normes militaires élevées selon lesquelles le navire a été construit. La qualité de la construction et la conception moderne de ce navire, muni des systèmes navals canadiens les plus récents, témoignent non seulement de l'expérience, de l'infrastructure et de l'expertise hors pair de Davie, mais également de l'incroyable contribution de centaines de fournisseurs canadiens. Plus de 900 entreprises canadiennes ont participé à la construction du navire, notamment en fournissant des équipements militaires spécifiques essentiels comme le système tactique et de navigation intégré (INTS), le système de ravitaillement en mer (REM) conforme aux normes de l'OTAN, ainsi que le système naval de contrôle intégré de plateforme. Alex Vicefield, Président de Chantier Davie Canada inc., a affirmé : « La livraison de ce navire montre clairement qu'il existe un chantier naval canadien ayant la capacité de fournir des plateformes navales complexes en respectant les délais et le budget, et ce, à un coût concurrentiel à l'échelle internationale. Sachant que la Marine royale canadienne avait besoin de ce navire de façon urgente, nos 1 400 employés ont travaillé jour et nuit pour qu'il soit livré non seulement dans les temps, mais aussi en répondant aux exigences de qualité lui permettant de servir le Canada fièrement pendant des décennies. Le succès de cette conception multifonctionnelle, rendant le navire apte autant à des opérations de combat qu'à des opérations humanitaires, a suscité l'intérêt des marines du monde entier. » Spencer Fraser, Chef de la direction de Federal Fleet Services, a ajouté : « Les membres de notre équipage canadien sont tous à bord, prêts à débuter les opérations aux côtés des marins de la Marine royale canadienne. Nous nous préparons pour ce moment depuis deux ans et, très prochainement, nous serons prêts à soutenir les Forces canadiennes lors de tout thé'tre d'opérations, partout dans le monde et à pied levé. » http://www.davie.ca/fr/news/tous-les-voyants-sont-au-vert-regle-au-quart-de-tour-le-navire-de-soutien-militaire-de-la-classe-resolve-est-lance/