1 mars 2019 | Local, Naval

DND extends life of submarine escape suits beyond expiry date as fleet shows its age

Murray Brewster · CBC News

Liberals plan to modernize and sail the navy's 4 aging submarines until 2040

The Canadian navy's stock of survival suits, which allow submariners to escape in an emergency from a sunken boat, has been thrown a lifeline after much of the equipment had reached its expiry date, federal documents reveal.

The critical safety suits give stranded crew members the ability to ascend from a depth of 183 metres and protect against hypothermia.

They even inflate into a single-seat life raft once on the surface.

The orange whole-body suits were part of the original equipment aboard the Victoria-class submarines, diesel-electric boats originally built for the Royal Navy and purchased from Britain in the late 1990s.

Documents obtained by CBC News show there was concern among naval engineers, in late 2016, that many of the suits had passed or were about to pass their best-before, safety dates.

A spokeswoman for the Defence Department said a decision was made to extend the life of suits while the federal government procures new ones — a process that is ongoing.

There is no threat to safety, said Jessica Lamirande.

"The service life extension was approved based on successful, rigorous testing at the Naval Engineering Test Establishment on a representative sample of suits that had passed their intended service lives," said Lamirande, in a recent email.

"Testing consisted of detailed visual inspection, leakage tests, and functional testing."

Fleet sailing until 2040

But defence experts say it is a small project that speaks volumes about the Liberal government's plan to modernize and keep operating the four submarines until 2040, a proposal that was articulated in the latest defence policy.

Retired commander Peter Haydon, who also taught defence policy at Dalhousie University in Halifax for years, said keeping submarine replacement parts and equipment in the system has been an ongoing headache for the navy, dating back to the 1980s.

However, the bigger concern is: As the boats age, the strength of their pressure hulls declines.

The government plans to modernize the boats, but Haydon said that's fine for the electronic and other components.

"You can modernize most things, but you can't modernize the hull, unless you build a new hull," he said.

Pressure to buy new

The Senate and House of Commons defence committees have recommended the government begin exploring options now for the replacement of the submarines, which took years to formally bring into service after they were purchased.

The government, in its response to a committee report last fall, argued it is already fully engaged building Arctic patrol ships and replacements for frigates and supply ships.

Buying new submarines is a topic that has been debated behind the scenes for a long time at National Defence with one former top commander, retired general Walt Natynczyk ordering — in 2012 — a study that looked at the possible replacements.

They're running a risk with the lives of sailors, the older these vessels get in an extremely dangerous environment, especially when they're submerged.— Michael Byers, University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia defence expert Michael Byers has been quoted as saying he's worried Canada "will lose its submarine capability through negligence rather than design," noting that it is politically more palatable to refurbish the underwater fleet rather than endure a painful procurement process.

"They're running a risk with the lives of sailors, the older these vessels get in an extremely dangerous environment, especially when they're submerged," said Byers, who pointed to the loss of the Argentine submarine San Juan and its crew of 44 in 2017.

"I would be more comfortable with a decision to buy a new fleet submarines than the current path that we're on. I have been skeptical as to whether we need submarines, but better a new fleet than send our sailors to sea in these old vessels."

Since Canada does not have the technology, nor has it ever constructed its own submarines, the federal government would be required to go overseas to countries such as Germany or Sweden to get them built.

Restricted diving

In the meantime, Haydon said he's confident ongoing maintenance and the stringent safety standards among Western allies will keep the Victoria-class submarines in the water and operating safely.

He cautions, however, like Canada's previous submarines retired in the 1990s, the Oberon class, the older the current fleet gets, the more their diving depth will eventually have to be restricted.

As the hull and its valves weaken, the less pressure they can sustain.

Lamirande said the navy has enough escape submarine suits whenever it deploys, and she emphasized it never goes to sea with "expired" equipment.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dnd-extends-life-of-submarine-escape-suits-beyond-expiry-date-as-fleet-shows-its-age-1.5036007

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7 février 2019 | Local, C4ISR, Sécurité

Top-secret committee to study foreign meddling, military use of Canadians' info
Rachel Aiello, Ottawa News Bureau Online Producer OTTAWA -- Over the next year, the top-secret National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians plans to probe the threat foreign interference poses to Canada, and examine how the military collects and uses information about Canadians. The committee gave notice this week of its planned studies for the year, all of which will happen behind closed doors. The high-level oversight body was created in 2017, and mirrors similar committees set up in the other "Five Eyes" alliance countries. Members include MPs and Senators, who must have the highest level, or “top secret” security clearance. The committee garnered a higher profile in Canada and abroad after then-member Tony Clement stepped down from all parliamentary roles after revealing he sent sexually explicit images and a video of himself to someone he thought was a consenting female, but who was actually a "foreign actor" seeking to financially extort the long-time MP. Months later, two men in West Africa were arrested and accused of being behind the blackmail attempt. This situation prompted questions over potential security ramifications and the vetting of members of the committee. As the committee looks to the year ahead the first study on its agenda will be a look at the threat of foreign interference to Canada's national security and the measures currently in place to counter it. Then the plan is to move on to a probe of the Canada Border Services Agency's national security and intelligence activities related to enforcing immigration and customs laws. Next up will be a review of "issues of diversity and inclusion in Canada's security and intelligence community." Specifically the committee will look at federal security agencies' progress and consult leaders in these offices to recommend ways to improve the culture and representation within the highest levels of the intelligence community. Lastly, the committee is looking to examine the way the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces collect, use, and disseminate information about Canadian citizens as it conducts defence intelligence activities. The committee's findings and recommendations on the military's treatment of citizens' data will be submitted to the prime minister and the minister of national defence before the end of 2019. Of course, all this work could be usurped by other issues that may arise. The committee can undertake special studies at any time, as it did with the prime minister's troubled India trip in 2018. "Our planned reviews for 2019 will continue to build a picture of the various parts of the security and intelligence community and how it works together to protect our security, our freedoms and our institutions," said chair of the committee Liberal MP David McGuinty in a statement. The 11-member committee has continued to meet despite being having vacancies in both of the spots reserved for Conservative MPs. In addition to Clement's vacancy, the spot held by late-Conservative MP Gord Brown has been vacant since May 2018. There has already been a byelection in the riding he held, where a new Conservative MP has been named. The appointments and necessary clearances rest with the Privy Council Office and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "The Committee is continuing to meet, but is looking forward to welcoming two new members from the Official Opposition as soon as possible," executive director of the committee told CTVNews.ca in a statement. Asked about when the new Conservative members will be named, PMO spokesperson Eleanore Catenaro told CTV News.ca that the processing is "almost complete" and they expect the new additions will be named "in short order." Just before Christmas, the committee issued its first annual report to the prime minister, and a declassified version will be tabled in Parliament within 30 sitting days, meaning it could be April before that happens. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/top-secret-committee-to-study-foreign-meddling-military-use-of-canadians-info-1.4285158
14 janvier 2019 | Local, Terrestre

Fires and rollovers plague Canadian Army's $600 million fleet of new armoured vehicles
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30 septembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Industry Sustainment Business Case Analysis Workshops (October 2020 and January 2021)
Objectif : Le but de ce courriel est d'inviter les principaux représentants de l'industrie travaillant dans le milieu du soutien de l'équipement militaire à participer à l'un des ateliers en ligne suivants destinés à l'industrie, portant sur l'Analyse de rentabilisation du soutien (ARS) et prévus pour le 19 octobre 2020 ou le 18 janvier 2021, de 8 h à midi. Ces ateliers donneront un aperçu du processus SBCA, souligneront le rôle important que joue l'industrie dans le développement de solutions de soutien optimisées pour l'équipement militaire, et expliqueront plus en détail quand l'industrie peut s'attendre à s'engager, ce qui sera attendu et comment l'industrie peut influencer le processus pour capitaliser sur ses atouts. Contexte : L'ARS fournit un processus d'analyse et de prise de décision logique, défendable et documenté qui facilite l'élaboration de solutions de soutien en service qui sont personnalisées, optimisées selon les quatre principes de soutien : rendement de l'équipement, optimisation des ressources, souplesse et retombées économiques pour les Canadiens. Pourquoi cet atelier est important : Certains éléments essentiels d'ARS sont: un champ d'analyse bien défini, des exigences précises, un engagement précoce et significatif de l'industrie, un processus analytique rigoureux et une prise de décision éclairée. Pour maximiser les avantages, les parties prenantes de l'industrie du soutien en service de la défense souhaiteront comprendre comment le processus d'ARS répond à ces besoins. À propos de l'atelier : Ces ateliers seront dispensés en anglais et se dérouleront dans une atmosphère informelle qui permet des questions et des échanges. Veuillez noter : bien que tous les efforts soient déployés pour répondre aux préoccupations des participants et pour discuter de questions d'intérêt mutuel, les ateliers de l'ARS ne se penchent pas sur des ARS ou des approvisionnements spécifiques. Inscription : Pour vous inscrire, veuillez envoyer un courriel au soussigné, en fournissant votre nom, votre adresse courriel (pour la confirmation de l'inscription et la distribution du matériel de l'atelier), le nom de votre entreprise et votre fonction. Veuillez-vous inscrire au plus tard 10 jours ouvrables avant l'atelier prévu. Ces ateliers seront dispensés en ligne via Microsoft Teams, pour lequel les détails pertinents seront fournis. Une copie des diapositives de présentation de l'atelier sera fournie. Veuillez me faire part de vos questions ou de vos préoccupations par courriel à Bill.Troupe@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

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