17 février 2021 | Local, Naval
David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen, Postmedia News (dpugliese@ottawacitizen.com)
Published: a day ago
Updated: a day ago
National defence says it doesn't know when it determined that a $70-billion project to buy new warships had fallen five years behind schedule, adding billions of dollars to the cost.
That lack of knowledge about a massive mega-project is unprecedented, according to the department's former top procurement official, and is further proof the Canadian Surface Combatant project has gone off the rails.
The Department of National Defence revealed Feb. 1 that the delivery of the first surface combatant ship would be delayed until 2030 or 2031. The first ship was to have been delivered in 2025, according to DND documents.
The five-year delay will cost taxpayers billions of dollars, but the specific amount has yet to be determined.
DND now acknowledges that while there were indications in early 2020 the project schedule was slipping, it doesn't actually know when it was determined the Canadian Surface Combatant program was facing significant delays. “There was no specific month/year,” DND spokesperson Jessica Lamirande wrote in an email to this newspaper. “It was an evolving schedule that continued to shift.”
But Alan Williams, the former assistant deputy minister in charge of procurement at DND, said that lack of insight by DND staff is dangerous. On major equipment procurements, every step should be documented, as bureaucrats could be called on to justify future spending decisions and overall management of a project, he said.
“It's totally absurd they can't even say when they first determined this project would be delayed by five years,” said Williams. “Is that not the definition of a total loss of accountability and control?”
The Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project would see the construction of 15 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy at Irving Shipbuilding on the east coast. The vessels will replace the current Halifax-class frigate fleet. However, the project has already faced delays and significant increases in cost, as the price tag climbed from an original $14-billion estimate to $26 billion and then to $70 billion.
The parliamentary budget officer is working on a new report on the CSC cost, to be finished by the end of February. Each year of delay could cost taxpayers more than $2 billion, the PBO warned previously.
Although the DND has a new delivery date for the initial ship in the fleet, that doesn't mean that the vessel will be ready for operations at that time. “We expect delivery of the first ship in 2030/2031, followed by an extensive sea trials period that will include weapons certification and the corresponding training of RCN sailors, leading to final acceptance,” Lamirande said. No dates, however, were provided on when that final acceptance of the first ship would happen.
Troy Crosby, the assistant deputy minister of materiel at the DND, denied the CSC project is in trouble. “I wouldn't call it trouble,” he said in an interview with this newspaper in November. “Is it hard? Is it challenging work? Absolutely. But I wouldn't say we're in trouble.”
Other defence analysts are arguing the CSC program is salvageable with better governance and oversight.
But Williams said the CSC is like a train rolling down a hill without brakes. “You're heading for disaster and people are talking about improving governance,” he said. “That won't save this project.”
Canada has yet to sign a contract to build the Type 26 ship proposed by the consortium of Lockheed Martin and BAE for the CSC. So far, taxpayers have spent $739 million preparing for the eventual construction, according to figures tabled with parliament.
Australia and the United Kingdom also plan to purchase the Type 26. But the first ship, destined for the U.K., has yet to be completed.
The Canadian government originally said it would only accept a winning bid based on a mature existing ship design or a ship already in service with other navies. That would eliminate technical risk, as the design would be a known and tested commodity.
The Type 26 carries extra risk as its design has not yet been proven.
Williams said Canada could build an initial three Type 26 ships and then purchase other warships based on a proven design at a much reduced cost.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2021
30 septembre 2022 | Local, Aérospatial
OTTAWA — Swedish fighter-jet maker Saab is voicing complaints about Ottawa's negotiations with Washington and U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin to buy the F-35, saying such talks weren't supposed to be part of the process.
23 mars 2022 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
CANSEC Canada's Global Defence & Security Trade Show
26 novembre 2019 | Local, Aérospatial
by Chris Thatcher Complications with the technical manuals for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-295 search and rescue (SAR) aircraft could delay delivery of the first plane. Manufacturer Airbus Defence and Space unveiled the first C295W (CC-295 is its Canadian designation) in its distinctive RCAF search and rescue paint scheme in mid-October at its production facility in Seville, Spain, and was anticipating handover by the end of the year. While members of the SAR test and evaluation flight of 434 Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron have been in Seville since early fall to assess the aircraft and complete various flight and technical manuals, the Air Force has yet to accept the aircraft. “There have been challenges in the completion of the required technical manuals, which are required for all aspects of safe aircraft operation — from flying to maintenance,” the RCAF and assistant deputy minister (materiel), the military's acquisition branch, said in a statement. “Technical manuals are a critical component when it comes to the safe operation of any fleet. The safety of our aviators is simply not something we are willing to compromise on. We continue to collaborate with Airbus, prioritizing the work required in order to deliver the new search and rescue aircraft safely and effectively.” In a statement to CTV News, an Airbus spokesperson said, “Work on operational technical publications is under review to ensure these are tailored to the customer's requirements and additional time is required.” Airbus will deliver 16 of the twin-propeller CC-295 aircraft to replace the de Havilland CC-115 Buffalo and Lockheed Martin CC-130 Hercules used in a search and rescue role. Despite the delay, the RCAF is still expecting to bring the first aircraft to 19 Wing Comox. B.C., by April 2020. “While it is not yet known if this will cause a delay in final delivery, we remain optimistic that the supplier can work towards an acceptable solution so that our on-site testing and evaluations can be done prior to flying the first aircraft to Canada next spring, as previously planned,” said a spokesperson. In its statement to CTV, Airbus said it had been working “tirelessly to meet the demanding delivery milestones of the Canadian [fixed-wing search and rescue] FWSAR program and to date the company has successfully completed design, development, certification and manufacture of the aircraft, as well as the first stages establishing the program's support operations in Canada.” In addition to the first aircraft, six more CC-295s are in final assembly or completing flight test. Aircrew and maintainers with 418 Search and Rescue Operational Training Squadron, reactivated on July 11, 2019, began initial cadre training on the CC-295 at Airbus' facility in Spain in September. The aircraft will operate from four main bases in Comox, Winnipeg, Man., Trenton, Ont., and Greenwood, N.S. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/first-delivery-of-airbus-c295w-to-rcaf-could-be-delayed