6 août 2020 | Local, Aérospatial
PAUL-ROBERT RAYMOND
Le Soleil
Le Canada est un partenaire de premier plan dans le programme de l'avion de chasse F-35 depuis les débuts de celui-ci, il y a plus de 20 ans. Celui-ci apporterait des retombées économiques se chiffrant à 16,9 milliards $ jusqu'en 2058 et maintiendrait entre 1675 et 2525 emplois annuellement au pays dans des secteurs de pointe. C'est le message qu'a voulu livrer l'avionneur Lockheed Martin jeudi matin.
Lors d'une conférence sur Zoom, Lockheed Martin a signifié que le programme de fabrication de l'avion F-35 implique en ce moment 110 entreprises canadiennes dans 200 projets industriels. Les contrats accordés à celles-ci représentent 2 milliards $ en occasions d'affaires et font travailler 150 000 personnes durant la réalisation du programme.
L'avionneur a procédé à cet exercice de relations publiques presque une semaine après avoir officialisé son intention de participer au processus de remplacement de la flotte de chasseurs du Canada. Rappelons que Boeing, avec son Super Hornet Block III (la version la plus moderne du F-18), et Saab, avec son JAS 39 Gripen, sont dans les rangs dans cet appel d'offres visant à acquérir 88 avions de chasse pour l'Aviation royale canadienne (ARC).
Les retombées économiques ne seront pas uniquement générées par la construction de ces 88 avions, «mais pour l'ensemble des plus de 3000 avions qui seront commandés dans le monde», assure Steve Callaghan, vice-président à la stratégie et au développement des affaires chez Lockheed Martin.
Sachant qu'un autre concurrent pourrait être choisi, il a voulu se faire rassurant. «Si le Canada ne choisit pas le F-35, nous honorerons les contrats avec les entreprises canadiennes jusqu'à leur échéance», a-t-il dit. «Même si le programme du F-35 est mondial, l'industrie canadienne est complètement intégrée dans celui-ci. Nous croyons qu'elle continuera à y contribuer même si le choix de l'ARC est autre que celui du F-35.»
Par ailleurs, M. Callaghan assure que les délais encourus en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19 n'affecteraient pas les livraisons des avions pour les Forces armées canadiennes. «Nous commencerons comme prévu la production de vos avions en 2025», a-t-il dit. D'ici la fin de l'année 2020, Lockheed Martin prévoit livrer 141 appareils aux huit forces aériennes qui ont commencé à l'utiliser.
Parmi les entreprises canadiennes qui participent au programme F-35, au Québec, il y a Héroux-Devtek, basée à Laval. Plusieurs autres entreprises sont localisées, dans les provinces maritimes, au Manitoba, en Colombie-Britannique, et en Ontario, notamment.
28 juin 2023 | Local, Autre défense
A Senate committee has delivered a forceful call for greater participation by Indigenous communities in shaping Canada’s Arctic defence and security.
18 novembre 2019 | Local, Naval
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Department of National Defence expects the delivery of the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship by the end of March although it acknowledges there is a possibility that may not happen. The Royal Canadian Navy and the Department of National Defence had expected the first of the Harry DeWolf-class ships to be delivered in the summer. That shifted to the end of this year but that schedule won't be met. “The delivery date for the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship is now anticipated to occur by the end of March 2020, acknowledging that there remains some uncertainty,” the department noted in a statement. The schedule for the first ship has been slipping due to what the department calls “production challenges typically seen with a first-of-class build.” Irving spokesman Sean Lewis noted that a final sea trial for the ship is expected in late January. After that, any remaining production work will be completed, along with rectification of any deficiencies noted during the inspection, test and trials program, the DND added in its statement. “Following reviews and final inspections by National Defence, the shipbuilder will present the ship for delivery,” it added. “After the ship is delivered, National Defence will complete certain activities to complete ship functionalities, mainly on communications systems.” The Royal Canadian Navy will then assume operational control of the ship, expected in the summer of 2020. The Royal Canadian Navy is acquiring six ships. In January 2015 the federal government announced it had awarded Irving a $2.6 billion contract to build five ships. In 2018 that deal was expanded to add a sixth vessel. Additionally, two AOPS will be built for the Canadian Coast Guard immediately following those for the Royal Canadian Navy. The ships were originally announced in July 2007 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who acknowledged the vessels were much different than his election promise of armed heavy icebreakers. Harper claimed at the time the AOPS were “medium” icebreakers and more versatile but critics pointed out the vessels were not icebreakers at all, but rather “ice-strengthened” ships that would be limited as to when and where they would be able to operate. The first ship was to be delivered in 2013, with Arctic operations set for 2015, but ongoing problems with the government's national shipbuilding program and delays in awarding the contract continued to push schedules back. The DND noted it does not believe the latest delay will affect the schedule for the other ships. The last AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy is expected to be delivered in 2024. “We are confident that these ships will help the RCN meet and overcome the defence and security challenges of the coming decades,” the DND noted. In 2017 the Senate Defence Committee raised concerns about the vessels' capabilities. “This (concern) is based on the fact that these ships cannot operate in ice more than a metre thick, are slower than a BC Ferry, can only operate in the arctic from June to October and will require a coast guard escort when in the northern waters,” the senators pointed out in their report. These capabilities should be independently reviewed to meet Canada's sovereignty needs, they added. The Senate also noted that the ships “will lack significant force projection in the form of weapons system.” “These limitations are troubling and raise the question of whether the taxpayers are receiving value for the monies spent,” the Senate report said. Here is the delivery schedule for AOPS, although DND says these timings could slip: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/more-delays-for-arctic-ships-dnd-expects-first-aops-by-end-of-march
11 mai 2021 | Local, Naval
The State Department approved a potential $1.7 billion Foreign Military Sale of the Aegis Combat System to Canada for use in its new CSC ships.