2 août 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

Federal auditor general to dive into contentious fighter-jet 'capability gap'

Study will also look at how Canada will meet its 'obligations as it transitions to a new fighter fleet'

Lee Berthiaume

Canada's auditor general has started to dig into one of the Trudeau government's most contentious claims, upon which rests the fate of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars: that the country is facing an urgent shortage of fighter jets.

The claim was first made in November 2016 when the Liberals announced that Canada didn't have enough fighter jets to defend North America and simultaneously meet the country's NATO commitments, and that a stopgap was urgently needed until the entire CF-18 fleet could be replaced.

The government originally planned to buy 18 interim Super Hornets from Boeing for $6.4 billion before the deal was scuttled late last year in favour of buying 25 used jets from Australia for $500 million.

But critics, including opposition parties and former air force commanders, accuse the government of fabricating an urgent "capability gap" — as the shortfall is known — by changing the military's requirements to avoid having to buy the F-35 stealth fighter.

Auditor general Michael Ferguson is now scrutinizing this "capability gap" as part of an overall fighter-jet review, according to an internal memo written by officials at the federal procurement department and obtained by The Canadian Press through access to information legislation.

The memo to Public Services and Procurement Canada deputy minister Marie Lemay references a meeting with Ferguson's staff in December in which they laid out the objectives of their audit.

Full article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/auditor-general-fighter-jets-1.4763444

Sur le même sujet

  • Costs of hearing-related health claims on the rise in Canadian military

    22 juin 2018 | Local, Terrestre

    Costs of hearing-related health claims on the rise in Canadian military

    Safety and situational awareness cited among reasons to not use hearing protection The cost of health claims related to hearing loss among members of Canada's military is rising, due in part to the reluctance of members to wear protective equipment and because the most suitable devices aren't always provided. Explosions, gunfire, engine noise and alarms all contribute to hearing loss among military members. Almost a third of them have chronic hearing problems by the time they retire, according to surveys by Veterans Affairs. A 2016 study obtained by Radio-Canada looked at how to better protect the hearing of members with pre-existing hearing loss, and found that military personnel were reluctant to wear hearing protection. Some of the reasons were: Discomfort. Incompatibility with other head gear. The feeling of isolation that comes with sound dampening. But the biggest reason was that earplugs or whatever other protection device used would impair situational awareness, safety and "interfere with successful completion of the mission," wrote Dr. Sharon Abel, a senior scientist at Defence Research and Development Canada. That has led to increased health costs for the military. The Canadian Forces Health Services Group spent about $890,000 in 2013-14 on health costs related to hearing loss, followed by $937,000 in 2014-2015. In 2015-16, the last year for which data is available, it was close to $1.1 million. Different soldiers, different needs Richard Blanchette, a retired major-general who suffered hearing loss during his years of service, said the Department of National Defence does everything in its power to protect members and it's the responsibility of the members to do their part. Nobody else can do it for them, he told Radio-Canada. Different military members, however, have different issues. Abel's study found while earplugs may reduce the risk of hearing loss for people with normal hearing, they would increase impairment for people with pre-existing hearing loss. Those people would be better served by more specialized protection, she wrote. "Insufficient consideration is given to the selection of devices that will support the auditory tasks being carried out or suit the hearing status of the user." The military has set up an awareness program for its members about hearing loss, said Pierre Lamontagne with Canadian Forces Health Services​. But soldiers remain reluctant to use some of the equipment they may need because it adds to the considerable weight they may already be carrying in the field, he said. Health consequences Lamontagne said he makes recommendations to commanders of the units, but it's the commanders who make the purchases. While about one in five soldiers needs specialized protection for hearing loss, the devices may be purchased based on general rather than individual needs, he said. The consequences of hearing problems are not always recognized because they are invisible, according to Chantal Laroche, a professor of audiology at the University of Ottawa. However, the side-effects — persistent ringing in the ear, for example, or an inability to communicate with others — can cause other serious health problems, including mental health issues, she said. Laroche said that in general, specialized hearing protections can be expensive, but the military should weigh those costs against the amount they are spending on health costs and disability claims. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/military-hearing-loss-members-reluctant-to-wear-protection-1.4711517

  • Lancement des Prix Innovation 2021

    18 février 2021 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Lancement des Prix Innovation 2021

    L'Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l'innovation du Québec (ADRIQ) est fière d'annoncer le lancement de son Gala des Prix Innovation 2021 Il s'agit de la 31e édition du Gala des Prix Innovation, qui se tiendra le 25 novembre 2021.

  • Avions de surveillance | Pourquoi favoriser Boeing au détriment de Bombardier ?

    30 décembre 2022 | Local, Aérospatial

    Avions de surveillance | Pourquoi favoriser Boeing au détriment de Bombardier ?

    On a appris récemment dans les médias que le gouvernement canadien pourrait considérer l’option d’attribuer un contrat de gré à gré à la société Boeing pour l'acquisition de 8 à 12 avions de patrouille et de surveillance P-8 Poseidon, une plateforme qui est basée sur le Boeing 737. Cet achat, dont le coût est estimé à plus de 5 milliards de dollars, viserait à remplacer les avions CP-140 Aurora de l’Aviation royale canadienne.

Toutes les nouvelles