6 juin 2019 | Local, Aérospatial

L’appel d’offres pour le remplacement des CF-18 lancé bientôt

NORMAND BOIVIN

Au cours des prochaines semaines, un mois au maximum, le Canada devrait lancer le processus d'appel d'offres pour le remplacement de sa flotte de CF-18.

Le major-général Alain Pelletier est en train de mettre la touche finale aux travaux qui l'ont tenu occupé au cours des deux dernières années pour le choix du prochain chasseur, tout en s'assurant de maintenir la capacité opérationnelle de la flotte actuelle.

« Nous sommes toujours en discussions avec les quatre fournisseurs en lice », a expliqué au Quotidien, lors de son passage dans la région mardi, celui qui est devenu, en mai, le nouveau commandant de la 1re Division aérienne du Canada. Même si le F-35 est le seul avion furtif de cinquième génération, le major-général affirme que les offres seront analysées en fonction de la capacité du futur chasseur à répondre à la mission que va se donner le Canada et du nombre d'années de service qu'il sera en mesure de fournir – 35 à 40 ans –, plutôt que de génération.

Dassault a retiré son Rafale de la course.

Furtif, oui ou non ?

Les F-18, comme les F-16 ou les F-15, sont des avions de quatrième génération et sont facilement détectables par les radars. Le F-35 et le F-22 sont les seuls avions de chasse de cinquième génération, c'est-à-dire qu'ils ont une faible signature radar, ce qui les rend pratiquement indétectables.

Entre les deux, le Typhoon, fabriqué par Eurofighter, est un appareil qu'on dit de 4,5e génération. Il n'est pas complètement furtif, mais a des caractéristiques qui diminuent sa signature radar. On peut le détecter, mais son écho est plus petit et peut être confondu avec autre chose. Il y a aussi des changements sur le Super Hornet. Boeing fait des tests pour diminuer sa signature radar par des contre-mesures électroniques et certaines peintures qui, semble-t-il, absorbent les ondes radar au lieu de les réfléchir.

« Avec l'évolution des technologies, ce genre de dénomination tient moins la route, car on parle maintenant de 4,6 et même 4,7e génération. Nous avons nos exigences et nous discutons avec nos quatre fournisseurs », affirme le major-général Pelletier.

Le F-18 Super Hornet de Boeing, le Gripen du Suédois SAAB et le Typhoon européen sont donc encore dans la course avec le F-35 Lightning de Lockheed Martin.

Une fois que le Canada aura déposé la version finale de ses exigences, le major-général Pelletier estime que les quatre avionneurs devraient soumettre leurs offres à la fin de 2021. S'ensuivra une période de négociations devant aboutir à la livraison des premiers appareils quelque part en 2025, pour la mise en service au début de 2026.

Lorsque les 88 nouveaux chasseurs auront été livrés et que les CF-18 prendront leur retraite, ils auront presque 50 ans. D'ici là, ajoute Alain Pelletier, le Canada va tout mettre en œuvre pour s'assurer que nos vieux CF-18 continueront d'être en mesure de remplir leurs missions de protéger l'espace nord-américain et d'assurer la paix ailleurs dans le monde.

Ainsi, les avions, qui avaient été achetés au début des années 80 pour servir jusqu'en 2010, ont déjà subi des modifications pour les mettre à niveau avec de nouveaux systèmes d'armement et pour augmenter leur vie utile d'abord jusqu'en 2017, puis en 2025.

À cause de la décision du gouvernement fédéral d'annuler la commande initiale des F-35 pour retourner en appel d'offres, ils devraient donc bénéficier de nouveaux investissements pour prolonger leur vie jusqu'en 2032.

https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/le-fil-groupe-capitales-medias/lappel-doffres-pour-le-remplacement-des-cf-18-lance-bientot-15e1736dc05d467a2f07b9381c5dd023

Sur le même sujet

  • Federal government issues another extension for fighter replacement proposals

    7 mai 2020 | Local, Aérospatial

    Federal government issues another extension for fighter replacement proposals

    Posted on May 7, 2020 by Chris Thatcher Public Services and Procurement Canada has extended the deadline for proposals to replace the CF-188 Hornets until July 31, 2020. The 30-day extension is a response to the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted business operations globally, especially in the aerospace sector. “The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting numerous challenges for businesses and their workforce, including the eligible suppliers for the Future Fighter Capability Project,” said a spokesperson for the department in a statement on May 6. “The unprecedented situation has impacted proposal finalization. To support our commitment to conducting an open, fair, and transparent competition, the extension will ensure all suppliers are able to submit their most competitive offer to Canada.” Three qualified contenders remain in the competition to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force fighter jet fleet: Sweden's Saab Aeronautics with the Gripen E and the United States-backed Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. Dassualt Aviation and Airbus Defense and Space withdrew their entrants, the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The project, valued at up to $19 billion, is seeking proposals for 88 advanced aircraft to replace an aging fleet of 76 A and B model Hornets that began entering service in the mid-1980s. The bids will be evaluated on technical capability, worth 60 per cent of the evaluation; acquisition and operating costs (20 per cent); and economic benefit to Canadian industry, also 20 per cent and the highest weighting for economic return on any defence procurement to date. It's the second time this year the federal government has prolonged the deadline for the request for proposals (RFP). In February, at the request of one of the suppliers, it granted a three-month extension from March 30 to June 30. Release of the formal RFP was also pushed back several times before being issued in July 2019, to accommodate changes during the draft RFP process. The project is the largest acquisition in recent Air Force history and has faced numerous schedule changes over the past decade. This latest change comes a week after Canada submitted an annual payment of US$70.1 million to remain in the F-35 development program, which is being supported by nine partner countries. To date, the government has invested US$541.3 million since 1997 into the multi-variant, next-generation fighter program. However, Canadian companies have captured US$1.8 billion in work on the fighter. “This participation provides Canadian industry with contract opportunities that are only available to program participants,” a spokesperson for National Defence told Canadian Press. “Our membership will also allow us preferential pricing and sequencing in the build schedule should the F-35 aircraft be successful in the current future fighter capability program.” Despite the recent delay because of COVID-19, PSPC still anticipates to award a contract in 2022. The first new aircraft would be delivered in early 2025. In the interim, the government is acquiring and upgrading 18 operational Australian F/A-18A Hornets to augment the current fleet of 76 Hornets. The RCAF is also finalizing an upgrade package for the 76 fighters that will likely include enhancements to their combat capability. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/government-extends-fighter-proposal-deadline/

  • Canada is rich - and cheap

    10 décembre 2019 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Canada is rich - and cheap

    EUGENE LANG Eugene Lang is an adjunct professor at the School of Policy Studies, Queen's University, and a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. “It's Canada, they have money,” Donald Trump said at last week's NATO summit. Most of what the U.S. President says is either exaggerated or false, but occasionally he sums up in a sentence what everyone knows to be true. After admonishing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the summit for Canada's failure to meet, or strive toward, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's defence-spending target of 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Mr. Trump pointed out an inconvenient truth. The President was saying Canada is rich and cheap. But just how rich is Canada? Among the Group of Seven -- a group of the richest countries in the world -- Canada enjoys the third-highest per-capita income and, since 2016, has led the G7 in economic growth. Canada also has the lowest net-debt-to-GDP ratio among those same seven countries, and the second-lowest national-government-deficit-to-GDP ratio. Which means, in essence, that Canada is the third-richest country in the G7 and the best in class with government finances. Successive governments in Ottawa have spent 20 years boasting about this strong national balance sheet to Canadians at every turn, and telling anyone abroad who would listen. This is why Mr. Trump knows that Canada does indeed have money. We are rich, at least compared with most other countries. But are we cheap? Canada spends about 1.3 per cent of GDP on national defence, tying us for fourth with Italy within the G7. Yet, Ottawa has never fully accepted the validity of the defence-spending-to-GDP measure. Both the Harper government – which signed the Wales Declaration, enshrining the 2-per-cent NATO target – and the Trudeau government have claimed input measures such as the GDP ratio don't tell the full story, and that output indicators are more meaningful. The defence output measure that is best understood is the extent to which a country's military is engaged in operations internationally. On that score, Canada looks terrible. We have fewer troops deployed abroad today on NATO, United Nations and other multilateral missions than in decades. To be sure, having influence internationally and carrying your fair share of global responsibility entails much more than the size or engagement of your military. Official Development Assistance (ODA), or foreign aid, is another important measure in this connection. Canada also ranks fourth among G7 countries in ODA as a percentage of gross national income (GNI). However, Ottawa is spending only 0.28 per cent, up slightly from 0.26 per cent last year, the lowest level this century. Fifty years ago, a World Bank Commission report, titled Partners in Development, recommended developed countries spend 0.7 per cent of GNI on aid. That Commission was chaired by Lester Pearson, former prime minister of Canada, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and a Canadian icon. Over the years, various Canadian governments have paid homage to Mr. Pearson's vision. Yet in the five decades since his report was published, Canada has rarely reached half of the Pearson target in any given year. Whether Ottawa likes or doesn't like input or output measures, or GDP or GNI ratios, doesn't really matter in the world of international politics. For better or worse, these are the indicators that are used to compare and assess the degree to which countries are living up to their obligations and responsibilities internationally. Imperfect as they are, these are measures of burden sharing. They are the statistics countries look at when considering whether Canada or any other country is pulling its weight globally. And on these measures, Canada looks middling at best, and bad at worst, by both international comparative standards. At the same time, we are among the world leaders in economic growth among developed countries, and we have held the gold medal in public finances for years. Rich and cheap, as it were. That was the essence of Mr. Trump's criticism of Canada this week at the NATO Summit. And foreign governments the world over know it to be true. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canada-is-rich-and-cheap/

  • Harris Corporation Awarded $51 Million Delivery Order to Provide Leading-Edge Tactical Communications Equipment to Central European Nation

    13 juin 2019 | Local, Autre défense

    Harris Corporation Awarded $51 Million Delivery Order to Provide Leading-Edge Tactical Communications Equipment to Central European Nation

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) has been awarded a $51 million Foreign Military Sales delivery order to provide Falcon III® radios to a Central European nation – delivering advanced narrowband and wideband networking capabilities and offering greater interoperability with U.S. and NATO allies for coalition operations. Under the award, Harris will provide Falcon III® AN/PRC-158, AN/PRC-160, AN/PRC-152A and AN/PRC-117G manpack and handheld radios as part of the country's modernization program. Key radios features include: AN/PRC-158 multi-channel manpack: features a two-channel, software-defined architecture with integrated cross-banding between waveforms, providing new advanced capabilities while maintaining backward interoperability with legacy radios. AN/PRC-160 wideband HF/VHF manpack radio: the only stand-alone solution that, in the absence of satellite communications, provides long-range communications at data speeds up to 10 times greater than any existing high frequency radio. AN/PRC-152A multiband handheld: a wideband networking handheld radio that provides simultaneous voice, video and data in a small form-factor, with mobile ad-hoc networking capabilities. Harris has delivered more than 45,000 AN/PRC-152A radios worldwide. AN/PRC-117G manpack: a combat proven, software-defined radio that is easily upgradeable with new waveforms, such as MUOS; also is NINE Suite B encrypted, allowing users to securely and easily interoperate with U.S., NATO and regional partners. More than 50,000 AN/PRC-117G radios have been delivered to customers around the world. “Our customer requires advanced, highly secure communication networks that provide interoperability with their NATO partners,” said Christopher Aebli, vice president and general manager, International Tactical Communications. “These modern, software defined radios meet our customer's current requirements and are upgradeable to address future evolving needs.” About Harris Corporation Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers' toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems and Space and Intelligence Systems. Learn more at harris.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements about the value or expected value of orders, contracts or programs and about technology capabilities are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190612005516/en/

Toutes les nouvelles