8 mai 2019 | Local, Aérospatial

Matt Gurney: Is it any wonder the U.S. is steamed at us over our fighter jet fiasco?

One can only imagine the astonishment in Ottawa when a letter arrived from Washington, reminding the Canadian government that military procurement projects are about procuring military equipment, not creating Canadian jobs. I like to imagine flabbergasted bureaucrats reading the letter over and over, before finally putting it down, rubbing their temples and musing aloud, “Don't the Americans realize how things are done here?”

They do, it seems. And they don't like it.

On Monday, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute published a new report, “Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canada's Fighter Replacement Fiasco.” The title tells you most of what you need to know about the tone of the report. Author Richard Shimooka recaps the long and embarrassing history of Canada's inability to properly replace our rapidly aging and slowly attritting fleet of almost-40-year-old CF-18 jets. The report mostly covers a story that's been oft-told, including here in the National Post. But it did break some news: apparently, Washington's frustration with Canada is boiling over, and it's not keeping quiet about it anymore.

Shimooka recaps the long and embarrassing history of Canada's inability to properly replace our rapidly aging ... CF-18 jets

Shimooka's report reveals the existence of two letters previously unknown to the public, sent last year by American officials to Canadian counterparts. The specifics of the complaints involve fairly legalistic and technical aspects of Canada's membership in the international consortium that helped finance the development of the F-35 stealth fighter. Suffice it to say that Canada, as a participating nation, gets access to a rock-bottom price for the fighter (meaning the same cost paid by the U.S. military) and Canadian firms have been part of the production of the planes from the very beginning. That's the deal. It's a pretty good one.

But Canada wants a different deal. Specifically, it wants the same kind of deal it always insists on when buying military equipment from abroad. We want any foreign company we're purchasing equipment from to invest heavily in Canada, so that even a contract signed with a foreign supplier can be shown to have helped Canadian jobs, and the middle class, and those working hard to join it. Even this is only a second-best option, a procurement Plan B. Canadian politicians would much rather have stuff built in Canada by Canadians, no matter how much that ends up costing us in terms of cost overruns and delays. But when that's simply not possible, we'll settle for industrial offsets from foreign companies.

You'll note that in the above paragraph on military procurement, there was very little emphasis on actually successfully procuring equipment for the Armed Forces. Ottawa is much too sophisticated for that kind of concern. The real action is in the jobs, the industrial benefits, the gigantic novelty cheques, the ribbon cuttings, the question period talking points and the partisan mailers crowing about all the money flowing to Canadian firms. That's what military procurement is really for, at least in the eyes of Canadian officials. That's why our national shipbuilding strategy was to first build out a shipbuilding industry and then build some ships, almost as an afterthought, when we could have bought them faster and almost certainly cheaper from an ally.

The Americans, it seems, have had enough, and are threatening to pull the F-35 from consideration in Canada's upcoming program to select our next fighter. To their mind, Canada has already been offered an objectively good deal: access to one of the world's most advanced fighter jets at the same cost the U.S. military pays, and billions in industrial benefits. It's true that the F-35 program has been troubled, but most of those problems are now behind it. These jets are entering service in large numbers in the U.S. military and in allied forces, as well. The F-35 isn't perfect but it's available, now, and Canada has already paid the cost of entry to the club. Angling for a better deal than everyone else is getting, is a slap in the face to the Americans and all the other allied nations who are part of the process.

Angling for a better deal than everyone else is getting, is a slap in the face to the Americans

Now a cynic will say that it's just good business. There's nothing wrong with Canada trying to get the best deal for itself. In general, I have an open mind to this kind of argument. But Canada isn't a business. It's a country that has signed alliances and agreements with our democratic peers, theoretically in good faith. We have our own interests, to be sure, but we also have obligations. Canada's membership in the F-35 consortium does not obligate us to buy F-35s. We'd retain the industrial benefits even if we select another fighter. But certainly it obligates us to at least honour the agreement we've already made?

The Liberals have never been keen on the F-35. Before the past election, they actually pledged to never purchase them, before realizing that that was an impossible pledge to keep if we actually intended to hold a fair and open competition to select the next plane. The prime minister himself once dismissively described the F-35 as a plane that didn't work, even as the United States was putting its first squadron into active service. Part of me wonders if the Liberals are deliberately structuring our selection process to make it impossible for the U.S. to sell us F-35s. That would certainly solve that particular problem for the Liberals.

Alas, the more realistic answer is probably, as ever, the simplest one. The Canadian government is probably baffled that the Americans would object to us behaving as we always do. Military procurement in Canada isn't about procurement, or the military, or honouring our commitments to our friends. It's about political booty that can be flung around the country come election time. That's just the way we do things here. Why would that ever change?

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/matt-gurney-is-it-any-wonder-the-u-s-is-steamed-at-us-over-our-fighter-jet-fiasco

Sur le même sujet

14 septembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Next defence chief will signal Liberals' priorities for the military
Lee Berthiaume/ The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Time is running out for the federal Liberal government to name a new commander of the Canadian Armed Forces before it faces a confidence vote, with some observers worrying a delay could leave the military in limbo in the event of an election. Yet exactly who will be selected to succeed Gen. Jonathan Vance as chief of the defence staff remains a mystery because while there may be one seemingly obvious choice, there are others who might suit the Liberals better. "There's a generalized understanding that any of the individuals who have made it to three stars have demonstrated a pretty strong portfolio in terms of competencies and strengths," said Canadian Forces College professor Alan Okros. "It then becomes an issue about where does the priority fall?" The Liberal government has quietly indicated it wants to announce the new chief of defence staff before the speech from the throne on Sept. 23. Sources at the Department of National Defence, who are not authorized to discuss the search publicly, said interviews were conducted this past week Retired lieutenant-general Guy Thibault, who previously served as vice-chief of the defence staff, is one of those hoping for an announcement before a possible election. "You just don't want to have a chief in waiting with a chief caretaker in place," said Thibault, who now heads the Conference of Defence Associations Institute. The seemingly obvious choice is Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau. The former Ottawa police officer who re-enrolled in the Forces after 9/11 spent years in the field before becoming commander of Canada's special forces in 2014, at a time when the elite soldiers were in Iraq and elsewhere. Rouleau has since been burnishing his credentials in Ottawa, first as commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, which oversees all domestic and foreign operations, before recently taking over as Vance's second-in-command. "I think Mike is really the full-meal deal of all the current three-stars," said Thibault, echoing an assessment shared by many defence insiders and observers. Rouleau's appointment would signal a continuation of the current path set by Vance's five-year tenure — the longest in modern Canadian history — and enshrined in the Liberals' defence policy. That policy — known as Strong, Secure, Engaged — released in 2017 promised massive billions of dollars in investments over the next 20 years for more troops, new equipment such as warships and jets, and new capabilities in cyber and space. A similar signal would be sent if the Liberal government tapped Royal Canadian Air Force commander Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger, Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre or Royal Canadian Navy commander Vice-Admiral Art McDonald. They, along with Lt.-Gen. Christopher Coates, who recently moved into Rouleau's old job as head of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, would bring their own skills and styles, but they are also viewed as largely similar in terms of continuity. Some worry the economic damage caused by COVID-19 has made the defence policy unaffordable and that the government might bring out the axe. "If the government writ large turns its mind to budget cutting and deficit reduction, then National Defence is very, very unlikely to survive that for a number of different reasons," said defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "The biggest one is just the straight arithmetic of it being the largest share of federal budget share." Vice-Admiral Darren Hawco was one of the key architects of the defence policy, with insiders speaking in glowing terms of the way the former frigate commander managed the backroom battles that led to its development. That included managing the priorities of the Air Force, Army and Navy against a set pot of money — an experience that would be especially important if the government wanted to start cutting. Many have wondered whether the Liberals will appoint a woman to become Canada's top military officer for the first time. Such a move would fit with the Liberals' progressive, feminist credentials and signal the government wants to see more action on addressing cultural issues such as racism as well as sexual misconduct and hate in the ranks. "There is still this huge frustration in the Prime Minister's Office (about) the military in not making progress on the sexual harassment side, and particularly the harassment, discrimination and hateful conduct stuff," said Okros. "It then becomes that issue of who is the right person to do that, and at one level, symbolic decisions may be of importance." That is where the first two female lieutenant-generals in Canada's history — Christine Whitecross and Francis Allen — come up. Whitecross in particular has been seen as a potential contender for the chief of the defence staff position for years, and the fact she spearheaded the military's fight against sexual misconduct in the early going could be a feather in her cap. Yet neither Whitecross nor Allen have much experience in the field and Perry said having a chief of the defence staff who didn't command a warship, fly an aircraft or lead soldiers in the field would be almost as groundbreaking as appointing a woman. "That would certainly be almost as notable for an organization that has a lot of cultural orientation around the operational end of things and putting people with those types of backgrounds into the top job," Perry said. Whichever way the government goes, says Thibault, "all of the three-stars currently in the mix wouldn't be where they are if they didn't have very significant experience and credibility and knowledge and skills and the right leadership qualities. "So you can take good confidence that they're all bona fide Canadian Forces leaders. And whoever is picked, I think we would recognize at the very beginning that they will all bring something unique and relevant to the position as chief of defence staff." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2020. https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/next-defence-chief-will-signal-liberals-priorities-for-the-military-1.24202293
7 mai 2019 | Local, Aérospatial

Swedish companies like Saab, a best-fit for Canada’s innovation agenda
By Simon Carroll Like Canadians, Swedes are natural innovators. When faced with challenges like a shifting global economy, the threat of climate change or the rapidly evolving landscape of modern national defence – both countries adapt and innovate based on evidence, reason and shared progressive values. This is so much the case that Swedish and Canadian governments are both actively implementing innovation agendas intended not only to grow their respective high-tech and aerospace industries (among others) from the inside-out, but to help them access and leverage the very best global talent and expertise in these fields. Canada's Innovation and Skills Plan, for instance, seeks to encourage greater business investments in research and to capitalize on Canadian inventions through “shared risk taking and partnerships”. The more Canada and Sweden build and use these partnerships to innovate together, the stronger both countries will be, now and in the future. At Saab, we believe opportunities to develop and grow partnerships with Canadian government and industry are not only a ‘good fit' – we believe these opportunities will help actualize Canada's ambitious innovation vision for decades to come. In large part, Swedish companies are well-positioned to help Canada reach its innovation goals because innovation is inherent in their DNA. Sweden is consistently judged one of the world's most innovative countries by the annual Bloomberg Innovation Index, which placed Sweden second in 2018 (behind South Korea and ahead of Singapore, Germany and Switzerland), and by the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index, which ranks Sweden among the top three countries. This level of recognition is well-earned. Swedes are early adopters of new technologies, are highly trend-sensitive and, collectively, produce one per cent of the world's knowledge while constituting less than one-thousandth of the world's population. The Swedish government formalized this innovative spirit in 2001 when it created the national Innovation Agency, Vinnova – one of the first of its kind in the world. Of course, Sweden has long been home to a suite of classically innovative and instantly-recognizable brands like Volvo, Ikea, and Ericsson, but its government's exceptional focus on innovation in recent decades has grown this small but mighty nation's startup hub into a full-blown entrepreneurial powerhouse. By no coincidence, Sweden has produced more “$100 million-plus IPO exits” than any other country in the world, with examples including popular music streaming platform Spotify and the financial technology company iZettle. Having research-intensive companies, such as Saab, is yet another reason Sweden does so well in global innovation rankings. The majority of Saab's people are trained engineers and around 23 per cent of its total revenues are spent on research and development (R&D) every year. That's a lot compared with other companies, but it's what it takes to think ahead and develop products and solutions with future capabilities in mind. The Swedish approach to future technology generation is one that actively combines government- and university-based research and development capabilities with those of industry to solve common problems and to develop new, unique solutions. Harnessing the unique talents and energy contributed by each of these spheres builds a strong engine for innovative thinking and new technology development – all of which is central to Saab's corporate ethos. Saab Canada is already an extensive supplier of military equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces – from radars and sensors for the Royal Canadian Navy to ground combat weapons and signature management systems for the Canadian Army – as well as supplying transponders to the Canadian Coast Guard and maritime traffic management systems to the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority. Saab is also partnered with many small, medium and large-sized Canadian companies up and down its supply chain, across all of its product areas from Nova Scotia-based MilAero for electrical cable assemblies, to Bombardier with its Global 6000 business jet used for GlobalEye, an airborne early warning and control solution. As a contender for Canada's future fighter jet program, Saab's ‘future-proof' Gripen E aircraft presents even greater opportunities for collaboration and development activities between the military and aerospace sectors of both countries. These kinds of partnerships mean that Canadian companies not only benefit from Saab's innovative thinking, but are also empowered to further develop their own, Canadian-made innovations that can then be exported worldwide – generating economic benefits right here in Canada. Looking to the future, Saab will continue working closely with our Canadian partners to pursue opportunities here and abroad, where we can build on existing collaboration and continue to strengthen the innovation that runs deep in our respective countries. https://ipolitics.ca/2019/05/06/swedish-companies-like-saab-a-best-fit-for-canadas-innovation-agenda/
14 avril 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Vimy Award Call for Nominations
Do you know someone who deserves to be celebrated? VIMY AWARD CALL FOR NOMINATIONS DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED? Nominations Now Open for the annual Vimy Award presented at the 30th edition of the Vimy Gala. Established in 1991, the Vimy Award recognizes a Canadian who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of our nation and the preservation of our democratic values. It is normally presented as a lifetime achievement award. Past Recipients Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson The Right Honourable Joe Clark The Honourable Bill Graham MGen Romeo Dallaire 2020 Distinguished Selection Committee Members Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Richard Wagner Chief of Defence Staff LGen Jonathan Vance Deputy Minister Jody Thomas The award honours the bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian soldiers – comprising the four divisions of the Canadian Corps – who were victorious in the battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. The selection committee includes the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as industry and academic partners of the CDA Institute and members of the Board of Directors. Do you know someone who; Has made a sustained national or international contribution to Canada's National Security, Defence and/or the Canadian Military during his/her professional career. Serves as an inspiration at a national level within the Security, Defence and Military Community, through their leadership, practices, and accomplishments. Has garnered national and/or international recognition for his/her contributions to Canadian National Security, Defence and/or the Canadian Armed Forces. Is a leader whose achievements will be a source of historic and patriotic pride for generations to come. Nominations Deadline: July 1,2020 VISIT VIMY AWARD PAGE FOR FULL DETAILS VIMY GALA The Vimy Award will be presented at the prestigious Vimy Gala held on November 6, 2020 at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario. The Vimy Gala is a black-tie cocktail and dinner held annually since 1991 in Ottawa to honour Canada's fallen heroes in the context of the Remembrance Day activities held across the country. The Gala brings together active and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces alongside future officers currently enrolled at the Royal Military Colleges, as well as industry and government leaders and international guests of honour. It will be an evening to remember and to reflect upon the sacrifices many have made for our nation and for the sake of building a more just and prosperous world. It is also a celebration of Canada and men and women who serve. The Gala is also an opportunity for defence professionals to recognize outstanding individuals in our community, whose courage, vision, and achievements inspire us all. To that end, we present the Vimy Award to a Canadian who has made an outstanding, lifelong contribution to our national security and defence and to preserving our democratic values. Past recipients include Her Excellency Adrianne Clarkson, the Honourable BIll Graham, General Rick Hillier, and the Right Honourable Joe Clark,LGen Christine Whitecross and most recently, Richard B. Fadden, O.C. 2019 Richard B. Fadden, O.C Vimy Award Acceptance Speech: 2020 and Beyond: Where Does Canada Fit? ATTEND and/or SPONSOR THE VIMY GALA 15% early bird discounts available The 30th Anniversary Vimy Gala will take place on: November 6, 2020 At the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Contact Jennifer Giguere to find out about booking your Vimy Gala table and/or sponsorship at our 15% early bird special (ends July 1st). Please note that individual seating registration will only open in the fall. Gold Sponsors and above will be invited to a "Chairman's Circle" VIP Cocktail with members of the selction committee and the 2020 award laureate. jennifer@cdainstitute.ca CDA INSTITUTE PARTNERS PREMIER PARTNER STRATEGIC PARTNERS OPERATIONAL PARTNER Conference of Defence Associations Institute | 75 Albert Street, Suite 900, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E7 Canada

Toutes les nouvelles