30 octobre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

Ottawa releases draft tender on purchase of new fighter jets

Murray Brewster · CBC News

It's the first sign of movement on the file since the competition was launched almost a year ago

The effort to replace the air force's aging fleet of CF-18 fighters took a small step forward Monday when Public Services and Procurement Canada released a draft tender and asked for feedback from the makers of new jets.

There are five companies in the running: France's Dassault Aviation; Saab of Sweden; Airbus Defence and Space out of Britain; and Boeing and Lockheed Martin in the U.S.

The manufacturers will have about eight weeks to comment on various aspects of the proposed tender before the government finalizes the document.

A full-fledged request for proposals is not expected to be released until the new year.

The department said input from the manufacturers "is critical to the overall success of this procurement and for selecting the right fighter aircraft to meet Canada's needs."

A slow process

It has been almost a year since Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan formally "launched" competition to replace the CF-18s, which were originally purchased in the 1980s but have received significant upgrades in the decades since.

At the same time, Sajjan also announced the federal government would buy used Australian F-18s of the same vintage as Canada's current fighter fleet.

That purchase is meant to serve as a stopgap to ensure the air force can meet its NATO and NORAD commitments at the same time.

The Liberal government is looking to buy 88 new jets, but the first ones aren't likely to arrive until the mid-2020s.

The competition among manufacturers for Canada's business is expected to be fierce.

Lockheed Martin will pitch its F-35 stealth fighter, which the former Conservative government was prepared to buy until the auditor general criticized both Public Works and National Defence in 2012. The AG said, among other things, that the departments had not done enough homework to justify the multi-billion-dollar purchase.

Boeing is in line to offer the Super Hornet — a larger, more advanced version of the F-18 — but the Chicago, IL.-based company and the Liberal government traded blows last year in a dispute over passenger jets and Bombardier.

The Liberals initially had planned to buy Super Hornets as a stopgap instead of the Australian fighters, but cancelled the purchase because of the dispute.

Advantage: Europe?

Airbus plans to offer its Eurofighter Typhoon. Saab will pitch the latest version of its Gripen, while Dassault has the Rafale.

The European aircraft-makers all privately expressed optimism about the competition last spring at an Ottawa defence industry trade show.

For years, Canada has been seen as favouring U.S. manufacturers because of what the military called "interoperability issues."

But recent trade disputes and political tensions between Ottawa and Washington have given contractors outside of North America a morale boost.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-releases-draft-tender-on-purchase-of-new-fighter-jets-1.4882570

Sur le même sujet

  • Le Canada prend le commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN

    17 juin 2019 | Local, Naval

    Le Canada prend le commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN

    De : Défense Communiqué de presse Ottawa, le 17 juin 2019. – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes Le commodore Josée Kurtz, des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC), a pris officiellement le commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN (SNMG2) lors d'une cérémonie de passation de commandement tenue à Souda Bay de l'île de Crête, en Grèce, le samedi 15 juin. Le commodore Josée Kurtz a pris le commandement du commodore Boudewijn Boots, de la Marine royale néerlandaise. Ce déploiement fait partie de l'opération REASSURANCE, et la contribution du Canada aux opérations régionales de sécurité maritime menées à l'appui des mesures d'assurance de l'OTAN dans la région méditerranéenne et en mer Noire. Le Canada continue de répondre à l'appel et de contribuer de façon significative à la paix et à la sécurité internationales. En tant que membre fondateur de l'OTAN, le Canada a fait preuve d'un leadership actif et continuera de le faire dans le cadre de sa politique de défense Protection, Sécurité, Engagement. Citations « L'affectation du commodore Josée Kurtz pour diriger ce groupe maritime de l'OTAN témoigne du professionnalisme et du leadership des Forces armées canadiennes, et de leur ferme engagement envers l'OTAN et leurs alliés. Nos militaires sont un symbole visible de l'engagement du Canada envers la sécurité et la coopération internationales dans la région et dans le monde. » —Lieutenant-général Mike Rouleau, commandant, Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada « C'est un honneur et un privilège de prendre le commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN. J'ai h'te de travailler avec les marins hautement qualifiés et professionnels des pays membres de l'OTAN au cours des six prochains mois, pour relever les défis de cette mission et renforcer la stabilité mondiale et régionale, tous ensemble. » —Commodore Josée Kurtz, commandant, 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN Faits en bref Le Navire canadien de Sa Majesté (NSCM) Toronto participe à un déploiement au sein de la Force opérationnelle maritime dans le cadre de l'opération REASSURANCE. Il est maintenant le navire amiral du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN (SNMG2). Le SNMG2 est l'une des quatre forces maritimes multinationales à haut niveau de préparation et est composées de navires de pays alliés. Ces navires sont à la disposition de l'OTAN en permanence pour effectuer t'ches, allant des exercices à des missions opérationnelles. Ils fournissent à l'OTAN une capacité maritime continue et contribuent à établir la présence de l'Alliance, à faire preuve de solidarité, à effectuer des visites diplomatiques et à améliorer l'interopérabilité des forces navales alliées. Ils constituent également une force maritime toujours prête à soutenir la Force opérationnelle interarmées à très haut niveau de préparation de l'OTAN. Depuis l'affectation du commodore Kurtz, le Canada dirige maintenant trois activités de l'OTAN à l'échelle mondiale. Depuis juin 2017, les FAC dirigent en Lettonie un robuste groupement tactique multinational de l'OTAN soumis à des rotations, en tant que l'un des quatre pays-cadre assurant la présence avancée renforcée de l'Alliance dans les États baltes et en Pologne. Depuis novembre 2018, le Canada dirige également la mission de l'OTAN en Irak (NMI), qui vise à créer les conditions nécessaires à la mise en place d'institutions et de structures de sécurité efficaces et durables dans ce pays. Le commodore Josée Kurtz est une leader exceptionnelle et un excellent modèle à suivre et son affectation témoigne du leadership du Canada et de son engagement ferme envers l'Alliance. Cette affectation à un poste de commandement multinational fait suite au récent commandement de la Force opérationnelle multinationale 150 par le Canada, de décembre 2018 à avril 2019. La Marine royale du Canada (MRC) apporte d'importantes contributions à la sécurité et à la stabilité dans le monde, et est une force de combat agile qui peut être déployée rapidement et employée avec souplesse. Partenaires compétents et inébranlables, ses marins et ses navires ont une solide réputation et sont toujours prêts à aider, à diriger et à combattre. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2019/06/le-canada-prend-le-commandement-du-2egroupe-maritime-permanent-otan.html

  • Navy commander Art McDonald named next head of the Canadian Armed Forces

    29 décembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Navy commander Art McDonald named next head of the Canadian Armed Forces

    By Lee BerthiaumeThe Canadian Press OTTAWA - The federal Liberal government has tapped a sailor to steer the Canadian Armed Forces, appointing Royal Canadian Navy commander Vice-Admiral Art McDonald as the next chief of the defence staff. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced McDonald's appointment during one of his regular COVID-19 updates on Wednesday, ending months of speculation about who would succeed Gen. Jonathan Vance as Canada's top military commander. “In his new role as chief, Vice-Admiral McDonald will oversee the work of the Canadian Armed Forces, including on vaccine rollout through Operation Vector,” Trudeau said in reference to the military's role distributing COVID-19 vaccines across Canada. “I know that Vice-Admiral McDonald's leadership and expertise will be invaluable as the armed forces continue to work around the clock to keep Canadians safe.” A former frigate captain who oversaw part of Canada's humanitarian response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 before commanding the country's Pacific fleet, McDonald will be the first naval officer to serve as the permanent defence chief since 1993. A change of command ceremony is planned for the week of Jan. 11, when McDonald will formally take over from Vance. Wednesday's announcement followed months of speculation around who would succeed Vance, who first announced in July that he was planning to retire after more than five years at the helm. Much of the speculation had revolved around whether Trudeau would appoint Canada's first-ever female chief of the defence staff by tapping Lt.-Gen. Christine Whitecross for the job. https://www.thestar.com/politics/2020/12/23/news-alert-navy-commander-mcdonald-named-new-chief-of-defence-staff.html

  • Brewing battle over future of NATO creates minefield for Canada

    21 novembre 2019 | Local, Autre défense

    Brewing battle over future of NATO creates minefield for Canada

    OTTAWA — There are fears a brewing battle over the future of NATO could have major implications for Canada, which has relied on the military alliance as a cornerstone of its security, protection and influence in the world for decades. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to travel to London next month where comments by French President Emmanuel Macron questioning the viability of NATO threaten to overshadow a celebration of the alliance's 70th birthday. Macron warned in an interview with the Economist magazine that the alliance suffers from a lack of U.S. leadership, and that Europe must stop relying on American guarantees of protection and prepare to defend itself. Robert Baines, president of the NATO Association of Canada, says he is concerned about the alliance's future, adding its dissolution would weaken this country's links to other western democracies and leave Canada reliant on the U.S. for security. Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute says NATO represents an important “counterweight” to what would otherwise be a lopsided Canada-U.S. defence relationship. Baines and Perry suggest Canada is well-placed to bring Washington and Europe together, and that saving the organization should be a priority. This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Nov. 19, 2019. https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2019/11/19/brewing-battle-over-future-of-nato-creates-minefield-for-canada/

Toutes les nouvelles