18 janvier 2023 | Local, Aérospatial
Casualty evacuation: Fine-tuning the RCAF’s CMERT capability
After developing and deploying aeromedical evacuation to Mali, the Canadian Armed Forces is training to make it an enduring capability.
31 octobre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial
Ottawa sticking to F-35 program as it gets ready for full fighter competition
Canada is facing a complex challenge as it gets ready to launch a full competition for new fighter jets stemming from its long-standing involvement in the international coalition that is building the Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 stealth aircraft.
The federal government confirmed on Monday that it will maintain its membership in the F-35 consortium. At the same time, Ottawa is getting ready to send out requests for proposals for new fighter jets to five potential bidders, including Lockheed Martin.
Federal officials insist that all bidders will have to adhere to Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits policy (ITB), which requires the winning supplier to “make investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract." The cost of replacing the Royal Canadian Air Force's current fleet of CF-18s is estimated at $26-billion.
Under the rules of the F-35 consortium, however, partner countries such as Canada must forego such regional offset programs, which have long been a central element of Canadian military acquisitions. Earlier this year, Canada paid $54-million to remain in the F-35 buyers' pool.
“We're keeping our involvement alive to get access to that product at the best possible terms,” Pat Finn, an assistant deputy minister at the Department of National Defence, said in an interview on Monday. “If the F-35 were to win, the lowest cost access to the aircraft is through the partnership. Having been involved from the outset, we don't want to lose the privilege of that."
Since 1997, Canada has paid nearly half a billion dollars to stay in the F-35 consortium.
Jeff Waring, a director-general at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, said it will be up to Lockheed Martin to determine how it can meet Canada's requirement for regional offsets if it wants to bid on the contract.
“The ITB policy is a market-driven approach; it doesn't prescribe to bidders how they need to invest in Canada,” he said.
The federal government has nearly finalized its request for proposal for the new fighter jets. It is now waiting for industry feedback over the next six weeks before launching the formal competition next year.
Three European companies (Dassault Aviation, Saab Automobile and Airbus) and two American companies (Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.) have said they intend to bid on the contract.
In the draft request for proposal, the government has laid out new details on its “economic impact test” that will penalize companies that are deemed to have a negative effect on the Canadian economy. When it was announced last year, the test was dubbed the “Boeing clause” because of U.S.-based Boeing's trade dispute with Canada's Bombardier Inc., which Bombardier subsequently won.
The new measure is expected to look at whether companies have launched a trade action in the two previous years against a Canadian company. Given Boeing launched its case against Bombardier in 2017, it will likely be in the clear by the time it would have to submit a final bid in 2020.
The previous Conservative government had committed to buying F-35 fighter jets, which were deemed at the time to be the only aircraft able to meet Canada's requirements, in large part because of their stealth capabilities.
The current Liberal government has modified the requirements to make sure there can be competition between the various manufacturers.
“If your aircraft cannot meet [a requirement] today, we are not saying automatically that you're out; but you have to tell us what is your solution to meet it, at what price and what schedule,” said Mr. Finn.
In the last federal election, the Liberals said in their platform that they would not buy the F-35, promising instead to select “one of the many, lower-priced options that better match Canada's defence needs.”
However, the Liberals also promised to launch an “open and transparent” competition, which is now scheduled to be launched in May.
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16 juin 2020 | Local, Naval
Canada to pay $4.1B for Navy support ships in latest cost increase
The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Canada's national shipbuilding plan was rocked by yet another cost increase on Monday as the federal government revealed it will pay $4.1 billion for two long-overdue support ships for the navy — an increase of $1.5 billion from initial estimates. The revelation came as Ottawa officially awarded a contract for the full construction of the two new Protecteur-class joint support ships to Vancouver's Seaspan shipyards, which has already started work on the first of the vessels. Seaspan was first tapped to build the two ships and several coast guard vessels in 2011, at which point the supply ships were expected to cost $2.6 billion. The figure was later revised to $3.4 billion before another $700 million was added Monday. The first of the support ships was to have been delivered by 2019. The government says it now doesn't expect the first ship before 2023, with the second due in 2025. Seaspan has been under contract to work on some parts of the first ship since June 2018. The Royal Canadian Navy has been without a full-time support ship since 2014 and is currently relying on a converted civilian vessel that is being leased from Quebec's Chantier Davie shipyard to fill the gap. That ship, the MV Asterix, was at the heart of the failed prosecution of retired vice-admiral Mark Norman. The Liberal government was playing down the cost increase to the support ships on Monday, with senior ministers touting the importance of the vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy and the jobs that the project is creating in Vancouver and elsewhere. "These new ships will provide a necessary capability for our Royal Canadian Navy, while providing significant economic benefits and jobs to Canadians, including thousands of jobs created or sustained," Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement. Yet the cost increase is the latest to hit the shipbuilding plan, which has been plagued by delays and budget increases for years. The plan is intended to recapitalize the majority of Canada's naval and coast guard fleets. The entire plan to buy new warships to replace the navy's frigates and destroyers, several Arctic patrol vessels, a polar icebreaker and four science vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard in addition to the two support ships was pegged in 2011 at $35 billion. The warships alone are now expected to cost at least $65 billion while the rest of the projects have either seen similar budget increases or their budgets are under review. The delivery schedules for the projects have also been pushed back numerous times. Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute noted the new cost for the support ships is almost exactly how much Parliament's budget watchdog estimated following an analysis in 2013. The Conservative government at the time refuted the parliamentary budget officer's estimate, with then-public works minister Rona Ambrose saying appropriate safeguards had been put into place to protect taxpayers. "There's not a lot of detail in this today so it's hard to do a line by line," Perry said. "But superficially at least, the PBO's report from 2013 — which I recall being pooh-poohed pretty extensively — has held up pretty well." Ottawa has in recent years produced update cost estimates for most of the vessels being built through the federal shipbuilding plan. However, budgets for the polar icebreaker and an offshore science vessel for the coast guard are still under review. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2020. https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/canada-to-pay-4-1b-for-navy-support-ships-in-latest-cost-increase-1.24153254
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29 janvier 2021 | Local, Naval
Canadian Surface Combatant
The Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project is the Royal Canadian Navy's acquisition programme to build 15 CSC multi-role ships which will replace both the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and the Halifax-class frigates. The Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project is the Royal Canadian Navy's acquisition programme to build 15 CSC multi-role ships which will replace both the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and the Halifax-class frigates. The project is estimated to cost between $56bn and $60bn and the new warships are being built by Irving Shipbuilding at its Halifax Shipyard. The CSC has the capacity to conduct air, surface, sub-surface and information warfare missions simultaneously on both open ocean and highly complex coastal environments. The multi-mission combatant can be deployed in a range of missions such as delivering decisive combat power and supporting the Canadian Armed Forces. It can also conduct counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, interdiction and embargo missions for medium intensity operations. Canadian Surface Combatant development details The Canadian Surface Combatant project is part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy and is the biggest shipbuilding activity in the country since the World War II. Irving Shipbuilding was appointed as the prime contractor for the CSC project definition and implementation phases in January 2015. The Government of Canada and Irving Shipbuilding awarded a sub-contract to Lockheed Martin Canada for the design of CSC fleet in October 2018. In February 2019, the design of BAE Systems' Type 26 Global Combat Ship, the most advanced and modern anti-submarine warship, was selected for the CSC vessel. BAE Systems opened the first visualisation suite for the CSC vessel in Ottawa, US, in November 2020. The visualisation technology will create a virtual prototype which helps in better understanding of the vessel and offers detailed view of the ship's design from all angles. Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence facility based in Peterborough, Ontario was expanded for supporting the CSC acquisition project. Design and features of the Royal Canadian Navy's CSC ships The CSC will have a length of 151.4m, beam of 20.75m and a navigational draught of 8m. With a displacement of 7,800t, the warship will accommodate up to 204 crew members. The warship can carry a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter and provide facilities for embarking remotely piloted systems. It will also feature reconfigurable mission and boat bays including a 9m rescue boat, two 9-12m multi-role boats, Rolls Royce' mission bay handling system, and modular mission support capacity. The Canadian Surface Combatant will also house a medical facility and dedicated gym/fitness facilities. Weapons The weapons suite for the CSC will include 127mm main gun, two stabilised rapid fire 30mm naval gun systems, LMC MK 41 missile vertical launch system, 32-cell MK54 lightweight torpedoes, twin launch tubes, and MBDA Sea Ceptor close-in air defence system. The warships can be armed with a wide range of missiles including Raytheon Standard Missile 2, Raytheon Evolved Sea Sparrow point defence missile, and Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile. Command and control of Canadian Surface Combatant The warship will be installed with various command and control systems including Lockheed Martin Canada's (LMC) CMS 330 combat management system with Aegis combat system, USN cooperative engagement capability, integrated cyber defence system, OSI integrated bridge and navigation system, and L3 Harris' internal and external communication suite. Sensors and countermeasures The LMC SPY-7 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar will be installed for continuous surveillance and protection against modern threats. The combat ship will also be fitted with MDA's solid state AESA target illuminator, X- and S-band navigation radars, electro-optical and infrared systems, laser warning and countermeasures system, radio frequency and electronic jammers, and electronic decoy system. Underwater warfare capabilities of CSC ships The Royal Canadian Navy's future combat ships will be equipped with an integrated underwater warfare system, which includes Ultra Electronics' S2150 hull-mounted sonar, towed low frequency active & passive sonar, and SEA SENTOR S21700 towed torpedo countermeasures. General Dynamics' sonobuoy processing system and expendable acoustic countermeasures will also be installed aboard the vessels. Propulsion and performance of Canadian Surface Combatant The CSC combat ship will be powered by a combined diesel-electric or gas propulsion system (CODLOG) integrating two GE electric motors, a Rolls Royce MT 30 gas turbine, and four Rolls Royce MTU diesel generators. The vessel will be able to sail at a maximum speed of 27k and achieve a maximum cruising range of 7,000nm. Contractors involved Lockheed Martin Canada is collaborating with BAE Systems, CAE, L3Harris, MDA and Ultra Electronics for the design of the global combat ship. MDA signed a $2.99m contract with Lockheed Martin Canada for the initial phase of design work of the Canadian Surface Combatant ships in April 2019. Lockheed Martin will also be responsible to provide the electronic warfare suite system. Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems will lead the integration of sensors with sonobuoys and other capabilities for wide-area underwater battlespace surveillance. https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/canadian-surface-combatant/