Une entreprise de l'île de Vancouver fait progresser l'innovation dans le secteur de l'aérospatiale et les technologies de lutte contre les incendies

Sur le même sujet

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  11 novembre 2017 | Local, Aérospatial

  Canadian air chief looks to speed up up fighter buy

  DUBAI — Canada will kick start its competition for a future fighter jet in 2019 with the hopes of awarding a contract by 2021, but the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force wants the process to move as quickly as possible. “The plan right now is to have a request for proposal out to industry by 2019. we're in discussions and have been in discussions with a number of the people who are considering competing for that, and what I'd like to see is that accelerated as much as possible,” said RCAF commander Lt. Gen. Michael Hood, in an exclusive interview with Defense News. “A 2019 RFP would get us into contract probably by 2021, and certainly my advice to government is the sooner the better.” The RCAF wants to procure 88 fighter jets to replace its current inventory of aging 76 F/A-18 Hornets, which are nearing the end of their lifespans. Canada is an international participant in the F-35 joint strike fighter program and has helped pay for the development of the aircraft. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed not to procure the F-35 during his campaign, and his government has opened up the competition to industry instead of moving forward with a sole-source acquisition. The Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Boeing Super Hornet and Saab's Gripen E are all projected to compete for the opportunity. To bridge the gap between its Hornet fleet and a future fighter, the RCAF initially intended to procure 18 F/A-18 Super Hornets from Boeing — a move some analysts speculated could trigger a larger procurement later on. However, the Canadian government suspended the deal due to Boeing's legal complaint against Canadian aerospace company Bombardier over its commercial business. With a Super Hornet buy unlikely as long as Boeing and Bombardier feud, and Trudeau's promise not to buy the F-35, U.S. defense experts worry that Canada could be driven into the arms of a European fighter manufacturer, thus eroding Canada's long tradition of flying U.S. jets — a move that increases the militaries' interoperability. However, Hood stated that interoperability with the United States continues to be “the most important thing to me as command of the Royal Canadian Air Force.” “Every step less of interoperability is one step less of effectiveness, so interoperability is right at the top of the list beside operational advantage,” he said. “I want the young men and women that are going to be flying fighters into harm's way to have an operational advantage, and that will be key to me in the competition that's coming.” That need for interoperability with the U.S. Air Force does not diminish the chances of European fighters, he added. Canada continues to investigate alternative ways to acquire an interim fleet of F/A-18s, including potentially buying used Hornets from Australia. However, a potential deal for Super Hornets with Boeing is still on the table, Hood said. “I think the government has been presented with the FMS case for Boeing. And as they're looking at options, that's one option,” he said. “The Australian aircraft are another, and the government has not made a decision yet.” If the RCAF moves forward with a used Hornet buy from Australia, it will have to extend the lives of the airframes, which are meeting their structural ends, Hood noted. That business would likely go to L3 Technologies, which has done life extension work on the Canadian F/A-18s in the past. But Canada would still be able to acquire the aircraft “within the next couple of years” once a decision is made. Lockheed officials have said that if Canada ultimately decided not to procure the F-35, it could end its industrial partnership with Canadian firms — which totals 110 Canadian companies with $750 million in contracts, according to Lockheed — that already help manufacture the F-35. However, asked whether Canada was concerned about losing that business, Hood demurred. “I'm not privy to the industrial aspects of our partnership with Lockheed Martin,” he said. “What I can say is Lockheed Martin is a fantastic partner for Canada and for the Royal Canadian Air Force, has been for years. We remain very, very strongly engaged both in the joint project office and helping to continue with the development of the F-35, and Canadian companies continue to bid and win on contracts with that.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dubai-air-show/2017/11/11/canadian-air-chief-the-sooner-the-better-on-fighter-acquisition/

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  12 octobre 2023 | Local, Sécurité

  Joint Statement from the Department of National Defence and Major-General Fortin

  The legal proceedings commenced by Major-General Fortin have been resolved. The parties will have no further comment on the matter.

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  21 janvier 2019 | Local, Terrestre

  Tens of millions paid out due to bungled Canadian Forces procurement, but government says details are secret

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The case dates back to 2016 when the Canadian International Trade Tribunal ruled that the process which awarded a truck contact to Mack Defense of the U.S. was flawed Taxpayers are on the hook for potentially tens of millions of dollars after federal bureaucrats bungled the purchase of trucks for the Canadian Forces and now must make good on the lost profits for a U.S. firm. But Public Services and Procurement Canada, which oversaw the flawed defence procurement, has declined to provide details on just how much the penalties will cost the public. Defence industry representatives, however, say the penalty being paid to the U.S. company, Oshkosh, could be as high as $60 million as it has to account for lost profit on the $834-million contract as well as other expenses the firm incurred. The case dates back to 2016 when the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) ruled that the process, which awarded the truck contact to Mack Defense of the U.S., was flawed. The CITT supported the concerns of Mack's rival, Oshkosh, that there were significant issues with the evaluation of the vehicles. As a result, the tribunal called on Public Services and Procurement Canada to conduct a new evaluation of the trucks being purchased for the Canadian Forces. The CITT recommended that Oshkosh be compensated for its lost opportunity to profit But instead, the department continued with the process to buy the Mack trucks and went to federal court in 2017 to challenge the tribunal's ruling. It recently abandoned that appeal. It was revealed by the tribunal that Public Services and Procurement Canada had failed to keep many key records to support its claim that the Mack trucks met the requirements for the Canadian military. “The CITT recommended that Oshkosh be compensated for its lost opportunity to profit,” the department noted in a response to Postmedia about the settlement it reached with the firm. The department, however, declined to provide details, claiming that the payout is confidential. It did not explain why the penalties that taxpayers must shoulder should be considered secret. “This matter is now closed,” according to the department's statement. The Conservative government announced in 2015 that Mack Defense had won the $834-million contract to provide the 1,500 standard military pattern trucks as well as in-service support for the vehicles. “Truck deliveries are ongoing and expected to be completed during spring 2020,” Public Services and Procurement Canada noted. It stated that the Mack trucks meet the required standards. Oshkosh said in a statement to Postmedia that it was pleased with the financial settlement that resulted from its challenge heard by the trade tribunal. “Oshkosh cannot comment further on the details of this confidential settlement,” noted Alexandra Hittle of Oshkosh Defense. The program to purchase the trucks was originally announced in 2006 by the Conservatives but the acquisition was dogged by problems. The vehicles were supposed to be delivered in 2008 and the project was considered a priority because the vehicles they were to replace had become a safety hazard, with faulty brakes and excessive rust. But in 2012 the Conservative government temporarily shut down the project after learning that the Department of National Defence increased the cost of the project by $300 million but hadn't received permission from government to do that. The government had approved an original budget of $430 million but department and military officials began adding more capabilities to what they wanted in the vehicles, bumping the estimated cost up. DND officials continued on with the acquisition without going back to Treasury Board for approval for the extra money, angering the Conservative government. Delivery of the Mack trucks began last year and have continued to various bases throughout Canada. Earlier this month Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan highlighted the delivery of some of the trucks to a base in Quebec, noting that, “through our defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, we are providing the women and men of our Canadian Armed Forces with the equipment they need to do their jobs.” Sajjan did not mention that the trucks were ordered under the Conservative government. dpugliese@postmedia.com https://ottawacitizen.com/news/canada/tens-of-millions-paid-out-due-to-bungled-canadian-forces-procurement-but-government-says-details-are-secret