Nouvelles

Rolls-Royce has broken ground on a new expansion to its Centre of Excellence for Naval Handling equipment in Canada. Design and manufacture of the Rolls-Royce Mission Bay Handling System (MBHS) will take place inside the new facility in Peterborough, Ontario. The MBHS is a feature of the Global Combat Ship design, selected for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC), Australian Hunter Class and UK Type 26 programs. The Canadian Federal Government has already selected the Global Combat Ship design for the Royal Canadian Navy's 15 new CSC ships. Bruce Lennie, Rolls-Royce, vice president, business development and government affairs said: "We are pleased to welcome Minister Monsef, MPP Smith and Mayor Therrien to mark this significant milestone in developing our infrastructure which will support the Canadian Surface Combatant program. "This centre will harness and build upon the wealth of Canadian engineering and technological expertise we have at Rolls-Royce. "We look forward to growing our business in country, further developing our supply chain and enhancing our contributions to the Canadian economy." Rolls-Royce employs more than 1,000 people across five facilities in cities including Montreal, Ottawa and Peterborough. https://www.insidermedia.com/news/midlands/rolls-royce-breaks-ground-on-canada-expansion

Rolls-Royce has started expansion work on its Centre of Excellence for Naval Handling equipment in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The ground-breaking ceremony was witnessed by Peterborough-Kawartha Minister Maryam Monsef, Provincial Parliament Member Dave Smith, and Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien. The newly expanded facility will accommodate the design and manufacture of Rolls-Royce Mission Bay Handling System (MBHS). MBHS is a manufacturing system that will support the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC), as well as the UK's Type 26 and Australian Hunter-class programmes. The MBHS offers a flexible and compatible low-risk solution, holding the capability to launch and recover naval vehicles. It can also move containerised packages without the aid of a dockside crane. Rolls-Royce Business Development & Government Affairs vice-president Bruce Lennie said: “We are pleased to welcome Minister Monsef, MPP Smith and Mayor Therrien to mark this significant milestone in developing our infrastructure, which will support the Canadian Surface Combatant programme. “This centre will harness and build upon the wealth of Canadian engineering and technological expertise we have at Rolls-Royce. We look forward to growing our business in-country, further developing our supply chain and enhancing our contributions to the Canadian economy.” The upcoming infrastructure expansion is aimed to benefit the Canadian economy and Canada's Armed Forces. The Global Combat Ship design for ships CSC ships have been approved by the Canadian Federal Government. Under the deal, 15 new CSC ships are to be manufactured. According to the company, the Canadian supply chain network has also been expanded to support the domestic and international export openings created by the Global Combat Ship programme. Rolls-Royce currently has over 1,000 Canadian workforces across five facilities, including in Montreal, Ottawa and Peterborough. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/rolls-royce-invests-in-facility-expansion-for-canadas-csc-project/

Le consortium HFTS qui réunit, à parts égales, Airbus Helicopters, CAE, Rheinmetall et Thales, va procéder à la remise à niveau des simulateurs NH90 au tout dernier standard hélicoptère MR-1. Le consortium HFTS qui réunit, à parts égales, Airbus Helicopters, CAE, Rheinmetall et Thales, va procéder à la remise à niveau des quatre simulateurs de mission NH90 des forces allemandes au tout dernier standard hélicoptère MR-1. Signé récemment, le contrat vient compléter le contrat de financement privé initial signé en 2004. "Cette modernisation s'accompagne d'une rénovation des configurations informatiques, du remplacement du poste instructeurs et du logiciel d'animation de la situation tactique (CGF) et prévoit une certification de niveau C auprès de l'autorité européenne EASA", indique Thales qui poursuit : "gr'ce à ce programme, les forces armées allemandes pourront fournir des services de formations de pointe pour leurs équipages NH90 dans un environnement virtuel. De plus, l'interconnexion des simulateurs répartis sur les sites de Bückeburg, Fassberg et Holzdorf et l'ouverture vers les autres moyens d'entrainement de l'Armée allemande permettra aux équipages de faire de l'entraînement collectif sur des missions complexes". "Tous les pilotes de NH90 des forces armées allemandes ont utilisé exclusivement les simulateurs de HFTS GmbH au cours de la dernière décennie, totalisant 200 000 heures de vol. Des clients internationaux tels que la Suède, la Belgique, la Finlande et la Nouvelle-Zélande se sont également entraînés avec succès sur les simulateurs NH90 ces dernières années", souligne Peter Halbig, directeur du consortium. https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/nh90-modernisation-de-quatre-simulateurs-de-mission-22576

The Quebec government is defending its decision to invest $30 million in a project to build blimps or airships to transport heavy equipment and supplies to remote areas of the province that lack roads. In June, the government announced it was buying a minority stake in French blimp manufacturer Flying Whales that plans to build a production facility in the Montreal area within five years. The French company is developing a 150-metre-long airship capable of carrying up to 60 tonnes of cargo. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Quebec will join France and China as shareholders in the company founded in 2012. Flying Whales is working with Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) on a propulsion system that would be adapted from existing helicopter turbines. A spokesperson for PWC confirmed the company is a partner in the project, but said it is still too early in the process to add further comment. “I'm not even sure we've signed a contract with Flying Whales, but it's something very different than what's out there and we're always looking to be involved in advanced projects,” said Catherine Cunningham, assistant director, Public Relations and Communications at PWC. However, Quebec opposition parties are demanding access to a study that supports the project, claiming it's not economically feasible. In 2017, the previous Liberal government declined to partner with Flying Whales for a similar project. But the current Quebec government claims the new project is better laid out and is supported by many sources that were not identified. This isn't the first time a company has tried to build airships in the province. In 2015, LTA Aerostructures, a Montreal-based company with American and Canadian backers, announced plans to build a $60 million production facility in Mirabel to build airships capable of transporting up to 70 million tonnes of cargo. However, the plant was never built and the company's website is no longer active. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/quebec-defends-30-million-flying-whales-investment

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BY AMANDA CONNOLLY AND KERRI BREEN The top U.S. official in Ottawa says in his country's view, Canada is not likely to hit the defence spending targets it has promised. Richard Mills, the U.S. Embassy's chargé d'affaires, said while there have been positive spending steps by the Canadian government, the view south of the border is that Canada will fall short in hitting its promised investment of two per cent of GDP on defence. “We were very pleased with some of the defence spending that's occurred under this government, including some effort to buy new frigates, some new airplanes,” he said in an interview with The West Block's Mercedes Stephenson. “But to be quite honest with you, Mercedes, the Canadian government is not on course to meet two per cent by 2024. In fact, they probably will reach a peak — in our estimate, around 1.4 per cent — in 2024 and then decline rapidly.” Canada, along with other NATO members, agreed in 2014 to increase spending on defence to the tune of two per cent of GDP by 2024. But according to NATO estimates from November, just nine of out of 29 member nations have met the goal. U.S. President Donald Trump has aggressively pushed allies to meet those promises since his election in 2016. And in November, Global News learned that the U.S. took the unusual step of sending a diplomatic letter criticizing Canadian military spending. Canada's prime minister and defence minister, however, have pointed out that a plan has been established to dramatically increase defence investment. In 2017, Ottawa announced it would boost the annual defence budget to almost $33 billion within a decade, an increase of 70 per cent. “The relationship with Canada and the U.S., the defence relationship, I think, is even stronger now, because they see a tangible plan that we have created,” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said on an episode of The West Block that aired on Nov. 24. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also insisted that there are other ways to measure the value of a country's military contributions and frequently cites the steep costs Canadian soldiers and peacekeepers have paid on allied missions around the world. Canada currently sits at 1.31 per cent in terms of how much of its GDP goes towards defence spending. That's up from about 1 per cent in 2014. Mills said the U.S. views hitting the two per cent target — or at least getting close — as crucial in order for Canada to be taken seriously. “This is important because our common security requires common burden sharing and we want to see our Canadian friends and Canada have a voice in international relations, have a strong voice because we share the same outlook,” he said. “But to be listened to, there has to be something behind you and that requires investment in the military.” Mills is currently the highest-ranking official at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. Kelly Craft, the previous ambassador to Canada, was tapped to represent the U.S. at the United Nations last year. On Tuesday, the White House said Trump would nominate Dr. Aldona Wos to serve as the new ambassador. https://globalnews.ca/news/6556192/canada-2-defence-spending-pledge/

Hello, There is only one week left to apply for the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox (applications due by 19 Feb)! We have received a number of technical questions from innovators and have prepared a short FAQ in response to help those interested to best complete their application. We are looking forward to seeing your ingenious ways of finding corrosion trouble spots for the Royal Canadian Navy in action. FAQs on the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox Thank you, The IDEaS Team --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonjour, Il ne reste plus qu'une semaine pour soumettre votre application pour l'Environnement protégé relatif à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne (l'échéance est le 19 février)! Nous avons déjà reçu un certain nombre de questions techniques de la part d'innovateurs. Sur ce, nous avons préparé une foire aux questions dans le but d'offrir des réponses pour appuyer les personnes qui souhaitent compléter leur demande. Nous sommes prêts à recevoir vos solutions novatrices pour détecter la corrosion à bord des navires. Foire aux questions sur l'Environnement protégé relative à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne Merci, L'équipe IDEeS Hello, There is only one week left to apply for the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox (applications due by 19 Feb)! We have received a number of technical questions from innovators and have prepared a short FAQ in response to help those interested to best complete their application. We are looking forward to seeing your ingenious ways of finding corrosion trouble spots for the Royal Canadian Navy in action. FAQs on the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox Thank you, The IDEaS Team --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonjour, Il ne reste plus qu'une semaine pour soumettre votre application pour l'Environnement protégé relatif à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne (l'échéance est le 19 février)! Nous avons déjà reçu un certain nombre de questions techniques de la part d'innovateurs. Sur ce, nous avons préparé une foire aux questions dans le but d'offrir des réponses pour appuyer les personnes qui souhaitent compléter leur demande. Nous sommes prêts à recevoir vos solutions novatrices pour détecter la corrosion à bord des navires. Foire aux questions sur l'Environnement protégé relative à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne Merci, L'équipe IDEeS

All four of Canada's submarines were tied up last year for repairs and maintenance — news that has the opposition Conservatives questioning whether the Liberal government can keep the second-hand fleet afloat for another two decades. In response to a written question before Parliament, the Department of National Defence said the boats "spent zero days at sea" in 2019, but three of the four would return to service at some point this year. Over the year, HMCS Victoria, HMCS Windsor, HMCS Chicoutimi and HMCS Corner Brook were in various stages of repair and maintenance. They also went into drydock for long-term upgrades meant to ensure the submarines remain operational until the end of the next decade. The Liberal government's 2017 defence policy does not envision replacing the subs until 2040, but a written statement recently put before the House of Commons indicates the navy wants to keep the boats "operationally effective until the mid-2030s." Conservative defence critic James Bezan said the acquisition of new submarines is not something Canada can put off for 20 years — and the Department of National Defence and the Liberal government should begin seriously looking for replacements. 'Do they have a plan?' "The boats are getting older and need to be replaced sooner, but I'm not sure that's resonating with the minister's office or the [Prime Minister's Office]," Bezan said. "You have to ask yourself the questions. Do they have a plan to replace the submarines? And do they even care that we have submarines?" The boats were docked last year after an intense sailing schedule for two of the four submarines over 2017 and 2018. HMCS Chicoutimi spent 197 days at sea helping to monitor sanctions enforcement off North Korea and visiting Japan as part of a wider engagement in the western Pacific. HMCS Windsor spent 115 days in the water during the same time period, mostly participating in NATO operations in the Atlantic. Bezan said he is not questioning Canada's need for submarines, pointing out that the navy has three coastlines to monitor, countries such as China and India are investing heavily to build up their own fleets and Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic has surpassed Cold War levels. "The best way to fight a submarine is with a submarine," said Bezan. "There is a growing need for submarines to ensure our sovereignty around North America. It is also the best way to patrol our Arctic waters." Frigates first The Liberal government has just started the process of replacing the country's patrol frigates — the backbone of the navy — through an estimated $60 billion program that will roll out over the next two decades. Following the release of the federal government's new defence policy in June 2017, a senior government official, speaking on background, cited the cost and complexity of rebuilding the surface fleet as justification for postponing the purchase of new submarines. The commander of the navy, Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, said that after some early struggles, the submarine program has reached what he described as "a steady state," and he's convinced the boats can be operated safely for years to come. "We know there's still excellent life in the Victoria-class submarine. I've seen that personally," McDonald told CBC News in a recent interview. "We'll be able to operate those boats into the 2030s, but to do that we'll have to continue with the routine investments we've made in them." Submarines are not cheap. Defence department figures tabled before Parliament show the navy has invested upward of $325 million in submarine maintenance, repairs and upkeep each year for the last two years. The bulk of the cash went to repairing HMCS Corner Brook, which has been undergoing an extended upgrade since 2015 following an accident four years earlier when it smashed into the bottom of the ocean off British Columbia. The boat is one of the three Canadian subs expected to be back in the water this year for "contractor trials" meant to confirm the repairs. The Chrétien government bought the submarines second-hand from Britain in 1998 at a cost of $750 million. Since then, National Defence has pumped billions into repairing and converting them for Canadian use. The program suffered a major setback in 2004 when HMCS Chicoutimi caught fire on its maiden voyage, killing one sailor. Almost a decade ago, navy planners started making a case for a replacement program. They told the former chief of the defence staff, the now-retired general Walt Natynczyk, that the military needed bigger, quieter submarines that could perform stealth missions, launch undersea robots and fire guided missiles at shore targets. The briefing was obtained in 2012 by The Canadian Press under access to information legislation. A year later, the commander of the navy at the time, the now-retired vice-admiral Paul Maddison, told a Senate committee the navy meant to operate the boats until at least 2030. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/submarines-canada-fleet-repairs-canadian-navy-1.5458632

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Irving is receiving $58 million from taxpayers to make what the federal government calls minimal changes to an existing ship design so it can be used by the Canadian Coast Guard. Irving is in the midst of building a fleet of six Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy and will add two more in the production line for the coast guard. The addition of two ships for the coast guard, announced by the federal government in May, was supposed to be cost-effective as the design of the vessel was completed and the ships were in the process of being built. But documents recently tabled in Parliament show the government entered into a $58-million contract with Irving for engineering design work on the AOPS that would ensure the coast guard's vessels “can meet regulatory and operational requirements.” The coast guard has determined that only minimal modifications are required to the ships to meet its needs as well as any regulatory requirements, according to documents provided to Parliament as the result of a question from Conservative MP Lianne Rood. “The modifications have been assessed as minimal as none of the identified modifications will impact major elements of the AOPS design and construction,” Bernadette Jordan, the minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, stated in her written response. But critics are questioning why taxpayers are spending $58 million if the changes are so limited. “That's a very expensive tweak,” said Aaron Wudrick, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “We'd like see some clarity from the government on what could possibly justify such an increase in the price tag.” Each AOPS is estimated to cost around $400 million. The coast guard originally looked at the AOPS in 2017-2018 but decided against acquiring the ship, industry representatives noted. But the Liberal government announced in May 2019 that two AOPS would be bought for the coast guard. One of the benefits of the purchase is to prevent layoffs at Irving as there is expected to be a gap between when the shipyard finishes the navy's AOPS and when it starts working on replacements for the navy's frigates. Tom Ormsby, director of communications for Irving, said the first step for the firm is to fully review the AOPS design and then confirm any modifications that are needed to be made for the coast guard. “Once modifications have been agreed to, these changes must then be worked through and implemented into the design,” he noted. “While not making major changes that a first-in-class design would require, the Canadian Coast Guard has a different and critical mission, including the need for scientific laboratories for sampling and research, so each vessel is being tailored to suit the Canadian Coast Guard's unique and important role.” The government only pays for actual costs incurred, he added. Irving will also receive an additional $18.8 million to purchase some initial equipment for the vessels as well as reimbursement for project management. The contract to Irving on the design changes was signed Nov. 1, 2019 and is to end March 31, 2021. Areas of change include modifications to the bridge layout and accommodations to meet Transport Canada requirements for a non-military crew, as well as changes to some areas to accommodate coast guard equipment and modifications to the deck, Jordan noted in her response to Parliament. The main portions of the ship, including the hull and propulsion systems, will remain unchanged, she added. The AOPS program was launched by the Conservative government with a minimum of five ships for the navy. The Liberal government approved the construction of a sixth AOPS for the navy and two for the coast guard But retired Liberal senator Colin Kenny, who served on the Senate defence committee, questions the value of the AOPS for either the navy or coast guard. Kenny noted he is also concerned about the engineering contract. “These changes shouldn't cost $58 million,” Kenny said. “I think it's questionable as to why we are even buying these ships.” In 2017 the Senate Defence Committee raised concerns about the capabilities of the AOPS. Among the issues identified by the committee was the slow speed of the AOPS and its limited ability to operate in ice-covered waters. “These limitations are troubling and raise the question of whether the taxpayers are receiving value for the monies spent,” the Senate report said. The Department of National Defence expects the delivery of the first AOPS by the end of March although it acknowledges there is a possibility that may not happen. The delivery of the vessel has already been delayed a number of times. The navy expects its last AOPS to be delivered by 2024. After the navy vessels are built, construction will begin on the AOPS for the coast guard, the federal government has said. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/irving-to-receive-58-million-for-minimal-changes-to-new-coast-guard-ships