Nouvelles

Lee Berthiaume The Canadian Press OTTAWA -- An internal Defence Department report has warned that Canadian Armed Forces operations and security may be at risk due to major problems with how the military's computer networks are built and supported. The report follows a review of the Defence Department's information management and technology systems, which are described as "critical" to the success of Canadian military operations and training. That review uncovered a patchwork of IT systems across the Defence Department and Armed Forces that was not only inefficient and expensive to maintain, but also often out-of-date and poorly supported. The brunt of the report's criticism is directed at the technical support provided to the military by another federal entity, Shared Services Canada, the agency that took over management of most federal networks in August 2011. Nearly all defence and military officials who participated in the review were upset by the amount of time it took Shared Services to respond to requests for help, according to the report. In some instances, those delays harmed operations. The report cited one instance in which an email server that went down during an unspecified domestic mission couldn't be fixed right away because it was a weekend and Shared Services did not have staff on call. The reviewers also found that a quarter of requests for assistance made to Shared Services remained unresolved after six months, and the agency did not have anybody in Europe to help the hundreds of Canadian troops posted there. While the problems were partly attributed to a lack of appropriate IT resources and staff, the report also flagged the lack of an agreement between the Defence Department and Shared Services establishing clear expectations for network support. Without such an agreement, the report, defence and military officials believed Shared Services not only didn't understand their needs but also wasn't required to respond quickly, "which led to putting clients at great risk on a number of fronts, including security." Delays in tech support weren't the only point of contention between the Defence Department and Shared Services, with the latter upsetting the navy by requiring the removal of equipment that had increased bandwidth on warships. Shared Services also stopped supporting some older intelligence systems while they were still being used by the air force, army and navy, according to the report recently published on the Defence Department website. Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier on Monday described the review as a "valuable tool" for improving IT support even as he defended the department's relationship with Shared Services Canada. "We have a good working relationship with Shared Services Canada and the two departments continue to work collaboratively to ensure the appropriate and timely delivery of IT services to DND/CAF," he said. "We are also reviewing our relationship with Shared Services Canada with a focus on improving the service delivery model to help better support the department and the Canadian Armed Forces." The internal report also took aim at the military's troubled procurement system, which was found to deliver IT equipment with inadequate or out-of-date technology. Poor planning was partly to blame but the report also blamed onerous levels of oversight. While that oversight was described as the result of cost overruns and delays on past IT projects, the report said that it nonetheless created new problems in delivering modern equipment. "The complex processes associated with the capital projects and procurement are very slow and cumbersome," according to the report. "The process cannot keep up with the rate of change of technology." Those delays -- and their potential impact on operations -- were also cited as a major reason for why a patchwork of IT systems and programs now cover different parts of the Defence Department and military. While that patchwork might serve the day-to-day needs of the military, it was also found to be inefficient and expensive. To that end, the reviewers could not pinpoint exactly how much was being spent by the Defence Department and military on IT services and support every year, but estimated it at more than $700 million. In response to the report, senior officials told reviewers that they were looking at ways to better calculate annual spending on IT and address the problems that have contributed to the creation of so many systems in the first place. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2021. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/poor-it-support-hurting-canadian-military-operations-internal-review-finds-1.5253148

Vice Admiral Art McDonald will take over as the Chief of the Defence Staff next Thursday. He will be promoted to full admiral for his new position. McDonald replaces Gen. Jon Vance who has been CDS since July 2015. Vance announced last year that he was retiring. McDonald is currently the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and has served in a variety of positions, both at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa and on board various frigates. As a Capt(N), he was the maritime component commander of Canadian Joint Task Force (Haiti), leading sea-based humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. He then commanded a seven-ship combined, multi-national Task Group in the High Arctic later in 2010 during the annual Op Nanook. Later, as a rear admiral he also led the Canadian Forces' responses to fires and floods in British Columbia while commanding Joint Task Force Pacific from 2016-2018. McDonald will be replaced in his current position by Rear-Admiral Craig Baines. Baines will be promoted to vice-admiral. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/vice-admiral-mcdonald-to-take-over-as-defence-chief-on-jan-14

BY KEVIN M. BAERSON After years of experimentation and analysis, the government of Canada has procured a new Hermes 900 StarLiner from Israeli UAV manufacturer Elbit Systems that can withstand and patrol its massive, inhospitable Arctic territory. Extreme weather with high winds and low temperatures, limited and unreliable satellite communication and navigation, and continuous darkness during the winter months make controlling UAVs in the Arctic especially challenging. Combined with a lack of ground infrastructure, both line of sight and satellite control of a UAV can become nearly impossible. The hope is that the Starliner can conquer these harsh Arctic conditions. This version of Elbit's Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) military UAV is fully certified to operate in civilian airspace and will take off from and land on civilian airfields. It will perform myriad operations to reduce harmful environmental impacts, including detection of oil pollution and wildlife surveying, as well as ice patrol and reconnaissance. It will also support search and rescue, humanitarian efforts and illegal fishing enforcement, and will aid the development and regulation of Canada's drone industry. The $36.16 million contract includes communication links, ground control stations, sensor packages, training and the optional purchase of spare parts. The Starliner is expected to be delivered by December 2022, but procurement has been years in the making. Arctic Takeoff In 2017, Canadian officials began research and development test flights using a Sea Hunter drone produced by Alabama-based Griffon Aerospace. The data collected, including BVLOS results, contributed to developing requirements for the eventual Hermes purchase. Timothy Choi, a maritime strategy expert and Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, has said the Canadian government had limited options in its search for a proven maritime drone with Arctic capabilities. “Large maritime surveillance drones—that is, ones equipped with downward-looking radar and AIS [automatic identification system] receivers to detect shipping—have not been as prevalent in the global drone market as their land-centric counterparts,” Choi told the website Eye On The Arctic. “Of these, there are even fewer that have been tested in Arctic conditions.” The model Canada is acquiring has been undergoing operational trials in Iceland via the European Maritime Safety Agency since summer 2019. At 1.6 tons, the StarLiner includes detect and avoid (DAA) systems, redundant datalinks and an advanced terrain avoidance warning system. Its ability to automatically take off and land in near-zero visibility, and to sustain deicing procedures and direct lightning strikes, makes it ideal for the Arctic's extreme weather challenges. According to Canadian officials, the new UAV can operate at up to 72 degrees north latitude and has a range of more than 1,400 nautical miles. It comes equipped with back-up command and control and navigation systems, electrical optical infrared camera, synthetic aperture radar and a mapping camera system. For now, the majority of Canada's Arctic surveillance data will continue to come from RADARSAT, the country's remote sensing earth observation satellite program. But while the satellites can detect emergencies such as an oil spill, their brief visits over the Arctic make it difficult to identify causes and consequences. The same is true for identifying nefarious activities such as illegal dumping and unpermitted fishing. “The ability of a drone to loiter for long periods of time with higher resolution sensors will help fill this gap,” Choi explained. “Operationally, the new drone will greatly help ‘connect the dots' when it comes to surveilling Arctic waters and enforcing Canadian regulations.” Drone Diplomacy While this Hermes version will be used in civilian missions, its acquisition is just one part of Canada's Arctic Unmanned Aircraft System Initiative, and it will join the country's National Aerial Surveillance Program's manned aircraft fleet. With 75% of Canada's coastline and 55% of its landmass located in the Arctic, Canada and its main regional rival, Russia, potentially contest for resources and the new shipping routes being created by global warming. Russia is deploying a fleet of dual-use extreme-weather UAVs featuring a GIRSAM alternative navigation system. China, which is talking about a “Polar Silk Road,” also is developing dual-use UAVs optimized for Arctic conditions. “Canada is committed to protecting our endangered species and our marine environment,” Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau said in a statement. “Integrating remotely piloted aircraft into Transport Canada's fleet will make federal surveillance operations more robust than ever.” https://insideunmannedsystems.com/canadas-new-drone-can-better-surveil-its-challenging-arctic-environment/

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen The new handguns will replace the Second World War-era Browning Hi-Power pistols. The Second World War-era pistols used by the Canadian military will soon be replaced as the federal government plans to request bids for a new handgun in February. A contract is expected to be awarded by September with initial deliveries beginning in the summer of 2022, Department of National Defence spokesperson Jessica Lamirande said. The new handguns will replace the Second World War-era Browning Hi-Power pistols. The military was originally going to make an initial purchase of 9,000 pistols for the Canadian Army. But that number has increased to 16,500 as handguns will also be bought for the Royal Canadian Air Force and military police, Lamirande noted. The firearms will be modular, meaning they can be reconfigured for various roles. Attachments such as improved targeting systems can also be installed on the guns. “The procurement will also include options to support future requirements of additional modular pistols, but the precise number has not yet been confirmed as it will depend on requirements,” Lamirande explained. “The total procurement is expected to be up to 20,000 modular pistols.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-military-to-receive-new-pistols-bids-to-be-requested-in-february

By RICHARD SHIMOOKA If the government is serious in its desire to sustain the aerospace, and defence aerospace industry, it must do so through a well-reasoned and resourced strategy. Of all sectors, aerospace has been among the hardest hit in the global economy to date. This not only includes airlines, but manufacturers and maintainers—with decreased orders and reductions in maintenance, repair, and overhaul work due to reductions in service, which has knock-on effects for the rest of the economy. Aerospace is arguably among the most vibrant industrial sectors in the Canadian economy—with high levels of R&D spending and export revenues. Until recently, Canada was a top-five civil aerospace producer internationally, though its position has slid in the past several years. https://www.hilltimes.com/2020/12/30/the-decline-of-canadas-defence-aviation-industry/277088

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

Murray Brewster · CBC News No matter which way they are going to be sliced, the numbers will be jaw-dropping. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) is set, early in 2021, to deliver an assessment of the Royal Canadian Navy's long-anticipated frigate replacement program, a review that will give the public perhaps the clearest view yet of the kind of investment taxpayers will be asked to make in the future fleet. A respected former senior defence official, writing in the military magazine Esprit de Corps this fall, took a stab at running the numbers and they are eye-watering, especially in a post-pandemic world. Alan Williams estimated that when construction and lifetime operating and maintenance expenses are included the new fleet of 15 warships could cost between $213 billion and $219 billion. Circulating within the defence community for weeks, his scathing assessment has apparently caught the attention of the House of Commons government operations and estimates committee, which has requested a copy of the research. Between Williams' biting criticism, the budget officer's anticipated take and a planned auditor general review of the national shipbuilding program, the ground is set in 2021 for a major political battle over defence spending, the likes of which haven't been seen in almost a decade. Back to the future The last time that kind of watchdog firepower was assembled, the former Conservative government's plan to buy the F-35 was blown back to the drawing board, where the fighter jet replacement program remained for years. Back then, the fight was all over numbers and transparency and whether former prime minister Stephen Harper's government was levelling with taxpayers, and just as importantly, whether bureaucrats had done enough homework to justify their choice of the stealth fighter. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-frigates-cost-1.5851912

Government considering a deal with commercial airlines seeking financial assistance, sources say Daniel Leblanc · CBC News · Posted: Dec 22, 2020 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 9 hours ago The federal government is exploring the possibility of replacing its aging fleet of transportation planes as part of a planned bailout of the country's battered airline industry, federal sources said. While plans to replace the Canadian Armed Forces' five CC-150 Polaris aircraft have been in the works for years, government officials said they have started to look at whether any deal can be found among commercial airlines that are currently looking for financial relief from Ottawa. The airline industry has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and is facing a liquidity crisis, having been forced to cut back on a number of regular routes amid a sharp decline in demand. Sources, whom CBC News agreed not to identify in order to discuss confidential elements of the procurement process and talks with the airline industry, said Air Canada is seen as a potential supplier for the fleet, which is used to transport cargo, troops and dignitaries such as the prime minister. Still, the sources said discussions are preliminary. Last week, all potential suppliers were invited to signify their interest in the contract as part of an "invitation to qualify" published on a federal website. "It is not a new project," a defence official said. "The reason why [the Canadian Armed Forces] are looking at this now is really because of the fact there have been significant changes in the global aircraft market this year. They are looking at options to see what suppliers might have available, because order books are looking different than they were a year ago." Another official confirmed the government sees a possible window to inject liquidity into the airline industry at the same time as it seeks to replace its fleet of gas guzzling transport aircraft. "When the government decided a few weeks ago to help the airline sector, there was a situation where it became possible to address two issues at once, namely helping the airline industry at the same time as replacing an aging and polluting fleet," the official said. Proceed with caution Still, aviation expert John Gradek cautioned that a company like Air Canada would much prefer to hold on to its most recent aircraft and sell the older ones to the government. "Would you want to trade old for old?" he asked. Gradek added there are thousands of aircraft parked around the world, and manufacturers, facing a decreased demand, might be willing to offer a deal to the Canadian government. He pointed to Air Transat as a potential Canadian-based supplier facing financial difficulties and surplus capacity. "The airline market is soft; it's a buyer's market," he said. Air Canada declined to comment on the matter. New aircraft needed The five Polaris aircraft were built by Airbus and sold to Wardair in the late 1980s, before being resold to the Canadian Armed Forces in the early 1990s. They are used to transport cargo and troops on military and humanitarian missions, as well as VIPs, including the prime minister, the governor general and foreign dignitaries. Two of them are equipped for air-to-air refuelling and can each help four CF-18s to cross the Atlantic. One of the two Polaris CC-150s that can be used for VIP transport suffered serious damage last year when a motor struck a tow tractor in a hangar and its nose crashed into a wall. The repairs to the aircraft are ongoing. The aircraft designed for VIP use are far from luxurious and fall well below the standard of most aircraft used to transport G7 leaders, both in terms of comfort and communications equipment. THE BIG SPEND As passengers pushed for refunds, Air Canada got more than $400 million for wage subsidy The invitation for suppliers to qualify to provide strategic tanker transport aircraft was published on Dec. 17. The Canadian Armed Forces are once again looking to acquire five aircraft for this new fleet, which will be expected to offer air-to-air refuelling capabilities for the new fleet of fighter jets. Gradek said that once the Polaris CC-150 are replaced, they will likely be headed for the scrapyard. "There is no market for these airplanes," he said. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-second-hand-market-planes-1.5850140

OTTAWA - Le gouvernement fédéral a annoncé lundi avoir fait l'acquisition d'un système d'aéronef télépiloté au coût de 36,2 millions $ afin de protéger les eaux canadiennes et de surveiller la pollution. Le nouvel appareil est un Hermes 900 StarLiner, est fabriqué par le constructeur aéronautique israélien Elbit Systems. Selon le site web de l'entreprise, l'engin a une envergure de 17 mètres et une masse maximale au décollage de 1'600 kg. Il contribuera à la mise en oeuvre du Programme national de surveillance aérienne de Transports Canada, a indiqué Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada, dans un communiqué. L'engin servira notamment à détecter les déversements de pétrole, à étudier les habitats de glace et d'eau et à surveiller ce qui se passe sur les eaux de l'Arctique canadien. Le programme vise aussi à contribuer aux opérations de recherche et de sauvetage, aux activités humanitaires et à la lutte contre la pêche illégale. «Cet achat jouera un rôle essentiel dans les efforts du gouvernement visant à vérifier le potentiel pratique de la technologie des drones et à l'intégrer en toute sécurité dans l'espace aérien», est-il également noté dans le communiqué. L'aéronef pourra être commandé depuis un endroit éloigné. Il est doté de capacités d'autopilotage, dont le décollage et l'atterrissage automatiques. Son rayon d'action est de plus de 1400 milles marins. Elbit Systems est une entreprise spécialisée dans les technologies de défense. Elle a obtenu le contrat à la suite d'un «processus d'approvisionnement concurrentiel, ouvert et transparent», insiste Ottawa. Il devrait être livré d'ici deux ans. https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/ottawa-achete-un-avion-sans-pilote-a-36-millions-video-6335da93961d2bf3d3e6a7f8e5bb34fe