By: Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — The United Nations is pushing back against restrictions Canada wants to put on the use of a military transport plane it promised to deploy in Africa.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first announced in November 2017 that Canada would send a C-130 Hercules to Uganda as part of a larger package of pledges to the UN.
The idea at the time was for the plane to ferry troops, equipment and supplies from the UN's logistics hub in Entebbe to different peacekeeping missions around the region.
Multiple sources say the offer of the plane came as a surprise to the UN, and the plan has run into numerous snags as Canadian, Ugandan and UN officials wrangle over the details.
One UN official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities, says Canada recently provided a list of conditions about where and when the plane can be used.
Those included a stipulation the plane only fly in daylight and only between Entebbe and five locations that, according to the UN official, either don't have any peacekeeping units or are easily accessible by road.
As a result, the UN told Canada the arrangement did not meet its needs.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan spokesman Todd Lane would not comment specifically on the concerns raised by the UN, but both sides say they continue to talk about the aircraft.
"We continue to be in discussions with the UN on how we can deliver on this pledge in a way that best fits the UN's current requirements," Lane said in an email.
News of the back-and-forth comes just ahead of a major peacekeeping summit in New York Friday, the first since Canada hosted a similar gathering in Vancouver, where Trudeau pledged the Hercules plane.
It also coincides with the UN pressing Canada to extend its mission in Mali by two-and-a-half months to prevent a gap in lifesaving medical evacuations.
Canada has eight helicopters and 250 peacekeepers in Mali providing medical evacuations to injured UN troops and workers. Operations are due to end on July 31, though Romanian replacements won't arrive until mid-October.
Both episodes speak to the UN's apparent frustration with Canada, said University of Montreal peacekeeping expert Jocelyn Coulon, who served as an adviser to then-foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion.
"What I can't understand from the Canadian government is why it is so complicated to negotiate with the UN," Coulon added in an interview from France.
"Canada seems to be dragging its feet every time the UN is asking something, and it doesn't seem to be complicated with NATO when you have to provide troops and material for Latvia or even to renew our commitment in Ukraine."
The Trudeau government announced last week that it was extending Canada's military missions in Ukraine and Iraq by several years, but has yet to respond to the UN's request on Mali.
The problem is that there's no champion for peacekeeping at the top levels of government, said Walter Dorn, a peacekeeping expert at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto.
That extends to Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, who Dorn said are preoccupied with Russia and the U.S., while defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance has been very particular about where to send troops.
"So it just leads to all these delays."
Showing posts with label CC-130 Hercules. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CC-130 Hercules. Show all posts
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
RCAF Members Arrive in Brazil for Exercise CRUZEX FLIGHT
RCAF Press Release
8 Wing Trenton
Today, members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) begin participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18, a key South American multinational exercise hosted by the Brazilian Air Force.
The RCAF joins its allies and partners from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, France, the United States and Uruguay, as they exercise tactical transport missions in conflict and humanitarian relief scenarios in a combined environment, while exchanging information on doctrine.
Two CC-130J Hercules aircraft and more than 35 members of the RCAF from 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario; 1 Canadian Air Division; and RCAF headquarters will be participating in the exercise from November 18 to 30. The two Hercules are from 436 Transport Squadron. Members of the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre will also take part.
In line with Canada’s Defence Policy—Strong, Secure, Engaged—Canada remains committed to working with its allies and partners in the Americas to increase capabilities, foster military professionalization, and encourage interoperability. As such, the RCAF continuously works to nurture and deepen existing partnerships, as well as create new ones. Enhancing defence diplomacy in the Americas serves to strengthen international and regional security, while also supporting continental, NATO and UN led-missions.
“We look forward to our participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Andy Bowser, the CRUZEX FLIGHT 18 air task force commander. “In addition to flying tactical missions, the Air Task Force members will also engage in academic discussions regarding Peace Support Operations, thereby building relationships with our partner nations and contributing to capacity building in the region.”
Exercising in unfamiliar environments contributes to the operational readiness of air mobility aircrew and technicians as these personnel may be called upon to fly anywhere in the world to support Canadian Armed Forces operations, including humanitarian relief missions.
Defence diplomacy in the Americas is a key initiative of Strong, Secure, Engaged, and Brazil is one of the Government of Canada’s priorities for engagement in the Western Hemisphere. The RCAF has had a bilateral relationship with the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira) since 2009 and conducts biennial deputy commander-level staff talks.
Participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18 demonstrates Canadian commitment to the Americas and provides an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in areas such as capacity building, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and support for other government departments in their efforts to counter the illegal movement of drugs, people, weapons, money and other transnational organized crime activity.
The CC-130J is a four-engine, fixed-wing turboprop aircraft that can carry up to 92 combat troops or 128 non-combat passengers. It is used for a wide range of missions, including personnel transport, tactical airlift (both palletized and vehicular cargo) and humanitarian aid delivery.
8 Wing Trenton
Today, members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) begin participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18, a key South American multinational exercise hosted by the Brazilian Air Force.
The RCAF joins its allies and partners from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, France, the United States and Uruguay, as they exercise tactical transport missions in conflict and humanitarian relief scenarios in a combined environment, while exchanging information on doctrine.
 |
| Two Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules from 436 Transport Squadron arrive in Natal, Brazil, for CRUZEX FLIGHT 18, on November 18, 2018. The key South American exercise brings together air forces from eight allied and partner nations to conduct a wide range of training. PHOTO: Able Seaman Paul Green, TN05-2018-0500-001 |
Two CC-130J Hercules aircraft and more than 35 members of the RCAF from 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario; 1 Canadian Air Division; and RCAF headquarters will be participating in the exercise from November 18 to 30. The two Hercules are from 436 Transport Squadron. Members of the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre will also take part.
In line with Canada’s Defence Policy—Strong, Secure, Engaged—Canada remains committed to working with its allies and partners in the Americas to increase capabilities, foster military professionalization, and encourage interoperability. As such, the RCAF continuously works to nurture and deepen existing partnerships, as well as create new ones. Enhancing defence diplomacy in the Americas serves to strengthen international and regional security, while also supporting continental, NATO and UN led-missions.
“We look forward to our participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Andy Bowser, the CRUZEX FLIGHT 18 air task force commander. “In addition to flying tactical missions, the Air Task Force members will also engage in academic discussions regarding Peace Support Operations, thereby building relationships with our partner nations and contributing to capacity building in the region.”
Exercising in unfamiliar environments contributes to the operational readiness of air mobility aircrew and technicians as these personnel may be called upon to fly anywhere in the world to support Canadian Armed Forces operations, including humanitarian relief missions.
Defence diplomacy in the Americas is a key initiative of Strong, Secure, Engaged, and Brazil is one of the Government of Canada’s priorities for engagement in the Western Hemisphere. The RCAF has had a bilateral relationship with the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira) since 2009 and conducts biennial deputy commander-level staff talks.
Participation in CRUZEX FLIGHT 18 demonstrates Canadian commitment to the Americas and provides an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in areas such as capacity building, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and support for other government departments in their efforts to counter the illegal movement of drugs, people, weapons, money and other transnational organized crime activity.
The CC-130J is a four-engine, fixed-wing turboprop aircraft that can carry up to 92 combat troops or 128 non-combat passengers. It is used for a wide range of missions, including personnel transport, tactical airlift (both palletized and vehicular cargo) and humanitarian aid delivery.
Friday, October 19, 2018
CAF Ditches Plan for New Paint Scheme on SAR Aircraft
By: David Pugliese, The National Post
Canada’s military has reversed its plan to abandon the familiar yellow paint scheme for the country’s new search-and-rescue planes after debate within the ranks over the aircraft’s need to be visible on such missions.
The new fleet of 16 Airbus C-295W planes will replace the main Royal Canadian Air Force search-and-rescue fleet of Buffalo aircraft as well as the Hercules transport planes which are also used at times in a search-and-rescue role. Postmedia reported last year that RCAF leadership had requested the new planes be painted tactical grey, asking for a change to the original contract which had stipulated the familiar yellow colour scheme, because they wanted the aircraft to be available for other missions, including combat.
But the move to the grey paint scheme has now been reversed. “While there was, last year, a stated interest in painting the C-295W grey, a decision was made following further consultation to maintain the iconic yellow colour scheme of the RCAF’s current SAR fleet, such as the Buffalo, Twin Otter, Cormorant and Griffon,” the Department of National Defence said in a statement Wednesday. “This colour, which provides a higher level of visibility and recognition in the ground and the air, is also widely known by Canadians — especially those who might find themselves in a situation requiring our aid.”
Asked last year about the plan to ditch the yellow paint scheme, the Forces said in a statement to Postmedia that “the RCAF has made the decision to use a grey colour scheme for the C-295W fleet to enable surging flexibility for the very wide range of missions the RCAF is required to conduct, from humanitarian and disaster relief missions, to security missions with partners, and all the way to full spectrum operations.”
Military sources said RCAF leadership wanted to redirect some of the planes for use on international missions instead of search-and-rescue. But that unilateral decision sparked heated debate inside the military and DND and, sources said, the air force was forced to abandon its plans.
When the federal government awarded the contract to Airbus in December 2016, cabinet ministers highlighted the importance of having the right aircraft for the search-and-rescue job. “With this technology, we are giving our women and men in uniform the tools they need to continue to deliver effective and essential search and rescue operations,” defence minister Harjit Sajjan said at the time.
Construction of the first aircraft began in 2017 and the first new planes are expected to be delivered in 2019. They are outfitted with sensors that allow RCAF personnel to share real-time information with searchers on the ground. Equipment also includes sensors for searching in low-light conditions. A centre, equipped with simulators, is being built at Comox, B.C. to support training for the air crews.
The RCAF’s Buffalo and Hercules aircraft assigned to search and rescue perform more than 350 missions annually, according to the Canadian Forces. The Canadian military is responsible for providing aeronautical search and rescue operations.
Canada’s military has reversed its plan to abandon the familiar yellow paint scheme for the country’s new search-and-rescue planes after debate within the ranks over the aircraft’s need to be visible on such missions.
The new fleet of 16 Airbus C-295W planes will replace the main Royal Canadian Air Force search-and-rescue fleet of Buffalo aircraft as well as the Hercules transport planes which are also used at times in a search-and-rescue role. Postmedia reported last year that RCAF leadership had requested the new planes be painted tactical grey, asking for a change to the original contract which had stipulated the familiar yellow colour scheme, because they wanted the aircraft to be available for other missions, including combat.
But the move to the grey paint scheme has now been reversed. “While there was, last year, a stated interest in painting the C-295W grey, a decision was made following further consultation to maintain the iconic yellow colour scheme of the RCAF’s current SAR fleet, such as the Buffalo, Twin Otter, Cormorant and Griffon,” the Department of National Defence said in a statement Wednesday. “This colour, which provides a higher level of visibility and recognition in the ground and the air, is also widely known by Canadians — especially those who might find themselves in a situation requiring our aid.”
Asked last year about the plan to ditch the yellow paint scheme, the Forces said in a statement to Postmedia that “the RCAF has made the decision to use a grey colour scheme for the C-295W fleet to enable surging flexibility for the very wide range of missions the RCAF is required to conduct, from humanitarian and disaster relief missions, to security missions with partners, and all the way to full spectrum operations.”
Military sources said RCAF leadership wanted to redirect some of the planes for use on international missions instead of search-and-rescue. But that unilateral decision sparked heated debate inside the military and DND and, sources said, the air force was forced to abandon its plans.
When the federal government awarded the contract to Airbus in December 2016, cabinet ministers highlighted the importance of having the right aircraft for the search-and-rescue job. “With this technology, we are giving our women and men in uniform the tools they need to continue to deliver effective and essential search and rescue operations,” defence minister Harjit Sajjan said at the time.
Construction of the first aircraft began in 2017 and the first new planes are expected to be delivered in 2019. They are outfitted with sensors that allow RCAF personnel to share real-time information with searchers on the ground. Equipment also includes sensors for searching in low-light conditions. A centre, equipped with simulators, is being built at Comox, B.C. to support training for the air crews.
The RCAF’s Buffalo and Hercules aircraft assigned to search and rescue perform more than 350 missions annually, according to the Canadian Forces. The Canadian military is responsible for providing aeronautical search and rescue operations.
 |
| The RCAF’s search-and-rescue Buffalo aircraft, above, will be replaced, but the yellow colour scheme will remain with the new Airbus planes. DND |
But the project to purchase the new planes has faced a rough road over the years. The competition was announced in 2004 by the then-Liberal government and re-announced by the Conservative government in 2006. But it took another decade before it could be completed and Airbus declared the winning company.
Even then, Leonardo, an Italian aerospace firm, launched a lawsuit against Canada over what it claimed was a rigged purchase that favoured Airbus.
That lawsuit was dropped earlier this year, shortly before the federal government awarded Leonardo a new sole-source deal potentially worth billions of dollars to upgrade Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters.
Officials with the Canadian Forces and Leonardo say the ending of the legal action in May had nothing to do with the company being picked for the new project the same month.
Even then, Leonardo, an Italian aerospace firm, launched a lawsuit against Canada over what it claimed was a rigged purchase that favoured Airbus.
That lawsuit was dropped earlier this year, shortly before the federal government awarded Leonardo a new sole-source deal potentially worth billions of dollars to upgrade Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters.
Officials with the Canadian Forces and Leonardo say the ending of the legal action in May had nothing to do with the company being picked for the new project the same month.
Thursday, September 7, 2017
RCAF Dispatches Support for Hurricane Harvey
RCAF Press Release
A Royal Canadian Air Force CC130J Hercules departed 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario for Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, carrying humanitarian supplies from the Government of Canada to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
In the wake of the hurricane, the Government of Canada offered to assist with relief efforts and the United States accepted this offer through its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The RCAF airlift is part of a Whole of Government response to the relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey that has caused a mandatory evacuation of approximately 750,000 people with an additional 1.1 million people who are under a voluntary evacuation order along the Gulf Coast.
"Like all good neighbours, Canada and the United States are there for each other in times of crisis. Canadians can be proud that the Royal Canadian Air Force is well-suited to humanitarian missions at home and abroad thanks to its agility, flexibility and professionalism. The Canadian Armed Forces will continue to work with other departments in the Canadian government as well as our partners in the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be responsive to requests for aid as our American friends and neighbours recover from the horrors of Hurricane Harvey," said Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister.
The relief supplies on this flight included baby formula, blankets, cribs, and similar items. Supplies will be sent to Lackland Air Force Base, near San Antonio, Texas.
A CC130J Hercules is being used to transport the supplies. This aircraft is well-suited to disaster relief operations and humanitarian missions. The CC130J Hercules is a four-engine turboprop tactical transport aircraft with a rear cargo ramp and rugged landing gear. It is used for troop transport, tactical airlift (both palletized and vehicular cargo) and humanitarian missions. It has a maximum payload of 48,000 lbs / 21,772 kg.
Members of 8 Wing Trenton have diverse responsibilities, from delivering supplies to the Canadian Forces Station Alert in the high Arctic to airlifting troops, equipment, and humanitarian loads worldwide. They are adaptable and well-prepared to support disaster assistance missions throughout the world.
A Royal Canadian Air Force CC130J Hercules departed 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario for Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, carrying humanitarian supplies from the Government of Canada to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
In the wake of the hurricane, the Government of Canada offered to assist with relief efforts and the United States accepted this offer through its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The RCAF airlift is part of a Whole of Government response to the relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey that has caused a mandatory evacuation of approximately 750,000 people with an additional 1.1 million people who are under a voluntary evacuation order along the Gulf Coast.
"Like all good neighbours, Canada and the United States are there for each other in times of crisis. Canadians can be proud that the Royal Canadian Air Force is well-suited to humanitarian missions at home and abroad thanks to its agility, flexibility and professionalism. The Canadian Armed Forces will continue to work with other departments in the Canadian government as well as our partners in the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be responsive to requests for aid as our American friends and neighbours recover from the horrors of Hurricane Harvey," said Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister.
The relief supplies on this flight included baby formula, blankets, cribs, and similar items. Supplies will be sent to Lackland Air Force Base, near San Antonio, Texas.
A CC130J Hercules is being used to transport the supplies. This aircraft is well-suited to disaster relief operations and humanitarian missions. The CC130J Hercules is a four-engine turboprop tactical transport aircraft with a rear cargo ramp and rugged landing gear. It is used for troop transport, tactical airlift (both palletized and vehicular cargo) and humanitarian missions. It has a maximum payload of 48,000 lbs / 21,772 kg.
Members of 8 Wing Trenton have diverse responsibilities, from delivering supplies to the Canadian Forces Station Alert in the high Arctic to airlifting troops, equipment, and humanitarian loads worldwide. They are adaptable and well-prepared to support disaster assistance missions throughout the world.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
RCAF details on Exercise PUMA STRIKE
RCAF News
By Captain Mathew Strong
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) crews, support personnel and technicians deployed to Exercise Puma Strike at Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, on October 28, 2016.
Flying operations for the exercise began on October 31 and continue to November 23, 2016.
Twice a year, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron, alongside various elements of 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, and the RCAF, deploy to locations in the southern United States to conduct warm weather training exercises.
“This deployment is an outstanding opportunity for the RCAF’s fighter force to conduct worthwhile, uninhibited training in an operating environment different from our own,” said Colonel Paul Doyle, the commander of 4 Wing. “This is a controlled way to expose our people to new agencies and procedures which will surely expand their knowledge and be put to use when deployed outside Canada.”
This particular rendition of Exercise Puma includes a combination of 220 pilots, crews, technicians and support personnel from 410 Squadron, 401, 409, 425 and 433 Tactical Fighter Squadrons, staff and students from 10 Field Technical Training Squadron, air weapons controllers from 42 Radar Squadron and support personnel from other Cold Lake units.
The exercise also includes participation by a CC-130T Hercules air-to-air refueler based in 17 Wing Winnipeg and air combat systems officers (ACSO) from 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron in Ottawa, Ontario.
The ACSOs fly in the rear seat of contracted Dornier Alpha Jets operated by Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. that provide realistic threat simulation to CF-188 Hornet pilots.
“Flying away from Cold Lake offers our people a chance to step up and overcome the challenges inherent with operating away from home, which is something we do when on deployed operations,” added Colonel Doyle.
Although training and operations are still conducted year-round in Cold Lake, multiple days of low cloud, poor visibility and reduced runway surface conditions tend to affect training timelines.
“Exercise Puma Dtrike is our opportunity to conduct an incredible amount of flying in a relatively short period of time,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Seane Doell, commanding officer of 410 Squadron.
“The favourable weather conditions and deployed setting have historically enabled 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron to achieve a sortie generation rate approximately 300 per cent greater than is typically possible at home at this time of year.”
Deploying such a large contingent of personnel, equipment and aircraft to a new location for three to four weeks of operations is also a unique and significant logistics challenge, presenting a secondary training opportunity for all those involved.
By Captain Mathew Strong
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) crews, support personnel and technicians deployed to Exercise Puma Strike at Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, on October 28, 2016.
Flying operations for the exercise began on October 31 and continue to November 23, 2016.
Twice a year, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron, alongside various elements of 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, and the RCAF, deploy to locations in the southern United States to conduct warm weather training exercises.
“This deployment is an outstanding opportunity for the RCAF’s fighter force to conduct worthwhile, uninhibited training in an operating environment different from our own,” said Colonel Paul Doyle, the commander of 4 Wing. “This is a controlled way to expose our people to new agencies and procedures which will surely expand their knowledge and be put to use when deployed outside Canada.”
 |
| A CF-188 Hornet from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, participates in the RCAF’s Exercise Puma Strike at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, on October 31, 2016. PHOTO: Lance Corporal Jacob Pruitt, U.S. Marine Corps |
The exercise also includes participation by a CC-130T Hercules air-to-air refueler based in 17 Wing Winnipeg and air combat systems officers (ACSO) from 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron in Ottawa, Ontario.
The ACSOs fly in the rear seat of contracted Dornier Alpha Jets operated by Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. that provide realistic threat simulation to CF-188 Hornet pilots.
“Flying away from Cold Lake offers our people a chance to step up and overcome the challenges inherent with operating away from home, which is something we do when on deployed operations,” added Colonel Doyle.
Although training and operations are still conducted year-round in Cold Lake, multiple days of low cloud, poor visibility and reduced runway surface conditions tend to affect training timelines.
“Exercise Puma Dtrike is our opportunity to conduct an incredible amount of flying in a relatively short period of time,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Seane Doell, commanding officer of 410 Squadron.
“The favourable weather conditions and deployed setting have historically enabled 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron to achieve a sortie generation rate approximately 300 per cent greater than is typically possible at home at this time of year.”
Deploying such a large contingent of personnel, equipment and aircraft to a new location for three to four weeks of operations is also a unique and significant logistics challenge, presenting a secondary training opportunity for all those involved.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
RCAF Marks Completion of Upgrades to CC-130J Hercules
DND Press Release
Yesterday, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) marked the completion of a major upgrade of all 17 CC-130J Hercules aircraft, keeping Canada’s CC-130J Hercules at the forefront of airlift operations. The 17th and last upgraded Hercules was received on October 13, 2016.
The modifications include significant improvements to navigation, communication, and maintenance capabilities. The Hercules model J can now fly more efficiently amongst large commercial aircraft in heavily congested and controlled airspace and perform much more fuel-efficient long-range flights. It can now also conduct approaches in poor visibility and receive critical mission information from allied ground, air, and naval partners via a high-speed, encrypted link.
“The improved capabilities of the CC-130J Hercules will allow Canada to sustain our forces on future operations, including peace support operations and domestic interventions, while continuing our meaningful contributions in supporting allies,” said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
The successful completion of the upgrades was possible thanks to the close collaboration between the Department of National Defence, Lockheed Martin, and the Canadian company Cascade Aerospace. With these modifications, the RCAF can continue to count on the CC-130J Hercules to provide exemplary support to operations, such as defending Canada’s sovereignty in the Far North or helping communities facing natural disasters.
About 100 Canadian employees were involved in delivering the most recent upgrade modifications on the CC-130J Hercules: from shippers, receivers, and warehousers, to technicians, engineers, project managers, suppliers, and their staffs.
“The procurement of the CC-130J is an ongoing success story," said Col Bruce Cooke, Project Manager of the CC-130J procurement, Department of National Defence. "Not only were the first two aircraft delivered significantly ahead of schedule and the remaining 15 on time, but thanks to the professionalism of Lockheed Martin and the Canadian company Cascade Aerospace, the latest upgrade has been implemented in an equally timely fashion.”
The successful procurement of the CC-130Js demonstrates the Government's commitment to providing the RCAF with a cost-effective tactical airlift capability to support operations at home and abroad.
The CC-130J Hercules is the workhorse of the RCAF’s transport fleet and has been in service since 2010. Based in 8 Wing Trenton, the CC-130J is used to transport troops and equipment, for airlifts in operations, to train aircrew, and more.
This upgrade program started in November 2013, when Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract amendment to modify the fleet to meet new Global Airspace requirements.
This upgrade was completed as per the program schedule established between the Government of Canada and Lockheed Martin.
Yesterday, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) marked the completion of a major upgrade of all 17 CC-130J Hercules aircraft, keeping Canada’s CC-130J Hercules at the forefront of airlift operations. The 17th and last upgraded Hercules was received on October 13, 2016.
The modifications include significant improvements to navigation, communication, and maintenance capabilities. The Hercules model J can now fly more efficiently amongst large commercial aircraft in heavily congested and controlled airspace and perform much more fuel-efficient long-range flights. It can now also conduct approaches in poor visibility and receive critical mission information from allied ground, air, and naval partners via a high-speed, encrypted link.
“The improved capabilities of the CC-130J Hercules will allow Canada to sustain our forces on future operations, including peace support operations and domestic interventions, while continuing our meaningful contributions in supporting allies,” said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
The successful completion of the upgrades was possible thanks to the close collaboration between the Department of National Defence, Lockheed Martin, and the Canadian company Cascade Aerospace. With these modifications, the RCAF can continue to count on the CC-130J Hercules to provide exemplary support to operations, such as defending Canada’s sovereignty in the Far North or helping communities facing natural disasters.
About 100 Canadian employees were involved in delivering the most recent upgrade modifications on the CC-130J Hercules: from shippers, receivers, and warehousers, to technicians, engineers, project managers, suppliers, and their staffs.
“The procurement of the CC-130J is an ongoing success story," said Col Bruce Cooke, Project Manager of the CC-130J procurement, Department of National Defence. "Not only were the first two aircraft delivered significantly ahead of schedule and the remaining 15 on time, but thanks to the professionalism of Lockheed Martin and the Canadian company Cascade Aerospace, the latest upgrade has been implemented in an equally timely fashion.”
The successful procurement of the CC-130Js demonstrates the Government's commitment to providing the RCAF with a cost-effective tactical airlift capability to support operations at home and abroad.
The CC-130J Hercules is the workhorse of the RCAF’s transport fleet and has been in service since 2010. Based in 8 Wing Trenton, the CC-130J is used to transport troops and equipment, for airlifts in operations, to train aircrew, and more.
This upgrade program started in November 2013, when Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract amendment to modify the fleet to meet new Global Airspace requirements.
This upgrade was completed as per the program schedule established between the Government of Canada and Lockheed Martin.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Canadian and Australian J-model Hercules crews train together at Bondi Beach
By Eamon Hamilton
Canadian Hercules crews recently visited their Australian counterparts to share knowledge and fly a combined airlift training mission.
On September 9, 2016, a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-130J Hercules flew a tactical formation mission with a No. 37 Squadron C-130J from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Richmond in New South Wales, Australia.
 |
| A Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules flies over the coast of Sydney, Australia, on September 9, 2016. PHOTO: Corporal Oliver Carter © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence |
The RCAF Hercules, from 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, was originally in Australia on a separate airlift support task.
On the ground, both countries received considerable value from the visit, according to 37 Squadron pilot, Flight Lieutenant Shaun Wilkinson.
“We’re in the initial stages of having a tactical formation procedure that we can conduct with a coalition C-130J crew,” Flight Lieutenant Wilkinson said.
“There are some common procedures that we can use already, but this week allowed us to practice it in a real aircraft.”
The flight from Richmond wasn’t the first time this year that Canadian and Hercules crews have flown together.
During Exercise Coalition Virtual Flag in August, both countries used their Hercules Full-Flight Mission Simulators to fly together in a series of online missions.
The timing of the Canadian visit also allowed Flight Lieutenant Wilkinson to share recent experiences by RAAF Hercules crews in using the Link-16 networking system at Exercise Pitch Black 16.
“Canada is about to introduce Link-16 networking to their aircraft, so this has been a useful chance to share information,” Flight Lieutenant Wilkinson said.
The Link-16 network system provides a battlespace picture to an aircraft crew, allowing them to receive information or share it with others connected to the network.
Exercise Pitch Black 16 in August marked the debut of an RAAF Hercules installed with Link-16 connectivity.
Captain Corey Gallagher from the RCAF’s 426 Transport Training Squadron, located at 8 Wing, said the Australian experience would prove valuable for his Air Force.
“The opportunity to share information about Link-16 is huge for us,” said he said.
“We've just got the Link-16 kit installed, but have not had the chance to test, evaluate, and run the training for it.
“The interoperability that we’ve been ale to accomplish with 37 Squadron this week has been valuable, especially as we head in to Exercise Bullseye,” he continued
Taking place in late September, Exercise Bullseye will be conducted by the RCAF, and involve participants from the RAAF and the Royal Air Force.
From 8 Wing Trenton, Hercules from all three countries will conduct a series of tactical airlift missions, including airdrop and tactical formation flying.
----
Eamon Hamilton is a communications adviser with the RAAF’s Air Mobility Group.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Exercise Pitch Black provides ‘unique’ experience for RCAF
By Flight Lieutenant Nick O’Connor
Befriending Australian wildlife was just one challenge thrown at the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during their debut at Exercise Pitch Black.
The RCAF’s 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron deployed a CC-130H Hercules aircraft to the exercise, providing air-to-air refuelling and transport capabilities to international partners. Based at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Tindal for the exercise, RCAF detachment commander Major Josh Leveque outlined his detachment’s mission.
“Our main goal was to integrate with international partners and conduct air-to-air refuelling for the F/A-18 Hornets and the Super Hornets,” he said, adding that operating in the Northern Territory air spaced provided unique training experiences for his team. “We get a lot of force generation, a lot of training, by getting them outside their normal air space. My team will return to Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg in Canada with a whole new perspective.”
Before conducting any mission at the exercise, Major Leveque said, he was forced to “negotiate” with some of the Northern Territory wildlife. “When we first got here, I was a little bit surprised when I went to the bathroom and there was a frog in my toilet,” he said. “I guess that’s just something you’ve got to get used to, and we’ve made friends with them.”
Swapping the Great White North for the Land Down Under offered a unique operating environment in the Northern Territory, one that the Canadian Hercules crew rarely operate in. “We have enjoyed winter time here as opposed to winter in Canada,” Major Leveque said. “It’s a good experience and good training, and I’d definitely like to come back in two years.”
Flight Lieutenant O’Connor is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Canadian firm wants to buy used Norwegian CC-130Hs for RCAF for use in Arctic
By: David Pugliese, The National Post
A Canadian firm wants Ottawa to buy older transport aircraft from Norway, saying this could significantly boost the military’s capabilities in the Arctic relatively cheaply.
The five C-130H aircraft, modernized before they were put in storage in the U.S. and with about 50 per cent of their flying time remaining, could be acquired for about $60 million, says Tom Edmison, president of Total Corporate Aviation Services.
The deal would include tens of thousands of parts for the aircraft, which could also be used for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s existing C-130H transport planes.
“These aircraft have everything you need to operate in the Arctic,” said Edmison, a veteran pilot whose firm has offices in Calgary and Sidney, B.C.
“They’re fine airplanes. And the original replacement value for those parts is probably worth more than the airplanes.”
The proposal comes as the Liberal government, in the midst of its defence review, is seeking input on how to improve Canada’s military capabilities, including providing more of a presence in the Far North.
The original replacement value for those parts is probably worth more than the airplanes.
Edmison said the aircraft could be bought outright or acquired by Total Corporate Aviation Services, then leased to the government for Arctic operations, but flown by RCAF crews.
Some Canadian military leaders have complained about tight budgets, prompting industry to suggest innovative solutions.
Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax has proposed leasing a commercial vessel that would be converted to a multi-mission support ship for humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. The vessel would be offered on a five-year lease and have a 30-member civilian crew.
Ottawa has also entered into a lease arrangement with a sister firm to Davie Shipyards for a commercial vessel that is being converted into a refuelling and supply ship for the navy. The ship will be operated by a civilian crew, plus a few navy personnel to handle military-related duties.
Norway stored the C-130s after it bought newer J models of the same aircraft. It paid about $600-million for the four C-130J planes, plus associated equipment
The planes are being stored at a U.S. government facility in Tucson, Ariz., at a cost of $750,000 a year, so there is an economic reason to sell the planes, Edmison said.
The aircraft were originally maintained for Norway at a facility in Canada.
Edmison says his proposal offers a low-cost way of boosting Canada’s presence in the Far North over the shorter term until the military can decide how it can meet the government’s desire to establish more of a presence in the region.
“They’re low-time airplanes and they would fit perfectly to augment the Canadian military as a bridge to the future,” he added.
Related
Matthew Fisher: Why the Super Hornets would force Canada out of its own north
Matthew Fisher: Suitability for Arctic defence, lower cost may put F-35s on Liberals’ radar
Canadian Forces to expand Nunavut training centre as Russia plans more bases in the Arctic
The RCAF currently has 12 C-130H planes, said spokesman Maj. Alexandre Cadieux.
Renee Filiatrault, a spokeswoman for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said she had not heard about the C-130H pitch, but would not be able to comment anyway on a specific proposal.
“We’re currently undergoing a defence policy review, which will help the government determine future direction and priorities so our military is well equipped and prepared in the years to come, including as it relates to the Arctic,” she said.
Any proposal to acquire used equipment is bound to face an uphill battle from Department of National Defence bureaucrats and air force officers, Edmison said.
“Of course they want to buy brand new planes but if they don’t have the money or if it is going to take years, then why not go this route?” he asked.
“For a relatively low cost, the air force gets a capability it needs.”
A Canadian firm wants Ottawa to buy older transport aircraft from Norway, saying this could significantly boost the military’s capabilities in the Arctic relatively cheaply.
The five C-130H aircraft, modernized before they were put in storage in the U.S. and with about 50 per cent of their flying time remaining, could be acquired for about $60 million, says Tom Edmison, president of Total Corporate Aviation Services.
The deal would include tens of thousands of parts for the aircraft, which could also be used for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s existing C-130H transport planes.
“These aircraft have everything you need to operate in the Arctic,” said Edmison, a veteran pilot whose firm has offices in Calgary and Sidney, B.C.
“They’re fine airplanes. And the original replacement value for those parts is probably worth more than the airplanes.”
The proposal comes as the Liberal government, in the midst of its defence review, is seeking input on how to improve Canada’s military capabilities, including providing more of a presence in the Far North.
The original replacement value for those parts is probably worth more than the airplanes.
Edmison said the aircraft could be bought outright or acquired by Total Corporate Aviation Services, then leased to the government for Arctic operations, but flown by RCAF crews.
Some Canadian military leaders have complained about tight budgets, prompting industry to suggest innovative solutions.
Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax has proposed leasing a commercial vessel that would be converted to a multi-mission support ship for humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. The vessel would be offered on a five-year lease and have a 30-member civilian crew.
Ottawa has also entered into a lease arrangement with a sister firm to Davie Shipyards for a commercial vessel that is being converted into a refuelling and supply ship for the navy. The ship will be operated by a civilian crew, plus a few navy personnel to handle military-related duties.
Norway stored the C-130s after it bought newer J models of the same aircraft. It paid about $600-million for the four C-130J planes, plus associated equipment
The planes are being stored at a U.S. government facility in Tucson, Ariz., at a cost of $750,000 a year, so there is an economic reason to sell the planes, Edmison said.
The aircraft were originally maintained for Norway at a facility in Canada.
Edmison says his proposal offers a low-cost way of boosting Canada’s presence in the Far North over the shorter term until the military can decide how it can meet the government’s desire to establish more of a presence in the region.
“They’re low-time airplanes and they would fit perfectly to augment the Canadian military as a bridge to the future,” he added.
Related
Matthew Fisher: Why the Super Hornets would force Canada out of its own north
Matthew Fisher: Suitability for Arctic defence, lower cost may put F-35s on Liberals’ radar
Canadian Forces to expand Nunavut training centre as Russia plans more bases in the Arctic
The RCAF currently has 12 C-130H planes, said spokesman Maj. Alexandre Cadieux.
Renee Filiatrault, a spokeswoman for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said she had not heard about the C-130H pitch, but would not be able to comment anyway on a specific proposal.
“We’re currently undergoing a defence policy review, which will help the government determine future direction and priorities so our military is well equipped and prepared in the years to come, including as it relates to the Arctic,” she said.
Any proposal to acquire used equipment is bound to face an uphill battle from Department of National Defence bureaucrats and air force officers, Edmison said.
“Of course they want to buy brand new planes but if they don’t have the money or if it is going to take years, then why not go this route?” he asked.
“For a relatively low cost, the air force gets a capability it needs.”
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Boxtop Flight 22: Honouring the memory of “some fantastic Canadians”
RCAF Press Release
From Royal Canadian Air Force Public Affairs
Under the hands of 8 Wing Commander Colonel Colin Keiver, a CC-130J Hercules aircraft circles an area 16 kilometres south of Canadian Forces Station Alert on June 14, 2016. Even on this beautiful sunny day, it is apparent this is no land to be messed with. Barren, snow-covered, and windswept – this is Canada’s most northern reaches. Add in darkness, blizzard conditions, and -30°C temperatures, and the feat of human survival becomes all that much more incredible.
“I can’t believe I spent more than 30 hours out here,” says Master Warrant Officer Tony Cobden as he looks out the small round window of the Hercules at the remnants of the CC-130 on the ground.
It was 25 years earlier when Master Warrant Officer Cobden, a communications researcher, and 17 others, were on board Boxtop Flight 22 when it crashed on final approach to CFS Alert during Operation Boxtop, the bi-annual resupply of the station. Logistics officer Captain Judy Trépanier, CANEX regional services manager Master Warrant Officer Tom Jardine, supply technician Warrant Officer Robert Grimsley and traffic technician Master Corporal Roland Pitre all died in the crash, while the aircraft’s commander, Captain John Couch, succumbed to hypothermia after leading the effort to survive in place, and giving up his coat to the other survivors.
Master Warrant Officer Cobden, the one survivor still serving today in the Canadian Armed Forces, fittingly represents all those on Boxtop Flight 22 during what is preparatory work ahead of 25th Anniversary commemorations to be held more accessibly in Trenton, Ontario, later this year. He is joined on this trip by fellow survivor Master Seaman (Ret’d) D.N. “Monty” Montgomery; search and rescue technician Sergeant Ben House, a member of the rescue team that parachuted into the crash site; and Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Scott McLean, the commanding officer of CFS Alert in 1991 who led the Station's response to the crash, dispatching overland rescue crews, supporting the SAR response, and preparing for and receiving the dead and wounded.
It’s their first trip to the site since the crash.
Monty, who still lives with the physical effects of the crash, lost all his fingers and half his toes to frostbite, then endured 12 gruelling surgeries to graft some toes to his hand to restore some dexterity. “I can put my foot in my mouth faster than anyone!” he quips. “I don’t like to use the word ‘closure’ because it’s been 25 years,” he adds on a more serious note. “It’s hard, it’s difficult; but I can say, this sort of closes it for me.”
Led by Royal Canadian Air Force commander Lieutenant-General Mike Hood and RCAF Chief Warrant Officer Gerry Poitras, the contingent also includes 8 Wing, CFS Alert, CFS Leitrim and 435 Squadron personnel, and members of the search and rescue leadership.
“It’s a very personal thing for me, and I felt strongly about wanting to go there,” says Lieutenant-General Hood, who knew and worked with some of the members who died. “We’re going to honour the memory of some fantastic Canadians.”
The memorial cairn, designed by a team at 1 Canadian Air Division and the Engineering Section of Real Property Operation Detachment Trenton, was flown to CFS Alert and then slung via a CH-147 Chinook helicopter to the crash site in order to have the memorial dedicated at the sacred site. The 1,133-kilogram cairn, shaped like the tail of the Hercules where survivors huddled after the crash, will then be flown back to 8 Wing Trenton where it will be unveiled in the presence of family members of those who died, and survivors and rescuers, at a ceremony on or about October 30, 2016, the actual anniversary of the crash. The RCAF is contacting families and survivors as planning for this event builds momentum.
MWO Cobden admits that being at the site and taking part in the ceremony made him emotional for the first time. “We did lose some lives here,” he says, his voice wavering. “I'm just happy I got the opportunity to be invited back to see it in person, because it was dark then.”
From Royal Canadian Air Force Public Affairs
Under the hands of 8 Wing Commander Colonel Colin Keiver, a CC-130J Hercules aircraft circles an area 16 kilometres south of Canadian Forces Station Alert on June 14, 2016. Even on this beautiful sunny day, it is apparent this is no land to be messed with. Barren, snow-covered, and windswept – this is Canada’s most northern reaches. Add in darkness, blizzard conditions, and -30°C temperatures, and the feat of human survival becomes all that much more incredible.
 |
| Corporal Brett Guitard (left), Leading Seaman Garnet Robinson, Corporal Yvette Cedeno and Aviator Alain Fortier serve as sentries at the memorial cairn during its dedication marking the 25th anniversary of the crash of Operation Boxtop Flight 22, which happened on October 30, 1991. The cairn was raised on the crash site, about 16 kilometers south of Canadian Forces Station Alert, on June 15, 2016. PHOTO: Sergeant Paz Quillé, FA02-2016-0015-24 |
It was 25 years earlier when Master Warrant Officer Cobden, a communications researcher, and 17 others, were on board Boxtop Flight 22 when it crashed on final approach to CFS Alert during Operation Boxtop, the bi-annual resupply of the station. Logistics officer Captain Judy Trépanier, CANEX regional services manager Master Warrant Officer Tom Jardine, supply technician Warrant Officer Robert Grimsley and traffic technician Master Corporal Roland Pitre all died in the crash, while the aircraft’s commander, Captain John Couch, succumbed to hypothermia after leading the effort to survive in place, and giving up his coat to the other survivors.
Master Warrant Officer Cobden, the one survivor still serving today in the Canadian Armed Forces, fittingly represents all those on Boxtop Flight 22 during what is preparatory work ahead of 25th Anniversary commemorations to be held more accessibly in Trenton, Ontario, later this year. He is joined on this trip by fellow survivor Master Seaman (Ret’d) D.N. “Monty” Montgomery; search and rescue technician Sergeant Ben House, a member of the rescue team that parachuted into the crash site; and Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret’d) Scott McLean, the commanding officer of CFS Alert in 1991 who led the Station's response to the crash, dispatching overland rescue crews, supporting the SAR response, and preparing for and receiving the dead and wounded.
It’s their first trip to the site since the crash.
Monty, who still lives with the physical effects of the crash, lost all his fingers and half his toes to frostbite, then endured 12 gruelling surgeries to graft some toes to his hand to restore some dexterity. “I can put my foot in my mouth faster than anyone!” he quips. “I don’t like to use the word ‘closure’ because it’s been 25 years,” he adds on a more serious note. “It’s hard, it’s difficult; but I can say, this sort of closes it for me.”
 |
| Canadian Armed Forces members and attendees salute before the June 15, 2016, dedication and unveiling ceremony of the cairn commemorating the October 30, 1991, crash of Boxtop Flight 22, about 16 kilometers south of Canadian Forces Station Alert, in Nunavut. The cairn is draped in the Royal Canadian Air Force tartan. PHOTO: Sergeant Paz Quillé, FA02-2016-0015-04 |
“It’s a very personal thing for me, and I felt strongly about wanting to go there,” says Lieutenant-General Hood, who knew and worked with some of the members who died. “We’re going to honour the memory of some fantastic Canadians.”
The memorial cairn, designed by a team at 1 Canadian Air Division and the Engineering Section of Real Property Operation Detachment Trenton, was flown to CFS Alert and then slung via a CH-147 Chinook helicopter to the crash site in order to have the memorial dedicated at the sacred site. The 1,133-kilogram cairn, shaped like the tail of the Hercules where survivors huddled after the crash, will then be flown back to 8 Wing Trenton where it will be unveiled in the presence of family members of those who died, and survivors and rescuers, at a ceremony on or about October 30, 2016, the actual anniversary of the crash. The RCAF is contacting families and survivors as planning for this event builds momentum.
MWO Cobden admits that being at the site and taking part in the ceremony made him emotional for the first time. “We did lose some lives here,” he says, his voice wavering. “I'm just happy I got the opportunity to be invited back to see it in person, because it was dark then.”
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Lockheed Gets Sole-sourced Maintenance deal on CC-130 Hercules
By: Lee Berthiaume, Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — Months before a mini-war of words over the F-35 stealth fighter, the federal government and Lockheed Martin quietly inked a deal for the U.S. aerospace giant to provide maintenance support and training for one of the military’s transport plane fleets.
The $500-million agreement, which extended an earlier contract to 2021, was never publicly announced or put to a competition. This was despite Defence Department auditors flagging a lack of transparency and raising questions about value for money in the original contract.
The government has cited national security to justify why other companies were not allowed to compete. It also says the new contract addresses the auditors’ concerns.
One former Defence Department official says it’s no surprise Lockheed and the government have continued to do business while wrangling over the F-35. “There are only so many big players out there,” said Alan Williams, former head of procurement at National Defence.
However, Williams said the way the deal was concluded doesn’t pass the smell test, and that it raises fresh concerns about waste.
“National security exemptions should be used in really exceptional cases where there really is a national security risk to Canada,” he said. “You shouldn’t use it to get around poor planning.”
In December 2007, the Conservative government inked a $1.45-billion deal for Lockheed to sell 17 Hercules military transport aircraft to Canada.
Two years later, the contract was amended to include seven years of maintenance support and training at a cost of $800 million. The support work was not put to a competition because National Defence had implemented a policy that year to award support contracts to the company that provided the equipment.
Then last June, Lockheed proposed extending the contract another five years. Public Procurement spokesman Pierre-Alain Bujold confirmed an extension was signed on Dec. 15 for $504.3 million. He said the contract was not put to a competition because it was “subject to a national security exemption.”
The new deal was signed the same month Defence Department auditors raised concerns with the original contract. In particular, Lockheed received full payment but only did half the work originally expected because a shortage of pilots and mechanics meant the Hercules were only flown half as much as planned.
Complicating matters, the auditors wrote, was the fact Lockheed closely guarded how much the work cost it to perform. That threatened to make negotiations difficult for government officials wanting to tailor any new contract to the air force’s needs.
Defence Department spokeswoman Ashley Lemire said Tuesday that the new contract includes enough flexibility to meet the military’s current and future needs. Williams, however, said the only way to truly ensure the government and Canadians are getting value for their money would be to run a competition.
“I don’t know if the deal with Lockheed was the best one,” he said. “I worry when you sole-source any type of contract, you’re wasting taxpayers’ money. And there may have been other players out there, equally capable, that would be in our best interest.”
In addition to the Hercules maintenance contract and the F-35, Lockheed is also hoping to secure billions of dollars of work as part of the federal national shipbuilding plan.
• Email: lberthiaume@postmedia.com
OTTAWA — Months before a mini-war of words over the F-35 stealth fighter, the federal government and Lockheed Martin quietly inked a deal for the U.S. aerospace giant to provide maintenance support and training for one of the military’s transport plane fleets.
The $500-million agreement, which extended an earlier contract to 2021, was never publicly announced or put to a competition. This was despite Defence Department auditors flagging a lack of transparency and raising questions about value for money in the original contract.
The government has cited national security to justify why other companies were not allowed to compete. It also says the new contract addresses the auditors’ concerns.
One former Defence Department official says it’s no surprise Lockheed and the government have continued to do business while wrangling over the F-35. “There are only so many big players out there,” said Alan Williams, former head of procurement at National Defence.
However, Williams said the way the deal was concluded doesn’t pass the smell test, and that it raises fresh concerns about waste.
“National security exemptions should be used in really exceptional cases where there really is a national security risk to Canada,” he said. “You shouldn’t use it to get around poor planning.”
In December 2007, the Conservative government inked a $1.45-billion deal for Lockheed to sell 17 Hercules military transport aircraft to Canada.
Two years later, the contract was amended to include seven years of maintenance support and training at a cost of $800 million. The support work was not put to a competition because National Defence had implemented a policy that year to award support contracts to the company that provided the equipment.
Then last June, Lockheed proposed extending the contract another five years. Public Procurement spokesman Pierre-Alain Bujold confirmed an extension was signed on Dec. 15 for $504.3 million. He said the contract was not put to a competition because it was “subject to a national security exemption.”
The new deal was signed the same month Defence Department auditors raised concerns with the original contract. In particular, Lockheed received full payment but only did half the work originally expected because a shortage of pilots and mechanics meant the Hercules were only flown half as much as planned.
Complicating matters, the auditors wrote, was the fact Lockheed closely guarded how much the work cost it to perform. That threatened to make negotiations difficult for government officials wanting to tailor any new contract to the air force’s needs.
Defence Department spokeswoman Ashley Lemire said Tuesday that the new contract includes enough flexibility to meet the military’s current and future needs. Williams, however, said the only way to truly ensure the government and Canadians are getting value for their money would be to run a competition.
“I don’t know if the deal with Lockheed was the best one,” he said. “I worry when you sole-source any type of contract, you’re wasting taxpayers’ money. And there may have been other players out there, equally capable, that would be in our best interest.”
In addition to the Hercules maintenance contract and the F-35, Lockheed is also hoping to secure billions of dollars of work as part of the federal national shipbuilding plan.
• Email: lberthiaume@postmedia.com
Monday, June 13, 2016
Canadian Special Forces and Canadian Submarines Working Together
By: BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH, Ottawa Bureau, The Toronto Star
A daring parachute drop last fall by Canadian special forces soldiers underscored their growing relationship with submarines.
OTTAWA—Far off the coast of Portugal, the Canadian special forces soldiers vaulted themselves out the back of a military Hercules transport plane with nothing but empty ocean below.
Well beyond swimming distance to the coast, it seemed like an act of dangerous derring-do, even for special forces soldiers.
But as the troops descended under their parachute canopies, a black mass broke the ocean surface — the Canadian submarine HMCS Windsor — for a carefully choreographed ocean rendezvous.
OTTAWA—Far off the coast of Portugal, the Canadian special forces soldiers vaulted themselves out the back of a military Hercules transport plane with nothing but empty ocean below.
Well beyond swimming distance to the coast, it seemed like an act of dangerous derring-do, even for special forces soldiers.
But as the troops descended under their parachute canopies, a black mass broke the ocean surface — the Canadian submarine HMCS Windsor — for a carefully choreographed ocean rendezvous.
 |
| A chinook helicopter is loaded with Special Forces for a training parachute jump. (RICHARD LAUTENS /TORONTO STAR) |
The soldiers clambered on board the sub, down the hatch and boat sank back below the waves.
“It takes a lot of courage to jump out the back of an airplane when all you see is water around you and just trust that something will pop up. It was pretty amazing,” Maj-Gen. Mike Rouleau, commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command said in interview.
“The submarine offers a really useful tool to be able to insert or extract from,” Rouleau said.
Indeed, with its new passengers on board, the submarine moved closer to the coastline, unseen below the waves. It surfaced again and the soldiers broke out their specialized gear — fast boats and outboard motors — that had been carried onboard the sub from Canada in a watertight compartment below its main deck.
“My job is to get them on target. They just drop into the big blue ocean and trust that we are nearby,” Rear-Adm. John Newton, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, told the Star.
This training happened last fall during an extended mission by HMCS Windsor in European waters, where the sub participated in a number of exercises with allied nations. While the military said publicly that those drills also involved working with the special forces soldiers, the exact details were never released.
Yet the daring parachute drop out of the Canadian C-130J Hercules highlights the growing relationship between the two shadowy elements of Canada’s military — special forces and the submarine fleet.
More and more, Canada’s four submarines are exercising with special forces soldiers — at least when the subs can be put to sea. Currently, only HMCS Windsor is available for operations and in recent days it has been sidelined in port with engine troubles.
“We’re operating a lot with the SOF (special operations forces). We really like working with them. It’s one of the coolest things we do ... That’s movie stuff,” said Lt.-Cmdr. Peter Chu, commander of HMCS Windsor.
Indeed, when French special forces found out about the exercise they too wanted to train with the sub though that didn’t happen because of scheduling challenges, Chu said.
Special forces soldiers are at the forefront of changing warfare, from large-scale confrontations to small teams training local militaries to conduct missions or carrying out those missions themselves.
Newton says there are natural synergies between sub crews and special forces troops — the stealthy aspect of their missions, working in the shadows.
“They are ... built for each other in how they think and act,” Newton told the Star.
Both Newton and Rouleau were on hand when trials were done earlier last year off the coast of Nova Scotia. Rough seas made getting onboard the submarine a challenge for the 10 soldiers who dropped into the water that time.
“Swimming onboard a submarine sounds fun. It’s anything but,” Newton said.
But they learned lessons from that experience — like flooding the sub more so the stern sat lower in the water, making it easier to get onboard.
Special forces soldiers have been working with the navy to hone their capabilities for maritime events such as ship hijackings, combating pirates, covert insert and extraction from coastal locations, intelligence and surveillance.
Canada’s special forces units have two dedicated depots — one on each coast — that store equipment and are equipped with briefing rooms and communications suites to serve as a hub in the event of a maritime emergency.
In return, the navy has tapped the expertise of special forces troops, notably to help train new so-called “enhanced boarding parties.” These teams of sailors are specially trained to tackle situations with greater risk than might confront a conventional boarding party. The 10-person teams will be deployed on ships bound for risky areas.
Special ops soldiers also advised the navy in the purchase of new fast boats for those boarding teams.
“It takes a lot of courage to jump out the back of an airplane when all you see is water around you and just trust that something will pop up. It was pretty amazing,” Maj-Gen. Mike Rouleau, commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command said in interview.
“The submarine offers a really useful tool to be able to insert or extract from,” Rouleau said.
Indeed, with its new passengers on board, the submarine moved closer to the coastline, unseen below the waves. It surfaced again and the soldiers broke out their specialized gear — fast boats and outboard motors — that had been carried onboard the sub from Canada in a watertight compartment below its main deck.
“My job is to get them on target. They just drop into the big blue ocean and trust that we are nearby,” Rear-Adm. John Newton, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, told the Star.
This training happened last fall during an extended mission by HMCS Windsor in European waters, where the sub participated in a number of exercises with allied nations. While the military said publicly that those drills also involved working with the special forces soldiers, the exact details were never released.
Yet the daring parachute drop out of the Canadian C-130J Hercules highlights the growing relationship between the two shadowy elements of Canada’s military — special forces and the submarine fleet.
More and more, Canada’s four submarines are exercising with special forces soldiers — at least when the subs can be put to sea. Currently, only HMCS Windsor is available for operations and in recent days it has been sidelined in port with engine troubles.
“We’re operating a lot with the SOF (special operations forces). We really like working with them. It’s one of the coolest things we do ... That’s movie stuff,” said Lt.-Cmdr. Peter Chu, commander of HMCS Windsor.
Indeed, when French special forces found out about the exercise they too wanted to train with the sub though that didn’t happen because of scheduling challenges, Chu said.
Special forces soldiers are at the forefront of changing warfare, from large-scale confrontations to small teams training local militaries to conduct missions or carrying out those missions themselves.
Newton says there are natural synergies between sub crews and special forces troops — the stealthy aspect of their missions, working in the shadows.
“They are ... built for each other in how they think and act,” Newton told the Star.
Both Newton and Rouleau were on hand when trials were done earlier last year off the coast of Nova Scotia. Rough seas made getting onboard the submarine a challenge for the 10 soldiers who dropped into the water that time.
“Swimming onboard a submarine sounds fun. It’s anything but,” Newton said.
But they learned lessons from that experience — like flooding the sub more so the stern sat lower in the water, making it easier to get onboard.
Special forces soldiers have been working with the navy to hone their capabilities for maritime events such as ship hijackings, combating pirates, covert insert and extraction from coastal locations, intelligence and surveillance.
Canada’s special forces units have two dedicated depots — one on each coast — that store equipment and are equipped with briefing rooms and communications suites to serve as a hub in the event of a maritime emergency.
In return, the navy has tapped the expertise of special forces troops, notably to help train new so-called “enhanced boarding parties.” These teams of sailors are specially trained to tackle situations with greater risk than might confront a conventional boarding party. The 10-person teams will be deployed on ships bound for risky areas.
Special ops soldiers also advised the navy in the purchase of new fast boats for those boarding teams.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Canadians to hold key positions in RIMPAC; while U.S. politicians want to ban China from military exercise
By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
RIMPAC 16 gets underway June 30 and runs until August 4 in the Hawaiian and Southern California area. The Canadian Forces says it is sending the following:
RIMPAC is held every two years. This year it will include 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from the armed forces of 27 nations.
Training is varied and will include everything from counter-piracy to amphibious operations.
Besides the U.S., the participating nations include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Italy and China.
China first joined RIMPAC in 2014. It sent four ships but in addition one of its spy vessels also shadowed the exercise off Hawaii.
Some U.S. lawmakers have called for China to be banned from RIMPAC.
They are upset with what they see as China’s aggressive stance in the South China Sea. As part of its strategy in the region, China has been building artificial islands to act as military bases.
U.S. congressman Mark Takai, of Hawaii, has asked U.S. defense secretary Ash Carter to ban China from RIMPAC. “I guess my question is why then should we reward China for this aggressive behavior by including them in an event meant for allies and partners?” Takai asked Carter during a meeting in March.
RIMPAC 16 gets underway June 30 and runs until August 4 in the Hawaiian and Southern California area. The Canadian Forces says it is sending the following:
- A maritime component comprised of four ships (HMCS Calgary, HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Saskatoon and HMCS Yellowknife), a RCN team of clearance divers, and a forward logistics team;
- A Land Component comprised of a Company Group based on a Rifle Company from the Third Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, based out of Valcartier, Quebec;
- An Air Task Force comprised of several aircraft (six CF-188 Hornets, one CC-130 Hercules, one CC-150 Polaris and one CP-140 Aurora), a Maritime Helicopter Detachment, and a Tactical Aviation Detachment consisting of four CH-146 Griffons and two CH-147 Chinooks;
- More than 1,500 sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen; and Several command, staff and support personnel.
RIMPAC is held every two years. This year it will include 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from the armed forces of 27 nations.
Training is varied and will include everything from counter-piracy to amphibious operations.
Besides the U.S., the participating nations include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Italy and China.
China first joined RIMPAC in 2014. It sent four ships but in addition one of its spy vessels also shadowed the exercise off Hawaii.
Some U.S. lawmakers have called for China to be banned from RIMPAC.
They are upset with what they see as China’s aggressive stance in the South China Sea. As part of its strategy in the region, China has been building artificial islands to act as military bases.
U.S. congressman Mark Takai, of Hawaii, has asked U.S. defense secretary Ash Carter to ban China from RIMPAC. “I guess my question is why then should we reward China for this aggressive behavior by including them in an event meant for allies and partners?” Takai asked Carter during a meeting in March.
CAF and RCN Prepare for RIMPAC 2016
By: Frontline Defence News
Four warships, several aircraft and more than 1,500 Canadian sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen will participate in the United States Navy-led Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) from June 30 to August 4, 2016, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
Four warships, several aircraft and more than 1,500 Canadian sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen will participate in the United States Navy-led Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) from June 30 to August 4, 2016, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
 |
| The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) transits the Pacific Ocean with ships assigned to Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 combined task force as part of a photo exercise north of Hawaii. |
The 25th edition in a series and held every two years, RIMPAC has grown into the world’s largest combined and joint maritime exercise. RIMPAC 2016 will bring together 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from the armed forces of 27 nations. The exercise will challenge participants with unique training opportunities across the spectrum of military capabilities - from humanitarian assistance and disaster response to dynamic maritime security and complex warfighting operations.
"Canada has participated in every RIMPAC since 1971," said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. "Over the years, our participation has helped us build and foster collaborative relationships with our allies and partners in the region. RIMPAC 2016 will once again provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a valuable training opportunity, while demonstrating Canadian leadership and operational excellence abroad."
Participation in RIMPAC contributes to the operational readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces. Operational readiness allows the CAF to meet the likely tasks that the Government of Canada will assign.
“RIMPAC 2016 is a valuable opportunity for all services of the Canadian Armed Forces to train together in a joint environment with international allies and partners.," said Rear-Admiral Scott Bishop, RIMPAC Deputy Commander Combined Task Force.
"As Deputy Commander for the Combined Task Force, I am looking forward to working with our forces and our allies. The exercise will challenge our 1,500 Canadian men and women as we improve our readiness to respond to a range of potential operations, strengthen military-to-military partnerships, and enhance our ability to work effectively with participants from more than 25 nations.”
RIMPAC 16 takes place from June 30 to August 4, 2016 in the Hawaiian and Southern California area. Canada is deploying:
A maritime component comprised of four ships (HMCS Calgary, HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Saskatoon and HMCS Yellowknife), a RCN team of clearance divers, and a Forward Logistics Team;
A Land Component comprised of a Company Group based on a Rifle Company from the Third Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, based out of Valcartier, Quebec;
An Air Task Force comprised of several aircraft (six CF-188 Hornets, one CC-130 Hercules, one CC-150 Polaris and one CP-140 Aurora), a Maritime Helicopter Detachment, and a Tactical Aviation Detachment consisting of four CH-146 Griffons and two CH-147 Chinooks;
More than 1,500 sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen; and
Several command, staff and support personnel.
Canadians will also hold key leadership positions during RIMPAC 2016:
Rear-Admiral Scott Bishop will serve as the Deputy Commander of the Combined Task Force; and
Brigadier-General Blaise Frawley, will serve as the Air Component Commander.
"Canada has participated in every RIMPAC since 1971," said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. "Over the years, our participation has helped us build and foster collaborative relationships with our allies and partners in the region. RIMPAC 2016 will once again provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a valuable training opportunity, while demonstrating Canadian leadership and operational excellence abroad."
Participation in RIMPAC contributes to the operational readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces. Operational readiness allows the CAF to meet the likely tasks that the Government of Canada will assign.
“RIMPAC 2016 is a valuable opportunity for all services of the Canadian Armed Forces to train together in a joint environment with international allies and partners.," said Rear-Admiral Scott Bishop, RIMPAC Deputy Commander Combined Task Force.
"As Deputy Commander for the Combined Task Force, I am looking forward to working with our forces and our allies. The exercise will challenge our 1,500 Canadian men and women as we improve our readiness to respond to a range of potential operations, strengthen military-to-military partnerships, and enhance our ability to work effectively with participants from more than 25 nations.”
RIMPAC 16 takes place from June 30 to August 4, 2016 in the Hawaiian and Southern California area. Canada is deploying:
A maritime component comprised of four ships (HMCS Calgary, HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Saskatoon and HMCS Yellowknife), a RCN team of clearance divers, and a Forward Logistics Team;
A Land Component comprised of a Company Group based on a Rifle Company from the Third Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, based out of Valcartier, Quebec;
An Air Task Force comprised of several aircraft (six CF-188 Hornets, one CC-130 Hercules, one CC-150 Polaris and one CP-140 Aurora), a Maritime Helicopter Detachment, and a Tactical Aviation Detachment consisting of four CH-146 Griffons and two CH-147 Chinooks;
More than 1,500 sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen; and
Several command, staff and support personnel.
Canadians will also hold key leadership positions during RIMPAC 2016:
Rear-Admiral Scott Bishop will serve as the Deputy Commander of the Combined Task Force; and
Brigadier-General Blaise Frawley, will serve as the Air Component Commander.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
RCAF Ex. MAPLE FLAG Set for May 30th
DND Press Release:
Cold Lake, Alberta – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Exercise MAPLE FLAG, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s largest and most complex international training event of the year, begins next week in Cold Lake, Alberta. Taking place between May 30 and June 24, Exercise MAPLE FLAG brings together up to 1300 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel in participant or supporting roles, and over 400 personnel from six allied and partner nations along with multiple aircraft including:
From Canada: CF-188 Hornet fighters, CH-146 Griffon helicopters, CP-140 Auroras, CC-177 Globemaster III heavy lift aircraft, CC-130 Hercules air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft, and contracted Dornier Alpha Jets;
From United States: C-130 Hercules aircraft and E-3 Sentry aircraft;
From France: Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale fighter aircraft; and
From the United Kingdom: E-3 Sentry aircraft.
This international exercise prepares Canadian and international aircrew, maintenance, and support personnel for the rigours of operations in the modern aerial battlespace. Exercises like this contribute to the operational readiness of the CAF so it can meet the likely tasks that the Government of Canada could assign.
Exercise MAPLE FLAG takes place primarily inside the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR). This unique airspace permits the use of a variety of simulated and live weapons systems, as well as supersonic flight.
Cold Lake, Alberta – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Exercise MAPLE FLAG, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s largest and most complex international training event of the year, begins next week in Cold Lake, Alberta. Taking place between May 30 and June 24, Exercise MAPLE FLAG brings together up to 1300 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel in participant or supporting roles, and over 400 personnel from six allied and partner nations along with multiple aircraft including:
From Canada: CF-188 Hornet fighters, CH-146 Griffon helicopters, CP-140 Auroras, CC-177 Globemaster III heavy lift aircraft, CC-130 Hercules air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft, and contracted Dornier Alpha Jets;
From United States: C-130 Hercules aircraft and E-3 Sentry aircraft;
From France: Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale fighter aircraft; and
From the United Kingdom: E-3 Sentry aircraft.
This international exercise prepares Canadian and international aircrew, maintenance, and support personnel for the rigours of operations in the modern aerial battlespace. Exercises like this contribute to the operational readiness of the CAF so it can meet the likely tasks that the Government of Canada could assign.
“Exercise MAPLE FLAG is a direct contributor to the RCAF’s success in generating world-class air power. This exercise is a great opportunity to enhance our agility, reach, and power, while integrating with our domestic joint partners and allies.” - Major-General David Wheeler, Commander 1 Canadian Air Division
“We are pleased to once again host Exercise MAPLE FLAG in Cold Lake. The personnel of 4 Wing and CFB Cold Lake have been working hard over the past several months planning this incredible, fully immersive training opportunity for not only the Royal Canadian Air Force, but our international allies and partners. The outcomes of this exercise will undoubtedly provide those involved with the skills and expertise to operate effectively against any adversary.” - Colonel Eric Kenny, Commander 4 Wing Cold Lake
“We are pleased to once again host Exercise MAPLE FLAG in Cold Lake. The personnel of 4 Wing and CFB Cold Lake have been working hard over the past several months planning this incredible, fully immersive training opportunity for not only the Royal Canadian Air Force, but our international allies and partners. The outcomes of this exercise will undoubtedly provide those involved with the skills and expertise to operate effectively against any adversary.” - Colonel Eric Kenny, Commander 4 Wing Cold Lake
MAPLE FLAG Quick Facts
In recent years, Exercise MAPLE FLAG has begun to fuse with elements of concurrent exercises, such as the Canadian Army-led Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE.
Participants will use a fictitious scenario in which they will fight against simulated threats using the latest in tactics, weaponry, and technology. The goal is to hone their skills within a realistic, evolving, and challenging operating environment. This exercise is as close as it gets to the real thing.
Participants from allied and partner forces include:
The United States Air Force;
The United States Air Force Reserve;
The Kentucky Air National Guard;
The United States Marine Corps;
The Royal Air Force;
The French Air Force;
The German Army; and
The Belgian Army.
In recent years, Exercise MAPLE FLAG has begun to fuse with elements of concurrent exercises, such as the Canadian Army-led Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE.
Participants will use a fictitious scenario in which they will fight against simulated threats using the latest in tactics, weaponry, and technology. The goal is to hone their skills within a realistic, evolving, and challenging operating environment. This exercise is as close as it gets to the real thing.
Participants from allied and partner forces include:
The United States Air Force;
The United States Air Force Reserve;
The Kentucky Air National Guard;
The United States Marine Corps;
The Royal Air Force;
The French Air Force;
The German Army; and
The Belgian Army.
Exercise MAPLE FLAG takes place primarily inside the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR). This unique airspace permits the use of a variety of simulated and live weapons systems, as well as supersonic flight.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
RCAF Sends 4 Griffons, CC-130, and C-17 to Fort McMurray
UPDATE: May 5, 2016
Four RCAF Griffon helicopters have been sent to Fort McMurray to provide support to the government of Alberta in the ongoing efforts to deal with wildfires there.
In addition, one CC-130J is heading to CFB Cold Lake to be on standby for additional support, and a C-17 Globemaster has been put on Red-Alert standby for strategic lift of assesstes form the region.
Members of Canada’s Armed Forces are mobilizing and poised to deliver supplies from bases in Edmonton and Cold Lake, and to help with evacuation and fire fighting efforts should the request come from the Alberta government.
“We are the force of last resort,” Brig.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, commander of Canadian Forces in Western Canada, said Wednesday morning. “We come in when all other resources are exhausted.”
No one was ruling that out. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon, before flying to Fort McMurray to assess the damage. “We all know this is the single biggest evacuation that we’ve seen from a fire, and the single biggest overall impact on a community in the history of the province,” she said.
Here are some photos from Combat Camera:
Four RCAF Griffon helicopters have been sent to Fort McMurray to provide support to the government of Alberta in the ongoing efforts to deal with wildfires there.
In addition, one CC-130J is heading to CFB Cold Lake to be on standby for additional support, and a C-17 Globemaster has been put on Red-Alert standby for strategic lift of assesstes form the region.
Members of Canada’s Armed Forces are mobilizing and poised to deliver supplies from bases in Edmonton and Cold Lake, and to help with evacuation and fire fighting efforts should the request come from the Alberta government.
“We are the force of last resort,” Brig.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, commander of Canadian Forces in Western Canada, said Wednesday morning. “We come in when all other resources are exhausted.”
No one was ruling that out. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon, before flying to Fort McMurray to assess the damage. “We all know this is the single biggest evacuation that we’ve seen from a fire, and the single biggest overall impact on a community in the history of the province,” she said.
Here are some photos from Combat Camera:
 |
| Members of 417 Combat Support Squadron prepare to depart for Fort McMurray as part of Operation LENTUS 2016 at 4 Hangar, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on May 4, 2016. Photo by: Cpl Manuela Berger, 4 Wing Imaging CK01-2016-0428-006 |
Friday, April 8, 2016
RCAF releases report into 2012 Hercules accident in Florida
DND Press Release
April 8, 2016 – Ottawa – Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
The Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) has released the Flight Safety Investigation Report into the accident involving a CC-130 Hercules at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, on February 21, 2012. In this accident, the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair, and one Canadian Armed Forces member suffered minor injuries sustained during the aborted takeoff and emergency stop.
During the period between the accident and report’s release, DFS worked closely with the CC-130 Hercules technical authorities to implement flight safety preventive measures, including a series of special inspections and modifications to prevent future accidents of this nature.
April 8, 2016 – Ottawa – Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
The Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS) has released the Flight Safety Investigation Report into the accident involving a CC-130 Hercules at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, on February 21, 2012. In this accident, the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair, and one Canadian Armed Forces member suffered minor injuries sustained during the aborted takeoff and emergency stop.
During the period between the accident and report’s release, DFS worked closely with the CC-130 Hercules technical authorities to implement flight safety preventive measures, including a series of special inspections and modifications to prevent future accidents of this nature.
To read the entire report please visit:
http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/flight-safety/article-template-flight-safety.page?doc=cc130342-hercules-epilogue-flight-safety-investigation-report/hky1dmyy  |
| Aircraft Exterior – Damage to Fuselage Ceiling Area near LH Side Para Door |
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Last RCAF CC-130E Lands at Aviation Museum in Ottawa
Check out the Tweet Above to watch the Last CC-130E land at the Aviation and Space Museum, in Ottawa.— CWH Museum (@CWHM) April 5, 2016
Written by David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen
The Hercules will become part of the museum’s permanent exhibition.
In the case of transfer of the last CC-130 E Hercules Legacy in service to the museum, standard preservation procedures were applied: the fuel tanks were drained and engines disabled, the RCAF noted.
 |
| RCAF Crew with the CC-130E Hercules, ahead of its last flight (photo courtesy of RCAF) |
Although designed in the early 1950s, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules remains one of the most successful military transport airplanes ever designed. Operated in every region of the globe, this flying truck has consistently shown itself to be extremely durable, reliable, and tough. The Royal Canadian Air Force received its first Hercules in the fall of 1960. Improved versions were ordered as time went by. A new batch was in fact delivered in 2010-12 and will remain in service for years to come. The Hercules offered to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is the oldest Canadian example of the type. It entered service in 1965 and was used as a transport airplane, a navigation training airplane, and a search and rescue airplane.
The Hercules offered to the Museum (manufacturer number 382-4041) is the third CC-130E – and the seventh CC-130 – acquired by the Canadian military. Taken on strength on February 9, 1965, the airplane received the RCAF serial number 10307 (130307 from May 1970 onward). It flew with 435 Squadron, a unit based at RCAF Station Namao (Alberta).
After approximately ten years spent at Namao, the Hercules was converted into a navigation training airplane, with the designation CC-130N / NT or Nav-Herc, and used at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg by the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School. It was one of four Hercules so modified to train navigators who would fly aboard transport airplanes (Lockheed CC-130 Hercules) or maritime patrol airplanes (Canadair CP-107 Argus or, later, Lockheed CP-140 Aurora). The airplanes could be configured for either type of training by using removable pallet-mounted consoles made by Northwest Industries of Edmonton. Each of these consoles carried two student positions as well as an instructor position, further back. A Hercules could either carry two identical consoles, or one of each type.
With the introduction of a dedicated navigation training airplane in 1991, the Hercules offered to the Museum was transferred to 429 Squadron, a transport unit based at CFB Winnipeg. In 1993, it was converted into a search and rescue airplane, a version known informally as the CC-130E(SAR). The airplane went to 424 Squadron, a unit based at CFB Trenton (Ontario).
This Hercules is the last of the CC-130Es and the oldest Hercules still flying in Canada. There is a CC-130E Hercules (serial number 130314), very similar to the one offered to the Museum, at the National Air Force Museum of Canada, in Trenton
Monday, January 18, 2016
Lockheed Martin Admits it didn't enter CC-130J for FWSAR
Four days ago David Pugliese published an article in The Ottawa Citizen that said Lockheed Martin didn't bid on the RCAF's FWSAR program; despite having indicated in June 2015 that it would.
Today, Pugliese's Defence Watch published the following article about Lockheed admitting it did not bid.
Defence Watch, as well as Skies magazine, published the news last week that Lockheed Martin didn’t submit a bid.
But at the time Lockheed Martin was still sticking to its media line: “Out of respect for the procurement process, Lockheed Martin does not comment on competitive tenders that are underway.”
As noted earlier, this statement, which LM had been repeating for months, is laughable. Companies love to talk about their products to the news media and LM’s competitors have been holding press conferences and briefings on their FWSAR submissions.
In fact, for the last couple of years, Lockheed Martin officials had been highlighting how great their C-130J would be for the FWSAR program.
All that changed and the “out of respect for the procurement process” media line materialized when Lockheed’s proposal ran into trouble.
So with the bids in, and news reports from Defence Watch and Skies magazine that Lockheed Martin was a no-show for FWSAR (and queries also coming in from the U.S. media), the firm has decided to change its message.
“Lockheed Martin participated in the FWSAR procurement process as a potential bidder,” the company noted in a new statement Monday to Defence Watch. “After following an extensive and thorough analysis of the RFP’s requirements, we decided to not submit a formal response to Canada’s FWSAR RFP. We remain fully committed to supporting the RCAF and its CC-130J fleet as it continues to perform the tactical transport role in Canada for decades to come.”
Lockheed Martin, however, has not explained why it didn’t bid. But its competitors have toldDefence Watch the firm decided against bidding because the in-service support costs for the C-130J are extremely high, making a proposal a non-starter.
Embraer, Alenia and Airbus all bid on the $3.1 billion FWSAR program.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Canada-US NORAD Arctic Exercise
The Canadian NORAD region will take the leading role in an exercise between Canadian and US Forces to test military personnel and aircraft in the North and High Arctic. The Exercise runs from May 25 to June 1, 2015.
Exercise AMALGAM DART will involve more than 300 military personnel, and 15 aircraft operating from Alaska, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
US F-15 Eagles will be stationed at FOL Yellowknife;
RCAF CF-18's and a CC-130 Hercules air to air refueller will be stationed at FOL Inuvik;
At Resolute Bay, an RCAF mobile radar station will be deployed;
A KC-135 Stratotankers and an RCAF CC-150 air to air refueller will be deployed at Eielson AFB in Alaska;
Finally, at the Joint Base in Elmendorf-Richardon in Alaska, US F-22 fighters and the E-3 Airborne Warning Control System aircraft will be deployed as part of the exercise.
Exercise AMALGAM DART will involve more than 300 military personnel, and 15 aircraft operating from Alaska, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
US F-15 Eagles will be stationed at FOL Yellowknife;
RCAF CF-18's and a CC-130 Hercules air to air refueller will be stationed at FOL Inuvik;
At Resolute Bay, an RCAF mobile radar station will be deployed;
A KC-135 Stratotankers and an RCAF CC-150 air to air refueller will be deployed at Eielson AFB in Alaska;
Finally, at the Joint Base in Elmendorf-Richardon in Alaska, US F-22 fighters and the E-3 Airborne Warning Control System aircraft will be deployed as part of the exercise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)