BY HUDSON ON THE HILL
© 2017 FrontLine Defence (Vol 14, No 2)
The House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence (SCND) recently went In Camera to start drafting its long-awaited report on “Canada and the Defence of North America”, an issue the Members of Parliament have been studying for the better part of a year.
The report, when it gets presented to the House, is virtually guaranteed to include more money for the Canadian Armed Forces in general, and the Royal Canadian Air Force in particular, given that continental defence is a top-dollar priority for the Department of National Defence. From a DND perspective, the Arctic (including the impact of global warming) is mainly an RCAF operational responsibility.
Some elements of the upcoming report can be found in an earlier report by the SCND, which is chaired by B.C. Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr, a former CF-18 Hornet pilot and one of several retired Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have repeatedly proved their mettle on defence policy despite being first-term MPs. That earlier report recommended better awareness of cyber attacks and emerging missile threats, among other things. But it focused heavily on NORAD and aerial readiness, and devoted most of its content to the RCAF.
Urging “a thorough review of Canada’s international and domestic capability requirements” for replacing the remaining “legacy” Hornets, the committee pushed for an aircraft that would satisfy all needs, including maintaining Canadian sovereignty in the North, and said the government should decide on a replacement by September 2017.
In a letter from Sajjan to Fuhr, the government’s response to the SCND noted that the DPR consultations over the past year had included not only the public through social media and other means but also experts through a series of roundtables, and more than 50 Members of Parliament had participated in constituency-level discussions.
Sajjan further highlighted the decision to acquire 18 Super Hornets from Boeing – to plug what he initially described as an RCAF “capability gap” until there’s a decision on replacing the already diminished legacy fighter fleet of CF-18s, which are set to be retired in the 2023-2025 timeframe, despite a pending $500-million upgrade program.
The notion of a “gap” arose when Sajjan announced last May that the government would work to acquire additional fighters to enable Canada to fulfill simultaneous commitments to both NORAD and NATO. The announcement seemed to come out of the blue because, only a few weeks earlier, the RCAF Commander Lieutenant-General Mike Hood never mentioned it when testifying before the SCND in April.
Pressed by Nova Scotia Liberal MP Darren Fisher, Hood noted that CAF readiness is budgeted annually. “I’m funded in my operations and maintenance budget to ensure that I can keep my NORAD commitments at a posture that’s ready.” He went on to say that finding resources “has not been a challenge under my watch at this time” and that “we have enough trained personnel, we have enough aircraft and enough maintenance people to keep them going, and we have the money, certainly, to operate.”
In other words, no “gap”, seen by some as a contradiction of the government’s position. While it might be splitting hairs, it should be noted that Hood did not include NATO, which obviously can be a volatile component, in the readiness/affordability mix. He did say, however, that if he faced “any challenges” in fulfilling commitments, he was confident that the additional resources would be endorsed by “the chief”, meaning General Jonathan Vance, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).
Later, as the controversy continued to bubble, Sajjan’s spokesperson, Jordan Owens, sought to clear the air with a statement in which she defined the “capability gap” as being “an insufficient number of aircraft available on any given day to meet our existing NORAD obligations and NATO commitments combined, not to mention having the capacity to react to unforeseen and emerging threats.”
Owens also pointed out, rightly, that keeping the legacy Hornets flying longer was not the solution. “With the current availability rate what it is, even if the 77 airplanes could fly forever, there still wouldn’t be enough of them to simultaneously meet our NORAD and NATO commitments. The only way to address the capability gap is to improve the availability rate of our fighter fleet. This means we need more people and it means we need more planes.”
Note that this didn’t include domestic fighter requirements. With a serviceability rate of only about 50%, if all three became active missions simultaneously, the legacy fleet could not handle them all.
A few days later, Hood suggested to the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence that a policy shift had resulted in the tactical shortfall. “The government has now directed that we be ready to meet our daily NATO and NORAD commitments simultaneously,” he said in his opening statement, adding later under questioning that he was “at present unable to do that with the present CF-18 fleet” because he doesn’t have enough aircraft (a status inherited from a series of RCAF commanders whose roles were constrained by various governments over the years).
Asked by Senator Colin Kenny how many aircraft the RCAF might need, given that it has been talking about a next-generation fleet of 65 compared with the 1980s buy of 138 CF-18s. Hood wasn’t prepared to reveal that: “the numbers behind the commitments with respect to NORAD and NATO are classified,” he said. “Suffice it to say,” he added, “the 77 we presently have are incapable of delivering that number.”
Judy Foote, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement (who has since taken an indefinite leave of absence for unspecified personal reasons), also involved herself in the debate, suggesting that the CDS was was in a better position to explain things. “I think if you ask General Vance, he’d have a different view on that and I have a lot of faith in the Minister of Defence, who of course has been on the ground and knows only too well what the need is," she said, adding that a capability gap has “existed for some time” but had been ignored by the previous government.
Foote also disagreed with Hood’s assertion to the Senate committee that keeping the legacy Hornets operational until 2025 would negate any urgency to sole-source FA/18 Super Hornets as the RCAF’s next frontline fighter.
On numerous occasions, Sajjan has reiterated the notion that providing the CAF with resources they need to do their job had been a “key component” of the DPR consultations. “Capability requirements for operations at home and abroad, situational awareness, and intelligence are all being considered. Our goal is to ensure the CAF have the tools they need to safely and effectively perform the missions set by our Government. Your conclusions and recommendations have informed and will be reflected in Canada’s new defence policy.”
That said, Sajjan’s latest statement on the DPR, after an April 11 cabinet meeting, was to repeat that “we are coming very close to making the decisions,” but deflected questions about when that might be.
“We want to make sure that we get this right,” he told reporters, repeating what has become a ministerial mantra. “We want to make sure that it’s not just about the missions and what we do here in Canada and abroad; it’s about how we look after our troops as well. It’s extremely thorough, and I look forward to presenting this to Canadians on behalf of the government, and […] to having the discussion with parliamentarians as well […] in the coming months.”
Could that mean the DPR isn’t released until after Parliament begins its summer recess? That’s currently set to begin June 23 and run until Sept. 18. That’s 12 weeks in which the government couldn’t be held accountable in Parliament. The optics of that scenario would be poor at best.
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Hudson on the Hill
The role of Hudson is being filled by contributing editor Ken Pole.
Showing posts with label Judy Foote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Judy Foote. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Ivison: Super Hornet Interim Buy a Political Decision
By: John Ivison, The National Post
In choosing to buy 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighters, the federal government has brought forward a political solution to solve a political problem of its own making, John Ivison writes.
The Liberals had campaigned on a promise that they would not purchase Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet to replace its aging and dwindling fleet of CF18s, which now numbers 77.
It would instead launch an open and transparent competition for a new fighter.
A former Defence official said a competition could produce an answer within a year. But that would carry the risk that the F-35 could win before the next election.
The commander of the air force has previously said he needs just 65 fighters to fulfil Canada’s NATO and Norad requirements.
But the government says it needs 18 new fighters and that any future competition would exclude “firststrike stealth capabilities.”
The solution: sole-source the interim Super Hornets purchase and delay the competition to replace the CF18 fleet for five years. The uncomfortable attempting to justify the indefensible. That was how it looked as government ministers Harjit Sajjan, Judy Foote and Navdeep Bains delivered the news that Ottawa will sole source the interim purchase of 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets. They appeared to be secretly ashamed at the trumpery of it all, as well they should have been.
The Liberal government had a political problem: it campaigned on the promise that it would not purchase Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet, and that it would “immediately” launch an open and transparent competition to replace the aging CF18 fighter fleet.
But it could not risk being too open, transparent or immediate, lest the F-35 win before the next election.
So political operatives in the Prime Minister’s Office came up with a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a fox: buy a small number of the F-35’s competitor and push off the competition to replace the fleet for five years.
Sajjan, the defence minister, decried the mismanagement of the previous Conservative government — “a highly politicized process” — that has left just 77 CF-18s in the fleet and no replacement jets on order. In this, he’s right but it hardly excuses instigating a repeat of history as farce.
By sole sourcing the interim purchase, the Liberals will be doing exactly what the Conservatives did when they chose the F-35 in the first place.
Sajjan waved away such suggestions. Canada has a “capability gap,” he argued, and is unable to meet its Norad and NATO commitments.
He presented the new plan as a political solution to a national security problem.
The reality, of course, is that the Liberals have brought forward a political solution to solve a political problem of their own making.
The commander of the air force, Lt.-Gen Mike Hood, who was noticeable by his absence, previously told Parliament he needs just 65 aircraft to fulfil Canada’s commitments, so the capability gap argument is unconvincing.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Jonathan Vance, was present at Tuesday’s press conference and said the Air Force cannot meet its current missions and have the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances. But really, what else was he going to say? This is a political decision and Vance is obliged to suck it up or resign.)
Hood told a parliamentary committee last spring that he was confident the Air Force could cope, if a decision on a replacement fleet was taken “in the next five years.”
That was why Foote, the procurement minister, said the government will undertake a lengthy competition “to avoid the mistakes of the past; we will not cut corners.”
Does that mean her department is cutting corners with the new warships that just went out to tender? A winner for the Canadian Surface Combatant program will be chosen by 2017.
Ottawa has already held two rounds of consultations with industry on the fighters. How much more is there to learn? Alan Williams, former assistant deputy minister of matériel at the Department of National Defence, has said a competition could produce results within a year.
But that would mean a winner could be chosen before the next election — an unacceptable political outcome for the Liberals.
Hence the curious solution of Canada now “exploring” the acquisition of 18 new Super Hornets with Boeing.
“Before proceeding, the government reserves the right to decide if they can provide the interim fleet at a cost, time, level of capability and economic value that is acceptable to Canada,” said the official news release.
But surely that decision has already been taken. If there were any doubts about Boeing’s ability to deliver or about the price, why make the announcement?
Foote said the Super Hornet was chosen because it is “not in development,” a veiled reference to the F-35, even though the U.S. air force declared its first squadron of F-35A fighters combat ready in August.
What is clear is that the interim purchase will reduce the amount available to buy a replacement fleet. The government had previously earmarked $9 billion for 65 new jets. Foote could not say what the interim purchase would cost and Sajjan would not say how many jets the Air Force might still need, after the interim purchase of 18 new planes.
But we do know Kuwait bought 40 full-loaded Super Hornets, with support, equipment and training, for US$10.1 billion this week.
We also know that the 18 jets will be more expensive than they might have been, had the downward pressure on costs of a competition not been removed.
By sole sourcing from Boeing, the government may well have skewed the outcome of any future competition. The purchase of new Super Hornets will mean the RCAF will be operating a mixed fleet. The two jets share common weapons systems but have different engines, radar and electronics. Is the government willing to complicate things further, with the attendant cost implications, of adding a third jet to the mix?
Foote said, “Anyone who meets the criteria and wants to compete will be able to compete.” Yet the Liberal platform was clear that the CF-18 replacement competition “will exclude requirements that do not reflect Canada’s interests such as first strike stealth capabilities” — for which read the F-35.
Yet what is apparent to anyone with eyes is that Canada’s interests have been supplanted by the Liberal Party of Canada’s interests.
We may never know which aircraft best suits Canada’s needs. But we can be in no doubt about which best favours Liberal fortunes.
In choosing to buy 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighters, the federal government has brought forward a political solution to solve a political problem of its own making, John Ivison writes.
It would instead launch an open and transparent competition for a new fighter.
A former Defence official said a competition could produce an answer within a year. But that would carry the risk that the F-35 could win before the next election.
The commander of the air force has previously said he needs just 65 fighters to fulfil Canada’s NATO and Norad requirements.
But the government says it needs 18 new fighters and that any future competition would exclude “firststrike stealth capabilities.”
The solution: sole-source the interim Super Hornets purchase and delay the competition to replace the CF18 fleet for five years. The uncomfortable attempting to justify the indefensible. That was how it looked as government ministers Harjit Sajjan, Judy Foote and Navdeep Bains delivered the news that Ottawa will sole source the interim purchase of 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets. They appeared to be secretly ashamed at the trumpery of it all, as well they should have been.
The Liberal government had a political problem: it campaigned on the promise that it would not purchase Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet, and that it would “immediately” launch an open and transparent competition to replace the aging CF18 fighter fleet.
But it could not risk being too open, transparent or immediate, lest the F-35 win before the next election.
So political operatives in the Prime Minister’s Office came up with a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a fox: buy a small number of the F-35’s competitor and push off the competition to replace the fleet for five years.
Sajjan, the defence minister, decried the mismanagement of the previous Conservative government — “a highly politicized process” — that has left just 77 CF-18s in the fleet and no replacement jets on order. In this, he’s right but it hardly excuses instigating a repeat of history as farce.
By sole sourcing the interim purchase, the Liberals will be doing exactly what the Conservatives did when they chose the F-35 in the first place.
Sajjan waved away such suggestions. Canada has a “capability gap,” he argued, and is unable to meet its Norad and NATO commitments.
He presented the new plan as a political solution to a national security problem.
The reality, of course, is that the Liberals have brought forward a political solution to solve a political problem of their own making.
The commander of the air force, Lt.-Gen Mike Hood, who was noticeable by his absence, previously told Parliament he needs just 65 aircraft to fulfil Canada’s commitments, so the capability gap argument is unconvincing.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Jonathan Vance, was present at Tuesday’s press conference and said the Air Force cannot meet its current missions and have the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances. But really, what else was he going to say? This is a political decision and Vance is obliged to suck it up or resign.)
Hood told a parliamentary committee last spring that he was confident the Air Force could cope, if a decision on a replacement fleet was taken “in the next five years.”
That was why Foote, the procurement minister, said the government will undertake a lengthy competition “to avoid the mistakes of the past; we will not cut corners.”
Does that mean her department is cutting corners with the new warships that just went out to tender? A winner for the Canadian Surface Combatant program will be chosen by 2017.
Ottawa has already held two rounds of consultations with industry on the fighters. How much more is there to learn? Alan Williams, former assistant deputy minister of matériel at the Department of National Defence, has said a competition could produce results within a year.
But that would mean a winner could be chosen before the next election — an unacceptable political outcome for the Liberals.
Hence the curious solution of Canada now “exploring” the acquisition of 18 new Super Hornets with Boeing.
“Before proceeding, the government reserves the right to decide if they can provide the interim fleet at a cost, time, level of capability and economic value that is acceptable to Canada,” said the official news release.
But surely that decision has already been taken. If there were any doubts about Boeing’s ability to deliver or about the price, why make the announcement?
Foote said the Super Hornet was chosen because it is “not in development,” a veiled reference to the F-35, even though the U.S. air force declared its first squadron of F-35A fighters combat ready in August.
What is clear is that the interim purchase will reduce the amount available to buy a replacement fleet. The government had previously earmarked $9 billion for 65 new jets. Foote could not say what the interim purchase would cost and Sajjan would not say how many jets the Air Force might still need, after the interim purchase of 18 new planes.
But we do know Kuwait bought 40 full-loaded Super Hornets, with support, equipment and training, for US$10.1 billion this week.
We also know that the 18 jets will be more expensive than they might have been, had the downward pressure on costs of a competition not been removed.
By sole sourcing from Boeing, the government may well have skewed the outcome of any future competition. The purchase of new Super Hornets will mean the RCAF will be operating a mixed fleet. The two jets share common weapons systems but have different engines, radar and electronics. Is the government willing to complicate things further, with the attendant cost implications, of adding a third jet to the mix?
Foote said, “Anyone who meets the criteria and wants to compete will be able to compete.” Yet the Liberal platform was clear that the CF-18 replacement competition “will exclude requirements that do not reflect Canada’s interests such as first strike stealth capabilities” — for which read the F-35.
Yet what is apparent to anyone with eyes is that Canada’s interests have been supplanted by the Liberal Party of Canada’s interests.
We may never know which aircraft best suits Canada’s needs. But we can be in no doubt about which best favours Liberal fortunes.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Liberals Announce Streamlined Procurement Approach to Accelerate Delivery of Canadian Surface Combatant Vessels
Government of Canada Press Release
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - June 13, 2016) - Government of Canada
The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and the Honourable John McKay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, representing the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, today announced a streamlined and transparent procurement approach to deliver the Canadian Surface Combatant to the Royal Canadian Navy up to two years sooner than originally planned.
The refined procurement approach will allow Canada to competitively and transparently select an existing warship design to modify, rather than continuing with the previous approach of selecting a Warship Designer and a Combat Systems Integrator to custom design the Canadian Surface Combatant.
The government used input from industry and Steve Brunton, its shipbuilding expert advisor, to develop the streamlined procurement approach. Canada will continue to work closely with the industry and remains committed to generating middle-class jobs, economic benefits and industrial growth for the country through the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Quotes
"The Canadian Surface Combatant project is the most complex procurement in Canadian history. Along with the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships project, it will create 2,400 direct shipbuilding jobs in Halifax. We continue to seek opportunities to deliver ships as quickly as possible and to ensure that this and other ship construction projects provide middle-class jobs and prosperity to hardworking Canadians. This streamlined approach is aligned with our efforts to modernize procurement and to make it easier for Canadian businesses to work with government."
The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
"I am pleased to see the refinements announced today to the Canadian Surface Combatant procurement strategy. This new streamlined and transparent process will help deliver on the government's commitment of providing the ships the Royal Canadian Navy needs to defend Canadian sovereignty, and will support economic growth in Canada."
The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
"Canada is a maritime nation and has the longest coastline of any country on earth. These new ships will ensure that the Royal Canadian Navy is ready to take on maritime challenges of the 21st century."
The Honourable John McKay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
"Through the application of the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy on the Canadian Surface Combatant project, the Government of Canada will leverage economic benefits by creating opportunities for Canadian content on the vessels while generating billions of dollars in high-value investments in marine and other sectors of Canada's economy. These large investments will help to drive innovation and growth for years to come, while greatly strengthening our shipbuilding industry."
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Quick Facts
The Canadian Surface Combatant project will replace Canada's aging destroyers and frigates. Ship construction is scheduled to commence after the completion of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships in the early 2020s and the procurement is expected to span 20 to 25 years.
The Canadian Surface Combatants will be the major surface component of maritime combat power for Canada. The inherent warfare capability and versatility of the fleet, either independently or as part of a Canadian or coalition task group, will allow it to rapidly deploy worldwide on short notice.
As part of the government priority to modernize procurement practices, Public Services and Procurement Canada is streamlining its practices to make them faster and easier for government departments to buy, and for suppliers to sell.
Related Products
Backgrounder on the streamlined procurement approach for Canadian Surface Combatant
Associated Links
National Shipbuilding Strategy
The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and the Honourable John McKay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, representing the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, today announced a streamlined and transparent procurement approach to deliver the Canadian Surface Combatant to the Royal Canadian Navy up to two years sooner than originally planned.
The refined procurement approach will allow Canada to competitively and transparently select an existing warship design to modify, rather than continuing with the previous approach of selecting a Warship Designer and a Combat Systems Integrator to custom design the Canadian Surface Combatant.
The government used input from industry and Steve Brunton, its shipbuilding expert advisor, to develop the streamlined procurement approach. Canada will continue to work closely with the industry and remains committed to generating middle-class jobs, economic benefits and industrial growth for the country through the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Quotes
"The Canadian Surface Combatant project is the most complex procurement in Canadian history. Along with the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships project, it will create 2,400 direct shipbuilding jobs in Halifax. We continue to seek opportunities to deliver ships as quickly as possible and to ensure that this and other ship construction projects provide middle-class jobs and prosperity to hardworking Canadians. This streamlined approach is aligned with our efforts to modernize procurement and to make it easier for Canadian businesses to work with government."
The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
"I am pleased to see the refinements announced today to the Canadian Surface Combatant procurement strategy. This new streamlined and transparent process will help deliver on the government's commitment of providing the ships the Royal Canadian Navy needs to defend Canadian sovereignty, and will support economic growth in Canada."
The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
"Canada is a maritime nation and has the longest coastline of any country on earth. These new ships will ensure that the Royal Canadian Navy is ready to take on maritime challenges of the 21st century."
The Honourable John McKay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
"Through the application of the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy on the Canadian Surface Combatant project, the Government of Canada will leverage economic benefits by creating opportunities for Canadian content on the vessels while generating billions of dollars in high-value investments in marine and other sectors of Canada's economy. These large investments will help to drive innovation and growth for years to come, while greatly strengthening our shipbuilding industry."
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Quick Facts
The Canadian Surface Combatant project will replace Canada's aging destroyers and frigates. Ship construction is scheduled to commence after the completion of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships in the early 2020s and the procurement is expected to span 20 to 25 years.
The Canadian Surface Combatants will be the major surface component of maritime combat power for Canada. The inherent warfare capability and versatility of the fleet, either independently or as part of a Canadian or coalition task group, will allow it to rapidly deploy worldwide on short notice.
As part of the government priority to modernize procurement practices, Public Services and Procurement Canada is streamlining its practices to make them faster and easier for government departments to buy, and for suppliers to sell.
Related Products
Backgrounder on the streamlined procurement approach for Canadian Surface Combatant
Associated Links
National Shipbuilding Strategy
Friday, May 27, 2016
Liberal Officials Explore CF-18 Replacement Options
By: Daniel Leblanc - The Globe and Mail
The chief of staff to Procurement Minister Judy Foote sat in an F-35 simulator and fought against fake enemy jets at a military trade show in Ottawa, offering a clear sense that the once-maligned Lockheed-Martin aircraft remains in the race to replace Canada’s fleet of CF-18s.
The chief of staff to Procurement Minister Judy Foote sat in an F-35 simulator and fought against fake enemy jets at a military trade show in Ottawa, offering a clear sense that the once-maligned Lockheed-Martin aircraft remains in the race to replace Canada’s fleet of CF-18s.
 |
| A model of the Lockheed Martin F-35 at CANSEC 2016 (Globe and Mail/Dave Chan) |
Gianluca Cairo also tried his hand at Boeing’s Super Hornet simulator, later explaining that the government is simply involved in “information sharing” with all of the firms interested in the massive military contract.
Still, there has been a heavy federal presence at this year’s CANSEC security and defence trade show, as both bureaucratic and political staff showed a willingness to find out more about all of the fighter jets on the market despite the Liberal Party’s pledge not to buy F-35s.
Officials from many of the world’s largest military manufacturers were out in full force to lobby the government on the multibillion-dollar fighter-jet procurement that has been in limbo for years, all trying to prod the Liberals into launching a competition as soon as possible.
“It’s an evolving process,” said John Belanger of Sweden’s Saab, which is hoping to sell its Gripen fighter jet to the Canadian Forces.
“At this point, the government really needs to come out and tell us what they are looking for.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party said during last year’s election campaign that it “no longer makes sense” to buy a fighter with the F-35’s stealth, first-strike capability, citing skyrocketing costs for a plane that has been plagued with development problems. The Liberals vowed instead to buy a “lower-priced” aircraft and funnel the savings into the Royal Canadian Navy.
However, Mr. Cairo and other officials from Ms. Foote’s office, as well as senior bureaucrats in charge of procurement, made a point of touring all of the stalls at the fair on Wednesday.
At the Lockheed-Martin booth, former Canadian fighter pilot Billie Flynn and retired lieutenant-general Charles Bouchard greeted visitors by arguing that Canada needs the most modern fighter-jet capability to ward off security threats. Canada has been a paying partner in the F-35 program since 2001, although it remains to be seen whether the Canadian Forces will ever buy the aircraft for their own use.
“What I know is that the F-35 program continues to advance and that more countries continue to commit to the airplane with vigour,” Mr. Flynn said in an interview. “There is no wavering of commitment of the partners in the F-35 program and the momentum continues to be strong.”
Boeing is countering that its twin-engine Super Hornet is the best-equipped aircraft to patrol the Arctic, stating it offers more options to pilots in the event of an engine loss than the single-engine F-35.
“It is fundamentally important for the kinds of missions that Canada performs on a day-to-day basis,” said Roberto Valla, Boeing’s vice-president for Canada.
Mr. Valla added that Boeing is promising to invest 100 per cent of the value of the fighter-jet contract in industrial and technological benefits in Canada, whereas the F-35 program only offers Canadian firms a chance to bid on contracts for the international project.
A number of protesters arrived early at CANSEC on Wednesday to denounce Canada’s sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, arguing the $15-billion contract should have been cancelled over human-rights concerns in the country.
“International human-rights organizations and the United Nations have provided ample evidence that Saudi Arabia uses weaponry, specifically armoured vehicles mounted with machine guns, to kill and injure unarmed civilians in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen,” said Kevin Shimmin of a group called Homes Not Bombs.
Protesters are expected to show up again on Thursday when Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Ms. Foote both speak on the final day of CANSEC.
Still, there has been a heavy federal presence at this year’s CANSEC security and defence trade show, as both bureaucratic and political staff showed a willingness to find out more about all of the fighter jets on the market despite the Liberal Party’s pledge not to buy F-35s.
Officials from many of the world’s largest military manufacturers were out in full force to lobby the government on the multibillion-dollar fighter-jet procurement that has been in limbo for years, all trying to prod the Liberals into launching a competition as soon as possible.
“It’s an evolving process,” said John Belanger of Sweden’s Saab, which is hoping to sell its Gripen fighter jet to the Canadian Forces.
“At this point, the government really needs to come out and tell us what they are looking for.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party said during last year’s election campaign that it “no longer makes sense” to buy a fighter with the F-35’s stealth, first-strike capability, citing skyrocketing costs for a plane that has been plagued with development problems. The Liberals vowed instead to buy a “lower-priced” aircraft and funnel the savings into the Royal Canadian Navy.
However, Mr. Cairo and other officials from Ms. Foote’s office, as well as senior bureaucrats in charge of procurement, made a point of touring all of the stalls at the fair on Wednesday.
At the Lockheed-Martin booth, former Canadian fighter pilot Billie Flynn and retired lieutenant-general Charles Bouchard greeted visitors by arguing that Canada needs the most modern fighter-jet capability to ward off security threats. Canada has been a paying partner in the F-35 program since 2001, although it remains to be seen whether the Canadian Forces will ever buy the aircraft for their own use.
“What I know is that the F-35 program continues to advance and that more countries continue to commit to the airplane with vigour,” Mr. Flynn said in an interview. “There is no wavering of commitment of the partners in the F-35 program and the momentum continues to be strong.”
Boeing is countering that its twin-engine Super Hornet is the best-equipped aircraft to patrol the Arctic, stating it offers more options to pilots in the event of an engine loss than the single-engine F-35.
“It is fundamentally important for the kinds of missions that Canada performs on a day-to-day basis,” said Roberto Valla, Boeing’s vice-president for Canada.
Mr. Valla added that Boeing is promising to invest 100 per cent of the value of the fighter-jet contract in industrial and technological benefits in Canada, whereas the F-35 program only offers Canadian firms a chance to bid on contracts for the international project.
A number of protesters arrived early at CANSEC on Wednesday to denounce Canada’s sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, arguing the $15-billion contract should have been cancelled over human-rights concerns in the country.
“International human-rights organizations and the United Nations have provided ample evidence that Saudi Arabia uses weaponry, specifically armoured vehicles mounted with machine guns, to kill and injure unarmed civilians in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen,” said Kevin Shimmin of a group called Homes Not Bombs.
Protesters are expected to show up again on Thursday when Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Ms. Foote both speak on the final day of CANSEC.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Minister of Procurement: Work on CF-18 Replacement and Shipbuilding for RCN and CCG
Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Judy Foote also received here marching orders from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today. Her three main focuses on the CAF and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)
- Work with the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to launch an open and transparent competition to replace the CF-18 fighter aircraft, focusing on options that match Canada’s defence needs.
- Prioritize the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy to support renewal of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet and to ensure the Royal Canadian Navy is able to operate as a true blue-water maritime force.
- Modernize procurement practices so that they are simpler, less administratively burdensome, deploy modern comptrollership, and include practices that support our economic policy goals, including green and social procurement.
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