Embraer to Enter KC-390 in Bid for RCAF FWSAR

By: David Pugliese, Defensenews.com 

OTTAWA, Canada — Embraer is set to shake up the competition to provide Canada with search-and-rescue aircraft as the Brazilian firm seeks export orders for its new KC-390.

The CAN $3.1 billion (US $2.3 billion) search-and-rescue aircraft procurement has long been seen as a competition between Airbus’ C-295 and Alenia’s C-27J. But Embraer officials told Defense News the company will submit its bid in January when Canada requests formal proposals from aerospace firms.

Bids for the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) program are to be submitted Jan. 11.

The KC-390 conducted its first flight in February 2015 but the aircraft is not expected to enter into service until early 2018.

An artists rendering of the Embraer KC-390 in the SAR Paint Scheme of the RCAF. 

Geraldo Gomes, vice president of business development for Embraer Defense and Security, said the aircraft is well suited for Canada’s search-and-rescue needs. Powered by two jet engines, it has the speed and range to quickly respond to rescue operations, including in the Arctic, he said. In addition, the aircraft has the capability to stay on station for long periods, Gomes said.

Sixty aircraft are on order for Brazil, Chile, Portugal, Argentina, the Czech Republic and Colombia. Gomes said the KC-390 was designed to be a search-and-rescue aircraft and that one of its strong selling points is its low life-cycle costs.

Aerospace industry sources said that selection of the KC-390 would give the company a foothold in the North American market for the aircraft and a high profile customer in the search-and-rescue arena. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, and its search–and-rescue aircraft are also expected to cover the massive Arctic region of the country.

But the industry sources also questioned whether the Brazilian-built plane would be ready in time for the Canadian program.

Gomes said the company does not see any issues with the delivery schedule for the KC-390. The Royal Canadian Air Force has not outlined exactly when the first aircraft would be delivered. A winning bidder is expected to be selected by Canada in late 2016, according to industry representatives. Delivery of the first aircraft is required three years after the contract is signed.

The Canadian government noted in its Defence Acquisition Guide 2015 published May 28 that it expects all aircraft for the FWSAR program to be delivered by 2023.

Both Airbus and Alenia have been courting the Canadian government for more than a decade on FWSAR. Their aircraft are proven and currently flying in search-and-rescue missions.

Asked whether the Embraer bid will change the tone of the competition, Pablo Molina, head of military aircraft for Airbus Defence and Space in Canada, responded, “We remain convinced that we will be able to offer the best solution to Canada with the C295.”

Alenia officials said it is company policy not to comment on a competitor’s bid.

Steve Lucas, a former head of the Royal Canadian Air Force and now an adviser to Alenia, said the firm is in the final stages of preparing its bid.

“We are confident about the aircraft and have put together an excellent team,” he added.

Alenia Aermacchi North America has brought together a team that includes IMP Aerospace, Halifax, NS; General Dynamics Canada, Ottawa; DRS Technologies, Ottawa; and Kelowna Flightcraft, Kelowna, BC.

Airbus Defence and Space has teamed with Provincial Aerospace, St. John’s, Newfoundland; Pratt & Whitney Canada, Longueuil, Quebec; CAE, Montreal; Vector Aerospace, Richmond, BC; and L-3 WESCAM, Burlington, Ontario.

Gomes said Embraer has had initial discussions with Canadian firms but has not settled on any partners for the Canadian bid.

Lockheed Martin was looking at bidding the C-130J for the FWSAR program, but industry sources said Lockheed is now reconsidering.

Asked whether Lockheed Martin Canada would submit a bid, company spokeswoman Cindy Tessier stated in an email that, "out of respect for the procurement process, Lockheed Martin does not comment on competitive tenders that are underway."

The new planes will replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 40-year-old Buffalo aircraft and older model C-130s currently assigned to search-and-rescue duties.

The FWSAR project is divided into a contract for the acquisition of the aircraft and another contract for 20 years of in-service support.

FWSAR originally envisioned acquiring 17 aircraft. But that has now changed and will be capability-based, said government officials. The aerospace firms are to submit in their bids the number of aircraft they believe necessary for Canada to handle the needed search-and-rescue capability, they added.

Possible FWSAR Training Center at CFB Comox

Industry insiders have informed the Ottawa Citizen's Defence Watch, that both Alenia Aermacchi and Airbus; who are the two firms that are expected to directly compete for the CAF's FWSAR replacement of the Buffalo Aircraft, are leaning towards establishing a FWSAR Training Center at 19 Wing Comox as part of their bidding process. Bids are due by January 2016 (in the latest attempt to purchase a replacement for the CC-115 Buffalo FWSAR that are nearing 50 years of age.) A replacement for the aircraft was due in 2009 - but the project has been shelved and delayed several times already.

Below is the Original Article published by David Pugliese. 



Representatives of Team Spartan, including Alenia Aermacchi director Roberto Leva and Ian McIntyre, training solutions specialist for DRS Technologies, recently announced the team’s plans to establish a FWSAR training centre at 19 Wing Comox as part of its bid for the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue project.

The team is offering the C-27J Spartan for the RCAF’s fixed wing search and rescue project. Bids are to be submitted by January.

An industry mock-up for the C-27J Spartan in CAF SAR colors 

Team Spartan noted that the request for proposals pointed out that any of the CF bases used for fixed wing search and rescue could house the operational training unit. Team Spartan is still flexible – if need be -on where the training centre could go but it has been working towards the approach that it will be established at 19 Wing Comox.

Airbus Defence, which is offering Canada the C-295 for FWSAR, is also leaning in that direction.

An industry mock-up for the C-295 in CAF SAR colors 

“We’ve not finalized that element of our bid yet, but Comox is currently the preferred location,” spokesman Michael Powell told Defence Watch.

Fixed-Wing SAR Bids Extended

The search for a new fixed-wing SAR aircraft for the RCAF has been delayed again... this time at the request of the 'industry' who asked for more time to prepare their bids.

The RCAF has been looking to replace its fixed-wing Buffalo aircraft, which were purchased in 1967, since 2004. The bidding process has been started and postponed several since since then. Bids we originally due September 28, 2015, with a contract to be awarded at some point in 2016, and deliveries taking place by 2023.

According to the Ottawa Citizen, the RCAF have extended the bidding process to January 11, 2016 at the request of the industry. The RCAF did not say which companies have asked for the extension. Earlier this year Lockheed-Martin was concerned their C-130J Super Hercules was too large to fit the requirements of the RCAF FWSAR program, and considered not bidding - so perhaps the extension is being granted for Lockheed-Martin if they choose to bid anyway. Boeing-Bell have announced that they will not bid with the V-22 Osprey, even though they believe it is the best suited for SAR.

Several companies have been interested in the contract, and have been ready for several years, just waiting for an opportunity to bid.  To see which companies are expected to bid, please see my original post when the bidding process was re-opened earlier this year. RCAF Hopeful for New SAR

Lockheed Martin C-130J to too large for RCAF FWSAR?

Bids for the replacement of the RCAF's 40 year old Buffalo fixed wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft are due in September 2015, and Lockheed Martin has not yet decided whether or not to offer a bid on the project.

Alenia (offering their C-27J Spartan) and Airbus (offering their C295) are both keen to have their bids for the project. Both have been advertising their perspective aircraft for years to industry experts.

It is not because of the two competitors that Lockheed Martin might not bid, but the size of their C-130J Hercules aircraft.  Lockheed Martin is currently going over the 4,000 page request from the Canadian Government and the RCAF for operational requirements.

Many inside Lockheed Martin feel the size of the C-130J will disqualify it from the competition, and when millions of dollars go into investing in a competition, one wants their aircraft to have a legitimate change at winning the bid. Both the C-27J Spartan and C295 are considerably smaller aircraft, which would give them a higher level of manoeuvrability in the mountainous regions of Canada where the FWSAR would be expected to operate.

So, at the moment, Lockheed Martin, has not yet decided to enter a bid into the FWSAR project.

RCAF Hopeful for New SAR planes

It has been more than 10 years since it was announced that the Canadian Governent would being looking at options to replace the DeHavilland CC-115 Buffalo aircraft used on the West Coast as Search and Rescue (SAR) planes for nearly 50 years!

But, hold your breath, that doesn't mean the Buffalo can retire yet - it will mass the half-a-centrury of service mark before new aircraft are purchased and delivered to the RCAF.

The RCAF is hopeful that Treasury Board will follow its schedule, which it currently plans on February 19, to send the bidding request to aerospace corporations for the estimated $3.1 Billion program.

With the looming Federal Election, do not expect a purchase announcement this year - even the aerospace industry knows this - but they have been ready for years and are just waiting for the official invitation to start bidding.

Alenia Aermacchi is pushing the C-27J Spartan which can be seen here at its Canadian website - painted in Canadian SAR colors to show why it is the best fit.

Airbus Military is pushing its C295 which can be seen here describing why they believe it is the best fit for Canada.

Lockheed Martin is promoting the C-130J Super Hercules (of which Canada already owns previous models)

Look for all of these companies to begin heavy lobbying for their aircraft - this has been in the planning since 2004 - and all three will push hard - and other companies may want to join the party.

C295

C-130J Super Hercules

C-27J Spartan