#RCAF capability gap

[alert5]

The Canadian Senate is Now Pushing Back Against Plans to Buy the Super Hornet for the RCAF

The National Security & Defence committee isn't a fan of Trudeau's Super Hornet purchase plan

The Canadian Senate’s Committee on National Security and Defence has urged the Trudeau government to nix plans to buy the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as a replacement for the CF-188 Hornetsthe Royal Canadian Air Force currently flies. The Committee, composed of independent, Conservative and Liberal Party senators, recently released its latest report on Canadian defense issues, Reinvesting in…

[atlanticcanada]

Military to send Cyclone helicopter, downsized force to world's largest maritime exercise amid COVID-19

When the Canadian military departs for the world's largest international maritime war-gaming exercise next week, it will be with a dramatically reduced force compared to what was initially planned.

Gone are the submarine, the coastal defence vessels and resupply ships that were slated to attend the U.S. Navy's biennial Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) in Hawaii. Gone too are the Aurora patrol planes, special operations forces and mission support personnel; all reassigned or held back from deploying due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

"We were going to throw everything we had at RIMPAC," says Maritime Forces Pacific spokesperson Lt. Chelsea Dubeau.

Instead, the Canadian contingent will consist of one Cyclone helicopter and two frigates, HMCS Regina and HMCS Winnipeg, which will depart separately from Vancouver Island starting on July 31.

The deployment of a Cyclone to the exercise just three months after six service members were killed when their Cyclone crashed at sea near Greece is a concern for one Canadian defence expert.

The April 29 crash, which is still under investigation by the military, involved a similarly ship-deployed Cyclone that was attempting to land aboard the HMCS Fredericton when a conflict arose between the aircraft's autopilot software and the flight crew's maneuvers.

In the aftermath of the crash, the military announced new restrictions on flight maneuvers for the Cyclones, but University of British Columbia professor Michael Byers says the helicopters should be grounded until a long-term fix is found. 

"This is at least the second time that the RCAF [Royal Canadian Air Force] has discovered dangerous problems with the flight software and imposed flight restrictions," Byers says, adding he worries there may be "further, as-yet-undiscovered problems" with the helicopters.

The crash off Greece was the third publicly known incident involving a Cyclone helicopter since the military accepted delivery of the aircraft in 2015.

A software problem in the flight control system of one Cyclone in March 2017 caused the helicopter to suddenly drop during a test flight. Another had a “hard landing” on board a navy support ship while deployed in the Pacific in February 2019.

While acknowledging the need for continued training on the Cyclones, Byers says the restricted maneuvers are "not a solution, especially for the long-term, since pilots in combat situations need to be able to fly to the limits of their aircraft's capabilities."

'China takes a great interest in the exercise'

Fewer than 500 Canadian Armed Forces personnel will attend the multinational exercise off Hawaii next month, a far cry from the 1,000 who attended in 2018 and the 1,500 who went in 2016. 

The exercise itself has been scaled back in light of the global coronavirus pandemic. RIMPAC 2020 will be condensed to two weeks instead of the usual six, and will be held exclusively at sea after the U.S. Navy decided to cancel the onshore exercises and social activities that have been a part of RIMPAC since its inception in 1971.

Despite the curtailments, this year's RIMPAC is essential to demonstrating Canada's security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region at a time of heightened tensions with China, according to a former vice-chief of the defence staff.

"In 2020, the Asia-Pacific (region) is even more important geo-strategically than it was in the 1970s," says retired vice-admiral Mark Norman. "China takes a great interest in the exercise and they have increased their monitoring of the exercise significantly over the past few cycles."

The Royal Canadian Navy had hoped RIMPAC 2020 would mark a triumphant return to sea for Canada's submarine fleet after a two-year deployment gap. 

The navy planned to send HMCS Victoria to the multinational exercise. However, maintenance work and upgrades to the sub were paused in the spring shortly after it completed dive tests at CFB Esquimalt following years in dry dock. 

"Obviously, with the pandemic our workforce was completely shut down, including the fleet maintenance facility," says Dubeau. 

The ongoing pandemic will be top-of-mind for RIMPAC's planners and the attending nations. While more than two dozen countries regularly attend the biennial exercise, a full roster of the nations sending hardware and personnel to this year's exercise has not been released.

"In these challenging times, it is more important than ever that our maritime forces work together to protect vital shipping lanes and ensure freedom of navigation through international waters," said U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral John Aquilino, announcing the resumption of RIMPAC in 2020. 

The exercise will include anti-submarine warfare training, maritime interdiction operations, live-fire testing and large-scale integrated warfighting scenarios to bolster readiness among allied navies in the increasingly contentious Pacific region.

"As we look at the geo-strategic military situation as it relates to the rapid and impressive expansion of China and its interests in the region, we look at the relationship between China and the United States and how that's playing out in 2020," Norman says. "These are all important indicators of a significant increase in both the importance and interest in the region that I'm not sure the organizers foresaw in the 1970s."

Following its participation in RIMPAC, HMCS Winnipeg will continue on to the Asia-Pacific region as part of the ongoing Operations Neon and Projection, supporting maritime security and contributing to the enforcement of United Nations sanctions against North Korea. 

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/2ZUFCqo

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

ON TARGET: No Real Election Divide between Liberals & Conservatives on Defence Issues

By Scott Taylor

We are now past the midway point of this year's 40 day federal election campaign. If the polls are to be trusted, Trudeau's Liberals are locked in a dead heat with the Andrew Scheer Conservatives. The public furor over Trudeau's Black face - Brown face shenanigans has seemly blown over without seriously tipping the voter balance in favour of the Conservatives. That could in part be explained by the fact that most of the electorate still recall that just four short years ago the Conservatives were proposing a snitch line for Canadians to report 'barbaric cultural practices' practiced by their immigrant neighbors.

That racist policy was admittedly one of the reasons that the Harper government was chased from power in 2015. Yet despite that election defeat, the snitch line legacy is far from history. One of the key architects and proponents of the snitch line, Chris Alexander, is running under the Scheer Conservative banner in an attempt to win back the seat he lost in the Ajax - Pickering riding last time around. This means the individual voter has to choose between Trudeau's youthful racist actions and a Conservative party that preaches racist and divisive policies..

Similarly, there is little difference between the two major parties when it comes to their policies in defence.

In his successful bid to get elected in 2015 Trudeau had made two promises regarding the military. The first was that as Prime Minister he would make Canadian Peacekeeping great again.

The sum total of action on promise was a single one year commitment of helicopter support and 250 personnel to the United Nations mission in Mali. That mission has since concluded and with only a handful of Canadian service members assigned to far flung U.N missions, it is safe to say that Canada is out of the peacekeeping game once again. There is presently no talk about peacekeeping on the election campaign trail as it would seem that politicians have realized that Canadians don't really care about our nations commitment to the U.N.

The second thing that the 2015 Liberal party promised to do if elected, was to not buy the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Jets to replace the RCAF's aging fleet of fighter aircraft.

During their four years in power, the Liberals first announced they would sole source purchase 17 new Super Hornets from Boeing to fill a short term capability gap. That deal was scrubbed when Boeing entered into a trade dispute with Bombardier, leading the Liberal party to denounce Boeing as an untrustworthy partner. Instead of Super Hornets Canada has purchased 18 legacy Hornets - of the same vintage as Canada's aging fighter fleet, to fill in the announced 'capability gap'.

The problem with this solution is that a recent Auditor General's report noted that the RCAF does not have enough pilots and ground crew to operate the planes now in service - yet the braintrust decided the answer to this dilemma was to buy more old used planes. But I digress. There is presently a competition to find a fighter jet replacement, and despite what Trudeau told voters in 2015, the F-35 is considered to be the front runner to win. In fact, Airbus withdrew from competing their Eurofighter citing the fact that the request for proposal was all but tailored to the F-35 option. 

If Conservatives are elected it is expected they will terminate the competition and simply purchase the F-35. You can also bet that Scheer will not be keen to boost our military commitment to the United Nations.

As for Canada's other current international deployments, these were all initiated under the Harper Conservatives and extended and expanded by the Liberals. Regardless of who gets into power on 21 October, expect that we will continue to support the forward deployment in Latvia, the training mission in Ukraine and the two separate contingents we have in Iraq.

As for how these two parties match up when it comes to policies on the care and welfare of our veterans, that is the grist for another column.

[rayfredm]

I was a U.S. ‘Hornet Admiral’—and I’m worried about Canada’s air force capability | National Post

I was a U.S. ‘Hornet Admiral’—and I’m worried about Canada’s air force capability | National Post

Admiral Gortney: Some have called for the purchase of used legacy Hornets to address the RCAF’s capability gap. This could pose problems down the road Source: I was a U.S. ‘Hornet Admiral’—and I’m worried about Canada’s air force capability | National Post

[mellowbelieverllama-blog]

I’m a retired U.S. Naval Aviator. I’m concerned about government’s delay in ensuring RCAF capability

I’m a retired U.S. Naval Aviator. I’m concerned about government’s delay in ensuring RCAF capability

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reopened the competition to select a fighter to replace the CF-18, two questions were raised from that decision, one with long-term implications, and one with immediate consequences. The first: when will the modernization of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fighter force be complete? The second: what will the RCAF do to mitigate the so-called capability gap…

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

Peacekeeping mission in Mali concludes

Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces

After more than a year of operations in Mali, the Air Task Force (ATF) deployed in Gao completed its mission on August 31, 2019.

An important aspect of Canada’s multi-faceted support included providing critical aeromedical evacuation, logistic and transport capabilities as part of Operation Presence-Mali.

In July 2018, an ATF composed of 250 personnel and eight Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F Chinook and CH-146 Griffon helicopters deployed to Gao, northern Mali as part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA); they were essential to the conduct of United Nations operations in remote and vulnerable areas of the country.

During the mission, the personnel deployed under Operation Presence-Mali conducted 11 aeromedical evacuations and more than 100 transport missions. Upon ceasing transport aviation tasks on July 31, 2019, RCAF helicopters had transported approximately 2,800 passengers and delivered 370,000 pounds of cargo, over more than 4,000 flying hours.

To facilitate a smooth and efficient transition with the incoming Romanian helicopter detachment, the RCAF provided four CC-177 Globemaster intra-theatre airlift flights to assist with the deployment of Romanian personnel and equipment to theatre. A small Canadian transition team will also be deployed to assist Romania in its preparations to conduct operations. This will minimize disruptions in the availability of critical capabilities to MINUSMA forces and help set up the Romanian rotation for operational success. CAF personnel also met with Canadian civilian police officers, who are deployed with MINUSMA until March 2021, and shared lessons learned in support of their ongoing work in Mali.

“The professionalism of Canadian Armed Forces members was on display throughout the past year in Mali. Successfully executing a mission of this scale in a complex and demanding environment requires a high level of resourcefulness, patience and determination,” said Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau, the commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command. “I am beyond impressed with the work our people have done to support peace operations in Africa.”

Quick facts

In March 2018, Canada committed an ATF to MINUSMA for a period of one year. The ATF became fully operational in August 2018 and provided critical aeromedical evacuation, logistics and transport support to the UN.

Since August 2018, approximately 1,250 personnel have deployed on Operation Presence-Mali in operational, logistics support and staff officer roles.

The CAF began its gradual departure from Mali on July 31 with the end of transport aviation tasks. To limit the gap between the departure of Canada’s ATF and Romania’s arrival, the ATF continued to provide standby aeromedical evacuation coverage until August 31.A small number of Canadian personnel will remain in the region until the full repatriation of the ATF equipment, expected to be completed no later than January 2020. These personnel will not be conducting aeromedical evacuation, logistics and transport support; these responsibilities will be undertaken by Romania.

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

A Gentleman's 'C'

(Volume 26-2)

By Vincent J. Curtis

Canada’s glacial fighter jet replacement project made a small advance over the last year. The problem is the advance is down the slope of Mount Mediocrity.

The French Dassault Rafale, withdrew from competition because of the requirement for interoperability with the USAF in the air defence of North America; and the matter of economic benefit to Canada. The possible third factor is that the Rafale is conceived more as a deep penetration fighter-bomber than an air superiority fighter.

There remains the following entrants: the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and Sweden’s Gripen E model. None are particularly inspiring.

The Boeing Super Hornet is probably the most sensible entrant of the group. With the United States Navy renewing its commitment to the Super-Hornet program, the RCAF wouldn’t be getting an orphan. Interoperability with the USAF is assured. Economic advantages to Canada will be met with increased work at Boeing’s facility in Western Canada. Finally, the transition from the Hornet to the Super Hornet should be the smoothest of all the entrants. The major impediment to acquiring it is the Liberal government’s spat with Boeing. Boeing accused Liberal favorite Bombardier of receiving unfair subsidies (gasp!), and blocked Bombardier exports to the US. In response, the Liberals cancelled a purchase of 18 Super Hornets that would have filled an RCAF capability gap. Instead, the government decided to acquire aging CF-18s from Crown Assets Disposal – Australia Division.

Which brings us to the Eurofighter Typhoon. A major player in the Eurofighter project is Boeing rival Airbus, who stepped in to save Bombardier from Boeing’s trade action. Airbus partnered with Bombardier to build the C-series passenger aircraft at Airbus’s Alabama facility, by-passing U.S. import rules. Economic benefit to Canada in a Eurofighter acquisition would be for Bombardier to assemble the aircraft from parts shipped from Europe. The problem with this aircraft is two-fold: it is extremely expensive, and it’s crippled by a part shortage. The German Luftwaffe has exactly four of 128 Typhoons flyable because it can’t replace a defensive electronics pod. Without the pod, the aircraft can’t carry out operational missions. Unlike America’s, the European supply chain is lacking in depth.

The Saab Gripen E model excites a lot of people, being Volvo’s take on Lockheed-Martin’s F-16. The problems are all those associated with a small, specialized supplier. The aircraft was designed to meet Sweden’s needs, and its future development will depend upon Sweden’s needs. The economic benefits to Canada remain an open question.

That leaves the F-35, which has been written about extensively in this space. The economic benefits to Canada are already settled if Canada purchases it. Its technical benefits are Gen 5 stealth and whiz-bang video-game technology. The problems are that it is expensive to buy and maintain. Its technology is unproven in actual combat. Finally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau swore a blood-oath in 2015 not to buy the F-35 because the Harper Conservatives wanted it.

Three other aircraft not on the list would lift the competition out of mediocrity. The first is Lockheed-Martin’s F-16 V, which would be acquired in two variants: a clean interceptor and air-superiority dogfighter; and a fighter-bomber, for when Canada wants to bomb another third-world hell hole with impunity. The F-16 is inexpensive and cheap to maintain, which means lots of flying time for pilots.

Second, is the brand new F-15X. The USAF believes the Gen 4 F-15 will be front-line relevant beyond the 2050s.

Finally, as proposed here, the Mark 3 Avro Arrow, Canada’s aircraft for Canada’s needs. Russia recently flew two Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela. Only the big Arrow would have had the legs to intercept them over the Atlantic.

However, no career is threatened by opting for the conventional.

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

INTERIM FIGHTER JETS: The Battle Heats Up

(Volume 24-09)

By David Pugliese

In November 2016, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced that his government was going to “enter into discussions immediately with Boeing on the acquisition of 18 Super Hornets (pictured top left) to address the [CF-18] capability gap.” In June 2017, following Boeing’s lawsuit against Bombardier, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the government was “looking at many different options” for finding 18 fighter jets as a stop-gap solution to Canada’s aging CF-18 fleet. Thus, the door could once again opened for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lighting II aircraft

These days, the Liberal government’s plan to buy interim fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force is as clear as mud.

But one thing is certain: the proposed purchase of 18 Super Hornets has turned into a dispute crossing international borders and involving the heads of state of three countries.

The process had been smoothly proceeding, with the expected purchase of 18 Boeing Super Hornets to be wrapped up by the end of 2017 or early 2018. The deal would be handled through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, with Boeing providing new fighter jets to fill the capability gap the Liberal government said the RCAF was facing in the near future.

But that multi-billion-dollar plan was thrown into limbo after Boeing filed a trade complaint in the U.S. against Bombardier of Quebec. Bombardier has denied any wrongdoing. The complaint alleges that the Canadian and Quebec governments heavily subsidize Bombardier, which in turn allows it to sell its C-Series civilian passenger aircraft in the U.S. at below-market prices. Boeing convinced the U.S. Commerce Department and International Trade Commission to launch an investigation into Bombardier.

The Liberal government then broke off direct discussions with Boeing on the Super Hornet. In an unprecedented move, various Liberal cabinet ministers voiced their public dismay with Boeing, labelling the aerospace firm as untrustworthy.  The Liberals continue talks with the U.S. government on the acquisition of the jets, but will not proceed with a purchase as long as the trade dispute is still open against Bombardier.

Two rulings on the dispute are expected, one on September 25 and the other in early October. If those rulings go in favour of Boeing, then the Super Hornet deal may be off the table once and for all.

The Liberal government has asked Boeing to withdraw its complaint.

Boeing has refused.

Boeing representatives have pointed out in the past that the issue with Bombardier is a separate one on the commercial front and should not be linked to its defence capabilities and offerings to Canada.

They have also noted that Boeing has had a long history in Canada and contributes around $3-billion U.S. annually to the country’s economy through direct employment at its Winnipeg plant and other facilities, as well as purchase of equipment and services from Canadian firms. In total, Boeing supports more than 17,000 jobs across Canada.

Marc Allen, Boeing’s president of international business, says the company is committed to long-term growth in Canada and wants to expand its presence. “We’re Canada’s largest aerospace prime,” he told Esprit de Corps. “We’re growing in Canada faster than the rest of Canadian aerospace industry.”

So, was it worth it for Boeing to have made the complaint and are there concerns it will jeopardize future defence work in Canada?

Allen says that the industry has to be governed by a clear set of rules that all companies follow. “We faced a tough decision as a company,” he acknowledged. “We recognized we just couldn’t stand by. It’s very important to us that the industry as a whole get to a place where there are clear rules that everyone plays by.”

The Liberal government’s anger doesn’t appear to be lessening against Boeing. The level of the seriousness the government assigns to the dispute prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on September 5 to phone Eric Greitens, the governor of Missouri, to reiterate his disappointment with Boeing and point out the number of Missouri jobs that depend on the manufacturing of Super Hornets that Canada could purchase.

Boeing builds Super Hornets at its plant in St. Louis, Missouri. It is believed that Trudeau is hoping the phone call would prompt Greitens to put pressure on Boeing.

“Canada is reviewing current military procurement that relates to Boeing, as Boeing is pursuing unfair and aggressive trade action against the Canadian aerospace sector. Meanwhile, Boeing receives billions in support from U.S. federal, state and municipal governments,” Trudeau’s office stated.

The issue is also being felt overseas. UK Prime Minister Theresa May phoned U.S. President Donald Trump to ask him to get involved in settling the dispute. Her government is worried Boeing’s actions could result in job losses at the Bombardier plant in Northern Ireland. “Our priority is to encourage Boeing to drop its case and seek a negotiated settlement with Bombardier,” the UK Department for Business said in statement. “This is a commercial matter but the UK government is working tirelessly to safeguard Bombardier’s operations and its highly skilled workers in Belfast.”

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan continues to insist that the capability gap, supposed to be filled by the purchase of Boeing Super Hornets as an interim fighter, will still be dealt with.

During his August 11 appearance at a defence and aerospace conference in Abbotsford, B.C., Sajjan stated the Liberal government has “many other options, so that we can fill this capability gap.”

He, however, didn’t get into details.

But it has emerged that Canadian officials were in Australia in August to examine the potential for purchasing used F-18s. “In light of Australia recently notifying all allies about their intent to dispose of their F-18 fleet, Canada visited them to inquire about the state of their equipment and spare parts,” said Department of National Defence spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier. “Although it is too early to provide detailed information about other options, we continue to work to ensure the Royal Canadian Air Force receives the critical equipment it needs, as soon as possible.”

Sajjan, however, recently told aerospace executives that he is not keen on the purchase of second-hand fighters. “I’d prefer to buy brand new versus used, but we are currently in the process, and we’ll make a decision to making sure that our members in the Canadian Armed Forces have the right tools necessary,” he said in Abbotsford, BC.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin is using the opportunity to offer Canada the F-35 as the interim fighter jet.

Jack Crisler, vice president of F-35 business development, told Esprit de Corps that the offer of the F-35 as an interim fighter jet was made June 2. Canada could acquire the jets for $80-million U.S. to $85-million U.S. each, he noted. “We left it up to them to determine,” Crisler said when asked how many jets Lockheed Martin offered to Canada.

Lockheed has long contended the F-35 is more cost effective and more advanced than the Super Hornet.

Crisler said the delivery of the F-35s would match the proposed delivery timetable that the Canadian government has planned for the Super Hornets if they are acquired.

Lockheed Martin says its F-35 fighter aircraft fleet recently exceeded 100,000 flight hours while the F-35 Integrated Test Force teams are completing the remaining requirements in the program’s system development and demonstration phase.

Charles Bouchard, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Canada, noted that the Danish government conducted a study into various fighter jet options. “Their conclusion was that the F-35 was cheaper” than other aircraft. “The aircraft is clearly working,” he added.

Matthew Luloff, a spokesman with Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office, acknowledged the Lockheed Martin offer. “We have not yet made a decision,” he added in an email. “Discussions must demonstrate that the interim fleet is appropriately capable and can be obtained at a cost, schedule, and economic value that are acceptable to Canadians.”

Lockheed Martin’s efforts were aided in mid-August when the F-35 made an appearance at the international air show in Abbotsford.

The air show featured an F-35 from the Royal Netherlands Air Force on static display, while a USAF F-35 flew in the “Heritage Flight” performance.

In the meantime, Dutch air force officers are updating their Canadian counterparts about their progress on the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets.

LGen Dennis Luyt, the head of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, said his organization has been providing updates to Canada on its F-35 purchase and aircrew training. “They are very interested in our experiences,” Luyt told Esprit de Corps in an interview at the Abbotsford air show.  “We’re on track,” he added. “It’s looking very promising.”

The Netherlands is purchasing the F-35A as the replacement for its F-16 fighter jets. The Dutch parliament approved an initial order of eight aircraft in March 2015.

The first aircraft are to be delivered in 2019 and Dutch pilots and maintenance crews are currently undergoing training in the U.S. The Netherlands will purchase up to 37 F-35s.

Luyt said if Canada does eventually buy the F-35, that acquisition would further strengthen the user group of nations operating the plane. Having allied air forces capable of being interoperable with each other is important, he added. “If we operate the same platform, it’s obviously a big thing,” Luyt explained.

Luyt said one of the other main attractions of the F-35 is that it will be constantly upgraded. “It will be state of the art for decades,” he added.

Meanwhile, the high stakes campaign for and against the Super Hornet as an interim fighter jet continued to play out through the month of September.

A day after Prime Minister Trudeau’s office released details of his phone call with Missouri’s governor, executives from Canadian-based defence and aerospace firms released details of their letter sent to Trudeau and Liberal ministers.

The executives suggested Trudeau back off his resistance to the Super Hornet purchase. “Prime Minister, we ask for your co-operation as we work with Boeing to keep our collective growth and innovation story unfolding here in Canada,” the letter noted. “Our partnership is deep and enduring, but it needs your engagement.”

Various executives from companies such as Héroux-Devtek, L-3 MAS, CAE and GE Canada signed the letter. “There is a bright opportunity in front of us that can be harvested, in a successful and mutually beneficial win for Canada, our Canadian companies, and Boeing,” added the letter.

News coverage of the letter, however, forced CAE to issue a clarification that it wasn’t attacking Bombardier, a firm that it has a long-standing partnership with. In addition, CAE provides training systems for the C Series. “CAE signed a letter as part of the Boeing Canadian Industry Team for the Canada Interim Fighter Capability Project (IFCP) Super Hornet program,” the firm noted. “The intention of the letter was to talk about the economic benefits to Canada of this potential program.”

“We are not in a position to tell Canada what platform to buy, but to simply champion our Canadian capabilities on procurements,” it added.

In addition, on September 12 the U.S. State Department for the first time outlined the extent of the proposed deal. The estimated cost of the Super Hornet package is $5.23-billion U.S., according to the notice issued by the State Department. The notice of a potential sale is required by U.S. law and does not mean the sale has been concluded, the statement added.

The price tag goes well beyond the aircraft themselves, which are estimated to cost around $77-million U.S. each. It includes advanced targeting systems, almost 170 missiles, spare parts and initial training and some maintenance.

In response to the U.S. State Department notice, Boeing released a statement that, “We are encouraged by the U.S. Government’s support for this important capability in the defense of North America.”

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

INDUSTRY WATCH: Who's Who And What's What In The Defence Sector

(Volume 24-8)

By David Pugliese

The Abbotsford International Air Show in British Columbia was a fitting backdrop for the ongoing rivalry between the Super Hornet and the F-35 in the quest to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with a new fighter jet.

Lockheed Martin highlighted its offer to the Liberal government of the F-35 as an “interim” fighter aircraft for the RCAF. The air show featured one F-35 from the Royal Netherlands Air Force on static display. A United States Air Force F-35 flew in the “Heritage Flight” performance that also included the P-51, F-16 and F-86 Sabre.

In addition, the USAF displayed other F-35 elements, such as the sophisticated helmet used by the aircraft’s pilots.

Boeing’s Super Hornet also performed aerial displays at the show, which took place in Abbotsford, BC over the weekend of August 11–13. It was also a crowd pleaser on the ground, with large numbers of individuals standing in line to get a look into the aircraft’s cockpit.

Last year, the Liberal government announced a proposal to buy 18 interim fighter jets from Boeing to deal with a capability gap facing the RCAF’s fleet of fighter aircraft, the CF-18. But that multi-billion-dollar plan to acquire Super Hornet jets has been thrown into limbo after Boeing filed a trade complaint in the U.S. against Bombardier of Quebec.

The Liberal government broke off direct discussions with Boeing on the Super Hornet but they continue talks with the U.S. government on the acquisition of the jets.

Boeing officials weren’t talking to journalists, preferring to let the process continue and see what the end result will be. However, Boeing representatives have pointed out in the past that the issue with Bombardier is a separate one on the commercial front and should not be linked to its defence capabilities and offerings to Canada. They have also noted that Boeing has had a long history in Canada and contributes around $3-billion U.S. annually to the country’s economy through direct employment at its Winnipeg plant and other facilities, as well as purchase of equipment and services from Canadian firms. In total, Boeing supports more than 17,000 jobs across Canada.

Lockheed Martin has seen opportunity in the dispute to officially offer its F-35 as an interim aircraft to supplement the RCAF’s aging CF-18 jets. Lockheed has long contended the F-35 is more cost effective and more advanced than the Super Hornet.

Lockheed Martin says its F-35 fighter aircraft fleet recently exceeded 100,000 flight hours while the F-35 Integrated Test Force teams are completing the remaining requirements in the program’s System Development and Demonstration phase.

Jack Crisler, vice president of F-35 business development, told Esprit de Corps that the offer of the F-35 as an interim fighter jet was made on June 2. Canada could acquire the jets for $80-million U.S. to $85-million U.S. each, he noted. “We left it up to them to determine,” Crisler said when asked how many jets Lockheed Martin offered to Canada.

Asked about the Lockheed Martin offer, Matthew Luloff, a spokesman with Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office, responded that the federal government continues “to explore many options to provide an interim solution to supplement the CF-18s until the permanent replacement is fully operational.”

“We have not yet made a decision,” he added in an email. “Discussions must demonstrate that the interim fleet is appropriately capable and can be obtained at a cost, schedule, and economic value that are acceptable to Canadians.”

Meanwhile, at the Aerospace, Defence and Security Expo, also held at Abbotsford, Sajjan announced that he expects a request for proposals for the full competition for a jet to replace the CF-18 fleet to be issued next spring. That competition is separate from the interim jet purchase.

The Brazilian Air Force is in the process of receiving the C-295 aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space. This aircraft has a similar configuration to the C-295W that will replace the RCAF’s six CC-115 Buffalos and legacy CC-130H Hercules, the RCAF pointed out in a news release.

Construction began in June for Canada’s C-295W aircraft and first delivery is expected in late 2019, according to the RCAF.

The C-295 crew visiting Canada included members of the Brazilian Air Force undergoing familiarization training, Airbus pilots who are supporting their training, and select members of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement Project Management Office.

The visit, organized in part by Airbus Defence and Space, allowed members of the RCAF’s search and rescue (SAR) teams, including aircrew and maintenance technicians, the chance to see and ask questions about the new aircraft. There was no time, however, to visit 14 Wing Greenwood. Airbus staff was on hand to provide personnel with an update on the progress of the procurement of the C-295W for use in the CAF.

Vancouver Shipyards recently announced the appointment of Jim Corr as Vice President – Planning & Estimating in June 2017 after joining the yard in January 2017 as a consultant. In his new role, Corr will be responsible for providing leadership and direction on network planning, detail planning and production control, as well as estimating for new ship construction.

He has over 37 years’ experience in the shipbuilding industry. He joined the company from General Dynamics BIW, where he worked on the U.S. Navy’s DDG-1000 and DDG-51 destroyer programs.

The former HMCS Preserver was transported to Marine Recycling Corporation’s facility in Sydport Industrial Park, Nova Scotia, on August 2 to be dismantled. On June 8, a contract valued at $12.6-million was awarded to Marine Recycling Corporation from Port Colbourne, Ontario, for the disposal of both the Royal Canadian Navy’s former HMCS Preserver and Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel Quest.

The Canadian government will purchase 1,148 new C6A1 FLEX general purpose machine guns from Colt Canada.

The current C6 machine guns were procured over 30 years ago. Some have been removed from service due to wear and tear and others are reaching the end of their service life, according to the Canadian military.

The new C6A1 FLEX (flexible) is designed to be carried by soldiers or attached to vehicles such as the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) produced by Textron. The new machine gun will feature a durable polymer butt stock instead of the current wooden style, according to the Canadian Forces. Additionally, soldiers will be able to attach pointing devices and optical sighting systems to the new weapon to help increase their operational effectiveness.

First deliveries of the new C6 are anticipated for September 2018 with final deliveries anticipated for June 2019. The value of the contract is $32.1-million (taxes included).

The procurement includes related equipment such as a cleaning and repair kit, spare parts, and sling to carry the weapon.

L-3 MAS, a subsidiary of L3 Technologies, has issued an order for CAE to continue providing a range of in-service support solutions for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18 aircraft. CAE will provide avionics software upgrades, integrated logistics support and data management services. L-3 MAS has been the prime contractor on the CF-18 in-service support program since 1986, and CAE has been performing systems engineering support services for the CF-18 fleet for over 30 years.

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

November 2017: Training For The Future RCAF

FEATURES:

Training for the Future RCAF:  It has become the modern trend to increase the cost effectiveness of aircrew training through simulation — and the outsourcing of training flight to private contractors. Find out what’s in store for the next generation of RCAF pilots — by David Pugliese

Operation NANOOK: Cross-cultural Training with the Canadian Rangers: Esprit de Corps photographer Richard Lawrence was on the ground (and in the air) during the CAF’s 10th annual exercise in Canada’s North. This second feature article focuses on the Arctic training exercises that took place at Rankin Inlet, Nunavut — by Richard Lawrence

‘Draft Men’ & the Battle of the Scarpe, 1918: "Act with the utmost boldness and resolution”: Prior to their trial by fire in 1918’s Battle of the Scarpe, Canadian draftees were treated roughly by seasoned veterans for their belated arrival at the front — An excerpt from Reluctant Warriors: Canadian Conscripts and the Great War (UBC Press) — by Patrick M. Dennis

STORIES:

Publisher's Letter:  We are at a crossroads in Iraq — by Scott Taylor

Interview:  Canada’s Top Commando: An interview with MGen Michael Rousseau, Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) — by Sandrine Murray

Perspectives:  Challenge & Commitment Lost: Part 3: 1987 Defence White Paper’s Total Force — “a relatively large force of lightly armed guards" — by Robert Smol

The Armchair Colonel:  Defining Terrorism: Violence in the pursuit of political aims — by Col (ret’d) Pat Stogran

Commentary:  Canada’s veterans deserve a courageous Ombudsman — by Sean Bruyea

Commentary:  Running out of time — by Vincent J. Curtis

Commentary:  Where did we go wrong in Afghanistan? — by Scott Taylor

Between the Covers:  Making Difficult Decisions in War: Putting the “Canadian” in “Royal Canadian Air Force” — An excerpt from TEN DECISIONS: Canada’s Best, Worst and Most Far-Reaching Decisions of the Second World War (Dundurn Press) — by Larry D. Rose

Perspectives:  Sharing a Friendship & Tradition: Child amputees carry on Remembrance legacy

Perspectives:  Infanteer to Commissionaire: There’s no after-life like it for Russ Treadwell — by Micaal Ahmed

In the News:  Filling the Capability Gap: Scrambling to find an interim fighter jet solution — by David Pugliese

Eye on Industry:  Rolling Into Action: Canadian Army to take delivery of new SMP trucks — by David Pugliese

Historica Canada’s The Memory Project:  Korean War veteran Ron Carruth, who served with 1st Battalion, PPCLI 

Cadet Corner:  Transferable Skills for Cadets: Developing leadership, self-confidence & decision-making — by Capt. Karina Smith, National Cadets & Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group  

WWII:  The Endless Battle: The Battle of Hong Kong takes a heavy toll on the men of The Royal Rifles of Canada in December 1941 — by Andy Flanagan

The Old Guard:  Trees of Remembrance … Anniversary of a tragedy … Hurricane relief … Defining a veteran… etc. —  by Les Peate

Industry Watch:  Who's who and what's what in the defence sector — by David Pugliese 

Trivia:  Test your knowledge of military history against quizmaster Les Peate

Letters to the Editor

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

LIBERAL DEFENCE POLICY REVIEW

(VOUME 24-6)

By David Pugliese

The Liberal government rolled out its long-awaited defence policy review on June 7, promising large-scale spending increases over a decade-long period.

Over the next 10 years, defence spending will increase from $18.9-billion in 2016–17 to $32.7-billion in 2026–27, according to Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Most of the spending increases are projected after the next federal election or near the end of that decade-long period.

More troublesome is that Sajjan continually avoided answering questions from journalists on where the new money would come from. Instead, he repeatedly stated that the Liberal government was committed to providing the funding the Canadian Armed Forces needed in the future.

The policy review contained a list of key equipment programs. Many of them would be recognizable to defence observers and industry officials since they have either been on the military’s requirement lists for years or have been featured in the Defence Acquisition Guide.

In some cases, such as the program to replace the CF-18 fighter jet fleet, the Liberals have provided new details. They say they will buy 88 advanced fighter jets to replace the CF-18s. This number of aircraft will be required to fully meet Canada’s North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and NATO obligations simultaneously, the Liberal government noted.

Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said the 88 aircraft would be the full fleet replacement. As the aircraft are delivered, Canada would remove the CF-18s as well as any interim fighter jets from the flight line, he added.

The purchase of those aircraft would cost between $15-billion and $19-billion. Details were not provided, however, on what long-term maintenance costs the Royal Canadian Air Force would face once the planes are acquired.

Sajjan also committed to acquiring a specific number of Canadian Surface Combatants (CSCs). The Royal Canadian Navy originally wanted 15 CSCs, but the Conservative government’s $26-billion budget would not have paid for that number of vessels.

“This plan fully funds for the first time the Royal Canadian Navy’s full complement of 15 Canadian Surface Combatant ships necessary to replace the existing frigates and retired destroyers,” Sajjan said during the June 7 news conference. “Fifteen, not up to 15 and not 12, and definitely not six, which is a number the previous government’s plan would have paid for as the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported last week.”

The Liberal defence policy would set aside between $50-billion and $60-billion for the CSC program.

In addition, the Royal Canadian Navy’s Victoria-class submarines would undergo incremental modernization in the mid-2020s, which will ensure their continued effectiveness to the 2040s. That program is estimated to cost between $1.5-billion and $3-billion.

The size of the Canadian Forces would increase to around 71,000 (and it would include a boost for Canada’s special forces with an additional 605 personnel).

In addition, the Canadian Forces would increase the number of women in the ranks. Females will make up 25 per cent of the military by 2026, according to the policy.

The defence policy also provides for an income tax break on salaries earned while overseas. “In order to ensure that Canadian Armed Forces members are treated equally on deployment, all troops deployed on any named international operations will be exempted from paying federal income tax on their salary to the level of lieutenant-colonel,” the defence policy noted. “This is in addition to the allowances awarded to compensate for hardship and risk.”

The chief of the defence staff is the authority to designate those “named operations,” according to the policy. The initiative is retroactive to January 2017.

Canada will also grow and enhance its cyber capabilities by creating a new Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Operator occupation.

The new occupation will compliment the capability Canada already has in cyber space, according to Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance.

“Canada has the ability to conduct active and offensive cyber operations and those operations will be undertaken consistent with the rule of law, consistent with the law of armed conflict in a very disciplined targeting cycle that can achieve the effects within the theatre of operations,” Vance said.

The reserves would increase to 30,000 — a boost of 1,500 personnel. Reserves will be assigned new roles including light urban search and rescue; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence; combat capabilities such as direct fire, mortar and pioneer platoons and other roles such as cyber operators; intelligence operators; naval security teams; and linguists.

Canada also committed to NORAD modernization, but that is to take place at a later date. Sajjan suggested that new surveillance systems could be added to expand the amount of information that NORAD will collect.

“We will enter discussions with our U.S. counterparts on NORAD modernization that will include replacing the North Warning System with new technology and it will include an all-perils approach to protecting against the full range of threats including air, maritime and underwater threats,” Sajjan said.

The defence policy also calls for the following new equipment or initiatives:

Purchase of new multi-mission aircraft to replace the CP-140 Aurora fleet in the 2030s.

Replacement of the CC-150 Polaris with next generation strategic air-to-air tanker transport.

Replacement of the CC-138 Twin Otter with utility transport aircraft.

Acquisition of a medium altitude remotely piloted system (drones).

Modernization of short-range air-to-air missiles (fighter aircraft armament).

Upgrade of avionics on CH-149 Cormorant.

Upgrade of the C-130Js with new software and hardware.

Limited upgrade of the Griffon helicopters.

Upgrade of the lightweight torpedoes currently used by the RCN and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Acquisition of 20,000 new assault rifles with upgraded sights and barrels.

Purchase of ground-based air defence systems and associated munitions capable of protecting all land-based force elements from enemy airborne weapons.

Modernization of improvised explosive device (IED) detection and defeat capabilities.

Equipping of Canadian Army light forces with utility terrain vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, trailers, lightweight generators and tents, radio rebroadcast kits, long-range communications equipment, special insertion/extraction equipment, and aerial delivery kits to enable deployment and operations in complex terrain and challenging operating environments.

Upgrade of the light armoured vehicle (LAV) fleet to improve mobility and survivability.

Modernization of logistics vehicles, heavy engineer equipment and light utility vehicles. Also replace obsolete material handling equipment such as bulldozers and cranes for domestic and expeditionary operations.

Modernization of land-based command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

Acquisition of all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and larger tracked semi-amphibious utility vehicles optimized for use in the Arctic environment.

Acquisition of a new multipurpose anti-armour, anti-structure weapon system.

Upgrade of air navigation, management, and control systems.

Acquisition of aircrew training systems. This would involve the delivery of a new and cohesive training program that replaces the current Pilot, Air Combat Systems Officer and Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator training systems. This capability will improve the RCAF’s ability to train sufficient numbers of aircrew for various roles.

Acquisition of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms for Canadian special forces.

Purchase of new commercial pattern SUV-type armoured vehicles for special forces.

Modernization and enhancement of Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), control and communications information systems, and computer defence networks.

Purchase of next generation Special Operations Forces integrated soldier system equipment, land mobility, and maritime mobility platforms and fighting vehicle platforms.

Improvement of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) detection and response capabilities.

Highlighting Arctic Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) as a defence research and development priority.

Replacement of the current RADARSAT system to improve the identification and tracking of threats and improve situational awareness of routine traffic in and through Canadian territory.

Acquisition of new armoured combat support vehicles. This project will replace aging armoured command vehicles, ambulances, and mobile repair teams with a modern, well-protected fleet.

Modernization of the Army’s bridge and gap crossing capabilities. This is needed since existing systems cannot support the weight of many current Canadian Army vehicle types.

Acquisition of a tactical narrowband satellite system. This would provide narrowband near-global communications between 65 degrees South and 65 degrees North latitudes to provide assured, secure, and reliable communications in support of Canadian and international operations.