Inside a fully equipped CAF mobile dental clinic — a mobile workspace or “kitted shelter” converted by DEW Engineering.
(volume 23-12)
By David Puglies
DEW Engineering and Development delivers mobile workspaces on time and on budget.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced December 7 the delivery of the last mobile workspaces from DEW Engineering for use by the Canadian Armed Forces as medical and dental clinics, workshops, field kitchens and command posts.
The mobile workspaces or “kitted shelters” are equipped with items including work benches, electronic and office equipment, power generators, and tools, the Canadian Armed Forces pointed out. The equipment (kitting) transforms the shelters, which are container-based workspaces that provide environmental protection, into functional units providing crucial support services.
The new mobile workspaces from DEW were bought as part of the Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) project that aims to modernize the military’s fleet of logistical trucks and mobile workspaces. They were delivered on time and on budget, the Canadian government pointed out.
“The successful delivery of the these kitted shelters shows how the government is leveraging procurements to create jobs and economic benefits for all Canadians, while supporting the Armed Forces and ensuring taxpayers get value for money,” Procurement Minister Judy Foote said in a statement.
DEW Engineering was contracted to deliver a total of 994 (plus one prototype) baseline (empty) shelters. Delivery was completed in February 2015. DEW was also contracted to deliver 846 kits to convert the empty shelters into functional units. Total value of contracts awarded is $233-million.
L-3 MAS has appointed Marc LeBlanc as Senior Director, Business Development. LeBlanc has more than 30 years of experience in the aerospace and defence sector and will be responsible for leadingL-3 MAS’s growth into the future. He has been with L-3 MAS for nine years, most recently as Director, Business Development, the company noted.
Two Commissionaires from Commissionaires Kingston Division received Professionalism Awards from 8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, for their quick actions to avoid an incident at the RCAF base in Trenton, Ontario.
Commissionaires Alan McDonald and Art Burke received Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Safety Professionalism Awards for their actions in spotting a panel that was hanging loose on a CC-150 Polaris Airbus A-310 as it was taxiing.
After the incident was quickly reported, the plane returned to the apron where the problem was resolved. The plane continued its flight without incident.
“We are extremely proud of the responsiveness of our two airfield security Commissionaires at the CFB Trenton Air Force Base,” Mike Voith, CEO of Commissionaires Kingston Division, said in a statement. “Their attentiveness averted a potentially serious incident that may have harmed personnel and/or damaged the aircraft. Receiving the Flight Safety Professionalism Award is a special recognition of their diligence and watchfulness. We’re very honoured to have their work recognized.”
In early December, Lieutenant-General Rob Verkerk, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, highlighted the successful testing with Low Frequency Active Passive Sonar (LFAPS) onboard HMNS Van Amstel. He called LFAPS a “Quantum leap in the field of submarine warfare.”
Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems of Dartmouth says it was pleased to have supported the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) through the development of the LFAPS hardware.
The trial demonstrated the LFAPS’s abilities to mono-statically and bi-statically detect and track a diesel-electric submarine, in challenging environmental conditions, in littoral waters, Ultra Electronics pointed out.
The Canadian Army is in the process of getting ready for its new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV).
A ground-breaking ceremony was recently held for a new facility to house Textron SystemsCanada’s TAPVs as well as Armoured Engineer Vehicles (AEV) at 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton.
3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton requires this new facility to shelter 43 TAPV and 14 of the 18 AEV that will be delivered to this location starting in 2017, the Canadian military noted.
The remaining four AEV will be housed in existing facilities on base. Five units on base will benefit from the additional storage and maintenance space to carry out their daily tasks as well as safely and effectively maintain the new equipment, the military added in a news release. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of January 2018.
In addition, newly constructed facilities for the Textron vehicles were opened at 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier. Those facilities, completed three months ahead of schedule, will house 129 new TAPVs, provide maintenance bays and cleaning space for the vehicles and equipment, and classrooms for the training of seven units on the base.
New facilities for the TAPV are also being constructed in Gagetown, New Brunswick and Petawawa, Ontario. Existing facilities in Meaford, Ontario and Shilo, Manitoba will require renovation and/or additions.
The Halifax-class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension (HCM/FELEX) project is now complete.
HMCS Toronto, on the East Coast, has now completed the refit portion of its modernization by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. That means all 12 frigates, five on the West Coast and seven on the East Coast, have completed the refit portion of their modernization, according to the Royal Canadian Navy.
HMCS Toronto will now undergo tests and trials; two other frigates are going through similar reactivation phases, according to the Navy.
The HCM/FELEX project included a new combat management system purchased from Lockheed Martin Canada, as well as new radar capability, a new electronic warfare system, and upgraded communications technologies and missiles.
The Halifax-class Modernization (HCM) program represents an investment of $4.3-billion and allows the frigates to serve the Navy until the early to mid-2030s.
The first modernized frigates re-entered service in late 2014. Currently, nine of the Navy’s 12 frigates are capable of being employed on operations and exercises around the world. Three frigates are in their reactivation phase.
