By Tim Ryan

Defence Minister Bill Blair has announced that Canada and Australia will be working together on research on how to defend against the emerging missile threat. Blair highlighted the concern about various adversaries developing advanced cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons which combine high speed, increasing range, and manoeuvrability.

Under the agreement, Defence Research and Development Canada and the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group will collaborate on research to understand emerging missile threats, as well as develop detection, monitoring, targeting and counter- measure technologies.

Canada and Australia are each contributing up to $237 million over five years toward the project.

The Canadian government announced that two competitive contracts have been awarded to Rheinmetall Canada Inc., located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. These two contracts are for the acquisition of Enhanced Recovery Capability (ERC) vehicles, equipment and in-service support (ISS) for that purchase.

The acquisition contract, with an estimated value of $374 million, is for a period of approximately five years and will deliver 85 ERC vehicles, 24 armoured cabs, associated ancillary equipment and integrated logistics support. The contract includes options to procure additional vehicles and armoured cabs.

The ISS contract, with an initial estimated value of $30.4 million, will cover an initial contract period of eight years, plus option periods of up to 16 years. Work will include repair and overhaul, major repairs, spares replenishment and additional work requests once the vehicles are delivered.

Serving as prime contractor, Rheinmetall Canada will replace the CAF’s heavy logistic vehicle wheeled recovery fleet with 85 HX 8x8 trucks, each equipped with a heavy towing and recovery module. This will provide the CAF with enhanced capabilities to effectively recover and tow their latest generation of heavier armoured and logistical vehicles.

The new HX heavy recovery vehicles also provide additional capabilities, such as an integrated rotary crane that can be used for container handling and for other crane work.

The first deliveries of the vehicles is scheduled for 2027.

The ERC project team will be led by Rheinmetall Canada, a leading system integrator in the defence and security industry. Rheinmetall Canada will be supported by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, a German-Austrian logistic vehicle manufacturer; Miller Industries Towing Equipment, a supplier of towing and recovery equipment located in the United States; and Rotzler Holding, a manufacturer of hydraulic winches and winch systems based in Germany with operations in Canada.

“Together, this strong team will provide a sophisticated best-in-class recovery solution that will enable the CAF to fulfil its tasks in support of Canadian national interests. This vehicle is an extraordinary system which will meet Canada’s needs for decades to come. Moreover, Canada is now joining an elite group of operators of the HX recovery platform and will benefit from other nations’ experience with the system.” stated Pietro Mazzei, President and CEO of Rheinmetall Canada.

Following an Invitation to Qualify that was issued on August 23, 2019, five suppliers were qualified. The Request for Proposal was released to those suppliers on November 25, 2022, and the bidding closed on September 20, 2023. The bid evaluation was completed on April 4, 2024.

The ERC project was first announced as part of Canada's 2017 defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.

National Defence is in negotiations with the Edmonton International Airport to formalize an agreement for the location of the new Western Main Operating Base (MOB-West) for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CC-330 Husky Fleet.

The location for MOB-West will complement the fleet’s MOB-East location at 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario. That location was announced by Defence Minister Blair on March 8, 2024. The new MOB-West location is expected to include a hangar, operations, maintenance, logistics/warehousing, and training and administrative spaces to support RCAF operations for the CC-330 Husky aircraft.

The Main Operating Base – West for Canada’s CC-330 Husky fleet will enable the RCAF to better support its commitments to NORAD and will be key to enabling the RCAF to secure our Arctic airspace. The CC-330 Husky provides the Canadian Armed Forces with a modern air-to-air refuelling, passenger transport, aeromedical evacuation, and strategic transport of Government of Canada officials.

Further reading:

https://defenceobserver.ca

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/ottawa-examined-as-permanent-base-for-new-refueling-planes-but-ultimately-rejected-rcaf-documents

SkyAlyne and KF Aerospace are buying 19 advanced Airbus H135 helicopters for the Royal Canadian Air Force Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. (Photo courtesy SkyAlyne)

By David Pugliese

SkyAlyne and KF Aerospace announced Nov. 4 the signing of the purchase agreement with Airbus Helicopters in Canada to acquire 19 advanced Airbus H135 helicopters for the Royal Canadian Air Force Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program.

The contract, executed by KF Aerospace on behalf of SkyAlyne for the FAcT program, secures production slots with aircraft deliveries beginning in mid-2026, according to the companies.

SkyAlyne says it will partner with Airbus Helicopters on the project. Based in Fort Erie, Ontario, Airbus Helicopters in Canada manufactures components for Airbus’ global supply chains locally. Additionally, the H135s being acquired by SkyAlyne for the RCAF will be completed in Canada at the Fort Erie facility.

The H135 is viewed by the companies as the ideal rotary wing training aircraft for the RCAF, with a well-earned reputation with global customers for performance, endurance, and cost-effective operations. The twin-engine helicopter with advanced avionics will be a cornerstone of the RCAF rotary-wing fleet for decades to come, according to SkyAlyne and KF Aerospace.

The H135 is currently in use by twelve other militaries, including in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The 25-year FAcT program, awarded to SkyAlyne in spring 2024, is currently in a five-year transition period to become the sole Pilot and Aircrew training program for the RCAF, as the three current separate RCAF training programs conclude, and their responsibilities are combined into FAcT.

The FAcT program is overseen from a Joint Management Office at SkyAlyne’s Ottawa headquarters, with three operational bases: Moose Jaw, SK, Southport, MB, and Winnipeg, MB.

When operational, Canada’s H135 fleet will be operated jointly with the RCAF and based at 15 Wing’s 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School, located at Southport Aerospace Centre, in Southport, MB.

Kevin Lemke, General Manager, SkyAlyne, said securing the Airbus H135 fleet for the RCAF is an important milestone for the FAcT program as it solidifies a core element of the program schedule. “The selection of the state-of-the-art H135 from Airbus Helicopters contributes meaningfully to the Canadian economy and SkyAlyne is proud to be building a world-leading Pilot and Aircrew training program for the RCAF while supporting Canadian jobs,” he added.

Tracy Medve, Board Chair, SkyAlyne; President, KF Aerospace, noted that from the outset, the firm recognized the pivotal role that selecting the right aircraft would play in ensuring the long-term success of the FAcT program. “With the Airbus H135, we’re confident in a choice that meets both the RCAF’s stringent training requirements for rotary-wing pilot training and our commitment to operational excellence,’’ she added.

SkyAlyne is a team of defence, training, simulation, and aviation industry experts assembled from across Canada, working to prepare the next generation of RCAF pilots and aircrew. It was formed in 2018 as a partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace. The partnership was built to jointly answer the call for the Canadian government’s FAcT program. In 2023 SkyAlyne was named the preferred bidder, and in 2024, was officially contracted to partner with the RCAF and deliver the FAcT program.

*Canada has awarded a $1.85 billion contract to Lockheed Martin Canada for the renewal of combat system integration in-service support for the Halifax-class frigates. (DND photo)*

The Canadian government has awarded a contract valued at up to $1.85 billion to Lockheed Martin Canada for the renewal of combat system integration in-service support (CSI ISS) for the Halifax-class frigates.

The renewal of this contract will ensure continued CSI service support until the end-of-life expectancy is reached for the Halifax-class frigates, coinciding with the gradual arrival of the new fleet of River-class destroyer ships.

The Halifax-class patrol frigates are the backbone of the Royal Canadian Navy’s operational capability.

The initial CSI ISS contract was awarded through a competitive procurement process to Lockheed Martin Canada in November 2008. The initial CSI ISS contract ensured ongoing maintenance and updates to the combat management system (CMS) 330 until November 6, 2024.

The new CSI ISS contract provides ongoing maintenance, updates and other specialized supports for the CMS 330 onboard the RCN’s 12 Halifax-class frigates. The services also include support for associated shore-based engineering, training and testing. This service support will be from November 2024 to March 2034. The contract includes 13 additional one-year option periods, which could extend the contract up to March 2047.

The CMS 330 is the central component of the integrated combat system fitted on the Halifax-class ships. It’s a system designed to integrate and control the various sensors, weapons and information sources of the ships to optimize situational awareness and decision-making.

The in-service support activities are performed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Esquimalt, British Columbia, and at various locations in the National Capital Region.

Lockheed Martin recently announced it is partnering with RaceRocks, an Indigenous, women-owned training and software company based in Victoria, British Columbia. RaceRocks will create modernized training solutions.

This $1.6 million contract will support the development of adaptive learning capabilities over the next three years. The idea is to revolutionize military training by ensuring that only the required training is delivered at the point and time of need. This will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of force generation across Canada, according to Lockheed Martin.

RaceRocks has a decade-long history of delivering quality immersive training products and decision-making tools for aerospace and defence clients, Lockheed Martin noted.

Through its Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) obligations, Lockheed Martin Canada is partnering with RaceRocks to develop the adaptive learning engine.

The project will build out Lockheed’s total learning architecture (MENTOR) and contribute to the growth of RaceRocks’ Adenine platform—a multi- tenant, total learning enclave focused on delivering individualized, immersive learning experiences.

More broadly, this initiative will enhance research and development efforts in the Canadian aerospace and defence industry, advancing technology solutions for training, including immersive simulations, AI- driven adaptive learning tools, and innovative training and learning systems, Lockheed Martin added in its news release.

“RaceRocks and Lockheed Martin Canada will provide the best solutions for the training assessor and the student,” said Glenn Copeland, general manager, Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary and Mission Systems. “As a former Canadian Armed Forces warfare officer and head of Tactics and Training, I recognize the requirement for persistent, objective student assessment is overdue.’’

“This partnership directly aligns with RaceRocks’ goals by driving growth and innovation, which are important to Canada’s economy,” added Anita Pawluk, CEO and president of RaceRocks. “Additionally, it strengthens our role as an Indigenous-owned business, furthering our commitment to increasing Indigenous participation the aerospace and defence industry.

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