2023-05-18 20:01:26
OTTAWA – Disappointed that the federal government has still not made a competitive call for tenders to replace the army’s surveillance planes, Bombardier Defense is joining forces with General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada to convince Ottawa not to dismiss the aeronautical industry here.
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“Bombardier and several other Canadian companies are disappointed that the Government of Canada has still not opened a competitive, fair and transparent procurement process,” spokeswoman for Quebec aircraft manufacturer Arevig Afarian told the Journal.
For several months, the Minister of National Defense, Anita Anand, has been flirting with Boeing, which is offering to sell 14 P-8 Poseidon surveillance planes to the Canadian Armed Forces. These aircraft would replace our aging fleet of CP-140 Auroras, which will have to be retired starting in 2030. The replacement contract for these aircraft, in service since 1980, is valued at more than $5 billion.
Government of Canada
The CP-140 is a long-range patrol aircraft employed to accomplish various types of land and sea missions.
The Minister and her counterpart François Philippe Champagne, Minister of Industry, even met Boeing representatives during a recent visit to Washington.
In this context, General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada and Bombardier fear that a contract will be concluded by mutual agreement with the American giant. They also want to be able to have the ear of the government.
To convince, General Dynamics relies on its reputation as an international supplier of anti-submarine warfare technologies and airborne solutions used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance purposes. Its systems are notably found on board powerful nuclear submarines.
Not the same plane
The Global 6500 aircraft offered by the Quebec aircraft manufacturer is however very different from that of Boeing. Smaller, it is also not equipped to launch torpedoes in its original version, which would be necessary in a maritime combat situation. Bombardier says it is ready to adapt to needs by modifying its aircraft and will reveal more technical details at the end of the month.
But Norbert Cyr, formerly of the Ministry of Defense and Oerlikon Aerospace, doubts that the Quebec aircraft manufacturer and its ally can compete against Boeing’s “extremely advanced” aircraft, which is already deployed and used by our allies.
“Bombardier promises to integrate systems, but it has never been done. This creates risks, that is to say delays and additional costs, he explains. Whereas the Poseidon is turnkey.”
Boeing
Poseidon dropping a torpedo
jobs here
But Bombardier and General Dynamics brandish the economic argument, including the creation of high-calibre jobs and many opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses and the scientific community in the country. The Global 6500 is manufactured in Montreal, Ottawa and Mississauga, then assembled in Toronto.
“Bombardier employs more than 11,000 people in Canada working in various sectors and has a significant impact on Canadian economic growth. Bombardier had a contribution of nearly $ 5.7 billion to GDP in 2021, and most of it being concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Montreal and Toronto, ”underlines Ms. Afarian.
However, Mr. Cyr warns that “spending a fortune to make it a Canadian contract is a false good investment”, if in the end it costs us more and we have to make concessions on performance.
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