Re: Royal Canadian Air Force

by Maverick Thu 20 Oct 2022, 7:16 pm

Fighter squadron commander removed from post after probe into sexually explicit pilot call sign

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Oct 20, 2022

Royal Canadian Air Force - Page 2 Fighters-nato-20160804

CBC News

by **Braven** Fri 21 Oct 2022, 7:12 pm

Statement From the Office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal - Service Infraction Charges laid against Royal Canadian Air Force Officers

October 20, 2022

Statement

by Lonestar Mon 12 Dec 2022, 7:21 am

Derogatory fighter pilot call sign was homophobic and targeted RCAF woman officer

Two senior air force officers will face hearings on Monday over allegations they failed to stop the fighter pilots from assigning the offensive call sign. A junior officer was also charged with undermining discipline, efficiency or morale.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Dec 12, 2022

A fighter pilot call sign at the heart of disciplinary actions against Royal Canadian Air Force officers was based on an abusive and derogatory comment against a woman military member as well as the LGBTQ+ community.

Two senior officers were charged in October for allegedly failing to stop a group of fighter pilots from assigning an offensive call sign to another member.

The hearings are to be closed to the news media.

A number of junior officers are also facing administrative action but the RCAF has declined to provide details on numbers of individuals or the actions that have been taken against them.

The incident reignites concerns about the culture and attitudes within the Canadian Forces. The Canadian Forces has been trying to deal with sexual misconduct for decades and in 2015 launched yet another crackdown on such actions.

In June, a group of fighter pilots from Cold Lake, Alta., gathered to discuss a nickname for a new aviator.

The call sign, which would be used to identify the pilot and would be written on their CF-18 fighter aircraft, was based on the male pilot’s consensual relationship with a female Canadian Forces officer. The woman later entered into a consensual same-sex relationship.

As a result, the RCAF fighter pilots assigned him the call sign FAWG, which stood for “F—-d A Woman Gay.”

Royal Canadian Air Force spokesperson Maj. Trevor Reid said the military was not releasing details on the call sign because it did not want to cause further harm.

But the call sign has already circulated on Canadian military social media forums and has been sent to this newspaper by military sexual misconduct survivors to illustrate just how toxic military culture remains.

Members of the military 2SLGBTQI (Two Spirit/Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer/Intersex) consulted by this newspaper recommended details of the call sign be published to show the abuse they still had to deal with.

Defence Minister Anita Anand received an email Dec. 8 from a military member who pointed out the call sign showed “just how useless culture change is.”

“The Air Force wants this to go away as quickly and quietly as possible,” the email also noted.

In response to the call sign and the email she received about the offensive term, Anand told this newspaper her top priority was “to build a modern military where all members feel protected and respected by their own colleagues — and where our senior leaders’ conduct is beyond reproach. I was appalled and deeply concerned to hear of this unacceptable incident and believe that our military must uphold the highest standards of professionalism. I expect the Chain of Command to respond to this type of conduct with the seriousness that is required.”

The email to Anand pointed out RCAF leadership only took action after a formal complaint was made, even though 30 military members were involved in the meeting in June when the nickname was created and did not object to the offensive call sign.

The call signs are meant to bolster morale and camaraderie in the largely male fighter pilot community.

A female military member complained about this incident and military police were brought in to investigate.

A junior officer was also charged with undermining discipline, efficiency or morale for having participated in the assignment of an inappropriate call sign. The RCAF said it had “applied separate administrative measures as a disciplinary response. Furthermore, administrative measures have also been imposed on a number of other officers who were present at the event, ranging in rank from Second Lieutenant to Major.”

Some retired Canadian military personnel have seized on the call sign issue to highlight their complaints the forces have become too politically correct and have brought in discipline where none was warranted. But others online have pointed to the incident as further evidence that, even in 2022, Canadian military culture remains toxic.

The senior military leadership was warned earlier this year in a report that young Canadians had little interest in joining the Canadian Forces and that ongoing sexual misconduct scandals were having an impact on recruiting. A March 31 study on views of the Canadian Forces noted typical comments from young Canadians. “I think it is a culture of predominantly toxic masculinity,” one young woman told researchers. “And I think it could take decades to try to overhaul.”

The air force says call signs help build a sense of team and identity among fighter pilots and to break down barriers between different rank levels. They also benefit communications in the air.

Assigning call signs “is meant to foster esprit de corps,” RCAF spokesperson Col. Adam Thomson said previously. “The call sign has a practical purpose and is used for brevity and quick identification while removing some flight leadership barriers that may arise by rank or position.”

“Call signs are typically assigned at a unit social gathering in a location like a mess or unit social area,” Thomson noted in an email.

“Often these stories recount a challenge, instance or success particular to a member. These stories inspire an individual’s call sign. Possible call signs are suggested by peers and are voted on by the group.”

With files from The Canadian Press.

Defence Watch

by **Rockarm** Tue 13 Dec 2022, 5:14 am

Canadian military officers handed guilty verdict, reprimanded after inappropriate 'call sign'

Published Dec. 13, 2022

Royal Canadian Air Force - Page 2 Cf-18-1-6192234-1670909329754

OTTAWA - The Royal Canadian Air Force says two military officers have been handed reprimands and minor suspensions of pay for failing to enforce the military's orders on preventing and addressing sexual misconduct.
The charges and disciplinary actions stem from an informal meeting known as a "call sign review board" on June 22 at one of Canada's two main fighter jet bases, 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alberta.

Former fighter pilots have described such review boards as informal meetings after major training exercises or operations in which pilots assign nicknames, or call signs, to newer members over drinks.

The Air Force says that during the meeting in June, several fighter pilots proposed, discussed and assigned an "inappropriate" call sign for another pilot.

Col. Colin Marks is being deprived of eight days of pay after his guilty verdict at a summary hearing, and Lt.-Col. Corey Mask is losing five days of pay.

The Air Force says in a statement that the decisions did not mark the end of the matter as a broader cultural shift is underway.

The message shared by Air Force spokesman Maj. Trevor Reid described the summary hearings, which took place in front of 50 members of 4 Wing, as a "non-penal and non-criminal process used to fairly address breaches of military discipline at a unit level."

The statement, sent to Air Force members, said it must learn from the incident "in order to further evolve our culture into one of absolute respect, where each of us can bring our best selves to the operation and organization every day."

It added that the Air Force "is taking measures to formalize the tradition of call-sign review boards to provide proper oversight, and ensure they are conducted in a manner that is in line with the Air Force’s values."

Air Force commander Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny had first revealed an investigation into the June 22 meeting when he announced in August that a ceremony to install Marks as commander of Canada's other fighter jet base, 3 Wing in Bagotville, Que., was being delayed.

Both officers were charged in October, but news of the charges and summary trials were only revealed late last month.

The charges were not criminal in nature, and their hearings were conducted by other officers in Cold Lake, Alta., who the Air Force said were distant enough to "ensure impartiality in the decisions rendered." Neither hearing was open to the public.

A third, more junior officer was also charged with undermining discipline or morale for what the Air Force has said was participating in the assignment of an "inappropriate call sign."

The charge against that officer, whose name has not been released, was later dropped and the officer instead received what the military calls administrative measures.

Administrative measures, which typically involve warnings and reprimands, have also been imposed other officers ranging in rank from second lieutenant to major, Reid said.

The case against Marks and Mask cast a spotlight on a long-standing tradition in Canada's military of assigning call signs at a time when the military is still dealing with the fallout from a rash of inappropriate — and in some cases criminal — behaviour by senior officers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2022.

The Canadian Press

by **Spider** Mon 19 Dec 2022, 10:01 am

Air Force to add oversight after officers lose pay over 'egregious' pilot call sign

Published Dec. 19, 2022

The Canadian Press

by **Kizzer** Tue 20 Dec 2022, 4:09 pm

Air Force reinstates officers disciplined for 'egregious' fighter pilot call sign

Published Dec. 20, 2022

Royal Canadian Air Force - Page 2 Cf-18-1-6202351-1671553595303

The Canadian Press

by **Joker** Mon 16 Jan 2023, 7:52 pm

Purchase of new planes to replace 50-year Twin Otter military aircraft now on hold

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 16, 2023

A project to replace the 50-year-old Canadian military aircraft used in the Arctic is on hold despite the Liberal government’s claim it is committed to improving northern defences.

Instead of purchasing new planes, the government is now looking at further extending the life of the four-aircraft fleet, first purchased in 1971.

“We are also conducting an evaluation of the fleet’s Estimated Life Expectancy in order to determine what additional work would be required,” National Defence noted in a statement Monday to this newspaper.

“The Twin Otter remains a robust, versatile aircraft that continues to serve the RCAF exceptionally well in the conduct of Northern Operations.”

The acquisition process for the new planes was supposed to start next year with the delivery of the first aircraft in 2027.

The Liberal government committed to replacing the Twin Otters in its 2017 defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, which focused in part on the Arctic. In June, the Liberals announced plans to invest in continental security, again with an emphasis on protecting the north. The Liberal government promised to spend more than $40 billion over the next 20 years.

The replacement of the Twin Otters was seen by industry as a relatively straight forward purchase of a small number of planes at a cost of between $250 million and $499 million.

But in 2017 the Liberal government announced it was extending the life of the Twin Otters, also known as CC-138s. Structural components, namely the wings, were replaced on the aircraft. That process will allow the Twin Otters to fly until at least 2025, according to National Defence.

The first life extended aircraft was delivered in August 2018. The fourth and final aircraft arrived in June 2020, according to National Defence.

National Defence noted in its statement that the new wings will allow the planes to fly another 33,000 hours.

The avionics on the aircraft will also be eventually updated but no timeline was provided for that process.

But the latest decision to put the purchase of new planes on hold and potentially extend the life of the four Twin Otters beyond 2025 doesn’t solve the main problem with the fleet; with only four aircraft, the fleet is limited in what it can do in the vast Arctic.

“At present, the current CC-138 fleet does not have the capacity to support the majority of taskings,” RCAF Col. Dave Pletz, director air requirements, told industry representatives in Ottawa on April 7, 2022. A copy of his briefing to defence companies was obtained by this newspaper.

The Twin Otters have been the military’s workhorses for Arctic operations for decades. They are considered well suited for the north because of the aircraft’s ability to conduct short take offs and landings as well as landing on ice and snow, according to National Defence.

Nine CC-138 Twin Otters were purchased in 1971. Four remain in service today and are based in Yellowknife, N.W.T.

The primary role of 440 Transport Squadron, which operates the Twin Otter, is airlift, utility and liaison flights in support of Joint Task Force North, the Canadian Rangers, and other Canadian Armed Forces activities in the North, including sovereignty patrols.

The Twin Otter is one of the most successful Canadian-built aircraft in history. As many as 844 were delivered to customers in 76 nations.

Members of Parliament were informed on Dec. 30 by Public Services and Procurement Canada that deadlines for the Twin Otter replacement program were “under review.” That development was presented in the department’s procurement report to the House of Commons’ government operations and estimates committee.

Public Services and Procurement Canada did not explain to MPs why the project was being delayed.

In June 2022, Defence Minister Anita Anand downplayed concerns about problems in the country’s military procurement system, instead stating that there are many success stories.

In addition, National Defence boasted to parliament in 2021 that military equipment procurement were not only well managed but all programs are within budget and on schedule.

Defence Watch

by Spartan Fri 10 Feb 2023, 4:47 pm

RCAF Cormorant to be similar to Norwegian AW101-612; some capability will differ

BY CHRIS THATCHER | FEBRUARY 6, 2023

Over the next six years, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fleet of CH-149 Cormorants will receive what is being called a “mid-life upgrade.” In reality, the overhaul program will deliver an almost brand-new search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopter.

In December, the federal government awarded contracts to Leonardo U.K. and Montreal-based CAE to upgrade systems, sensors, engines, and the airframe of the 20-year-old Cormorants to the latest standard of the AW101 helicopter, and deliver a flight simulator to a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) training center.

The two contracts, valued at up to C$1.24 billion, cap a lengthy and, at times, difficult negotiation with Leonardo to find a solution within the government’s budget that also met RCAF requirements.

In May 2018, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) announced it would begin sole-source talks with Leonardo for an upgrade program after the Italian company submitted an unsolicited proposal the month before to bring the current CH-149 fleet of 14 aircraft up to the same standard as the new Norwegian AW101-612 All-Weather Search-and-Rescue Helicopter. “Using this already established configuration accelerates the project considerably,” PSPC stated.

At the same time, the department said it would seek to expand the fleet by as many as seven new helicopters, allowing the RCAF to return the Cormorant to 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario. The squadron currently supports SAR calls with a fleet of five much smaller CH-146 Griffons — a variant of the Bell 412 — across a search area of more than 10 million square kilometers that includes the Great Lakes and Arctic Ocean.

In July 2021, however, the government conceded that it had reached an impasse in its negotiations with Leonardo. “Extensive discussion and planning determined that upgrading the CH-149 fully to the Norwegian variant of the AW101 was not a cost-effective solution to effectively meet the RCAF’s needs,” a spokesperson for National Defence said at the time. “After a year of consultation, it was determined that Leonardo couldn’t do the work at a cost that would respect the project’s overall budget.”

The initial scope of the Air Force requirements, inflation, and foreign exchange rates contributed to a cost projection the government was unwilling to pay, Maj Brett Banadyga, operation requirements manager on the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) project, acknowledged in a recent interview with Skies.

“We couldn’t come to an agreement on where we wanted to be, so we stepped away and had a good look at our requirements,” he said.

To resolve the stalemate, the government has opted for a fleet size of 16 rather than as many as 21, and will make use of components from the current CH-149 airframes and nine VH-71 helicopters that Canada acquired for spare parts in 2011 when the U.S. presidential helicopter program was cancelled.

A stockpile of parts from the VH-71s, a variant of the AW101, has been used to sustain the CH-149 fleet, also know as the Dash-511, over the past 10 years. While the VH-71 airframes are no longer airworthy, a number of components, including control surfaces, transmissions, and General Electric 3,000-horsepower CT7-8E engines, can be repurposed.

“Anything we couldn’t use on the 511 we will now use on the 612,” said Banadyga. “One of the major parts is the engines, [which is] obviously a big expensive piece of equipment.”

To get to 16 aircraft from the current fleet of 13, Leonardo will build three new airframes at its production facility in Yeovil. (The RCAF was forced to retire one airframe when a CH-149 with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron crashed from a low hover during a training flight in March 2022. Components from that helicopter will likely be salvageable.)

Upgrades to the remaining 13 and finally assembling of certain systems on the three new aircraft will be completed by IMP Aerospace at its Nova Scotia facility near the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Even the new builds will use some donor parts from the Dash 511 and VH-71 fleets.

Though it might seem like a Frankenstein approach, the RCAF will treat each aircraft as a “zero life” airframe, said Banadyga, a former Griffon pilot who also flew the CH-147 Chinook in Afghanistan, and served as a test pilot with the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment before converting to the Cormorant. “I think it will be almost indistinguishable from a truly newly built aircraft.”

With 16 aircraft, the RCAF will be able to station three with 424 Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton and return the CH-146 Griffons to the care of 1 Wing Kingston, Ontario, which oversees the tactical aviation fleet.

Nine more will be spread equally among 9 Wing Gander, Newfoundland; 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia; and 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia. The remainder of the aircraft will provide training platforms and serve as “floaters” to cover operations at the four SAR squadrons when a Cormorant goes into deep maintenance.

The three new aircraft will be the first deliveries, in 2026, and will be sent to 19 Wing Comox to allow the RCAF to begin initial crew training, pilot conversion, and some operational test and evaluation of the new capability. The next deliveries, from IMP beginning in 2027, will go to 14 Wing Greenwood, then 9 Wing Gander, and finally 8 Wing Trenton. The fleet is expected to be fully operational by 2029 and operate into the 2040s.

“The advantage of having those first three be new builds is we are already adding to the fleet, so that helps cover the rest of the program,” Banadyga explained.

Cormorant operations were replaced with the Griffons at 8 Wing after the crash of a CH-149 off the coast of Nova Scotia in 2006 that killed three crew members, reducing the original fleet from 15 helicopters to 14. Banadyga acknowledged that the fleet would be spread thin if another airframe were damaged beyond repair, but he noted that “we have already experienced that [and] we have also been able to make it work. It just doesn’t give you as much back-up capability.”

A SAR Queen, but not exactly

While the Cormorant is being upgraded to the Norwegian AW101-612 standard, it will not be an exact copy. The Norwegian “SAR Queen,” as she is known, includes a Leonardo Osprey 30 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, an RDR-1600 weather radar, a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) system, and an electro-optical sensor system.

The AESA radar had been “up for discussion” in the original plan, but the RCAF has opted to go with an enhancement of its all-weather radar — which has a “search functionality,” Banadyga said — in part to save weight and cost.

Where Norway relies on the AW101-612 for both search and rescue, the RCAF employs a fixed-wing platform with greater speed and range for the search and “the helicopter is the rescue platform,” he noted — though the Cormorant has plenty of search capability.

The CH-149 upgrade will also forgo the LiDAR system, as the RCAF is comfortable with how the five-person crew currently operate. However, it will integrate an L3 Harris WESCAM electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) system and introduce a Smith Myers ARTEMIS mobile phone detection location system that Norwegian SAR crews use “in something like 80 percent of their missions,” Banadyga said.

“It will be a big game-changer because right now we literally search with our eyes,” he added.

The integrated system will allow a flight engineer operating a sensor station to “flag a location, and the pilots could set it up as a waypoint” and slew the EO/IR camera to that position.

“I have personally been on a couple of searches where we have practically been over top of what we are looking for and you can’t see it because it’s nighttime… the weather, trees, you name it.”

The RCAF will adopt the same advanced auto-pilot system as Norway, which has proven essential in making stability correctios in high winds and over rough seas, and the same improved full blade and airframe “anti-ice” system.

“[That] is something in the Canadian climate that we use all the time, and we want that [system] to work all the time,” said Banadyga.

“The basic airframe itself is going to be identical [to Norway] — engines, rotor, transmission, drivetrain, all that. And the avionics are pretty much the same,” he noted.

The avionics upgrades will include a more integrated, large-screen glass cockpit with moving map display, a terrain avoidance and warning system, synthetic vision, and the significantly improved weather radar. The navigation system will be enhanced to enable high-precision GPS approaches, and the communications package will include satellite and internal wireless comms, removing the cumbersome cords that connect SAR techs in the rear cabin.

One of the more significant improvements will be the full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system to ensure optimal performance of the GE engines. When the CH-149 entered service 20 years ago, FADEC technology was in its infancy, Banadyga noted, so the Cormorant currently operates with a hybrid engine system — a primary digital control and a back-up mechanical option.

Like the Norwegian 612, the Cormorant will mount its two hoists in separate enclosures. At present, the hoists share the same mounting space, which can potentially render both inoperable if one is damaged.

“It improves the redundancy,” said Banadyga.

One of the few differences between the two platforms will be cabin configuration. Where Norway operates with a dedicated mission station operator and a doctor, the Cormorants fly with two SAR technicians and a flight engineer, who will also operate the mission station.

Many of the mid-life upgrades, especially the avionics, were necessitated by parts obsolescence that has plagued the CH-149 for years. Basic systems like Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) have become difficult to repair, and the current ice protection system — with its high electrical requirements — has been a challenge to maintain.

The Norwegian fleet “is showing that it requires less maintenance than the current fleet we have,” observed LCol Al Merilainen, the project director for CMLU, fixed-wing SAR, and other air mobility platforms. This ultimately means the RCAF could significantly reduce its sustainment costs.

Lessons learned over years of operating in a maritime environment have led to design changes to “help minimize the ingress of saltwater and its effect on the airframe,” added Banadyga. “That should reduce maintenance as well.”

The RCAF has had the best availability and serviceability rates among all AW101 helicopter operators, he noted, and will look to maintain that standard with the upgraded CH-149.

For Cormorant crews, who have little choice but to fly in the most “marginal weather,” the enhanced capabilities of the CMLU program will mean considerably less time spent on dangerous searches in mountains or over high seas, and greater safety and situational awareness.

“Having a terrain avoidance system, having synthetic vision so you can actually see what is in front of you [in] the fog . . . [having] moving maps to help with your overall mission planning — all of those tools will definitely improve our margin of safety in those difficult conditions,” Banadyga said.

RCAF still working out details to bring Cormorant simulator home

By Chris Thatcher

The RCAF is still determining where to locate the CAE-built simulator for the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) program, but establishing currency training in Canada will eliminate the current practice of sending pilots to RAF Benson in the U.K.

“We are one of the few countries that still use that version of the simulator,” said Maj Brett Banadyga, operation requirements manager on the CMLU project. However, differences in the cockpit and the display technology mean the simulator “is getting a bit long in the tooth compared to what is available nowadays.”

The new fixed-base sim will be a “massive upgrade for us,” he said. “I have seen what we are going to get, and it is a huge difference.”

The Air Force has opted for a fixed-base, rather than full-motion, simulator for its larger field of view and improved graphics, but also to maintain a smaller footprint in a training center.

“There is still some limited motion through the platform and the seats themselves provide some motions cues,” said Banadyga.

The fixed-base platform will also allow SAR crews to shift from a focus on emergency procedures to more mission rehearsal involving the entire crew.

“Right now, it is quite pilot centric,” noted Banadyga. “We can bring in a flight engineer (FE), but he (or she) is stuck with helping the pilots read a checklist. Now they can be more involved in what we are doing.”

In its original plan, the RCAF had considered a full rear-crew trainer, but that proved cost prohibitive for the time being. Instead, the simulator will have a mission station to train FEs on the new sensor capabilities, and the Air Force will look “at options like using a virtual reality headset to allow the FE to have that outside view for the phases of flight where [they need] to look at a hoist or a landing area,” explained Banadyga.

Whether the simulator is placed at 19 Wing Comox or 8 Wing Trenton is still being debated. Since every SAR pilot is required to complete annual recurrency training, travel from both coasts to Trenton is the most logical step. But cost and facility space still have to be finalized, he noted.

SKIES

by Monsfool Mon 27 Feb 2023, 7:32 am

Sex comedies, violent films off-limits for viewing by Canadian VVIPs, including PM, on military jet

An RCAF said the decision to show certain movies was made by the leadership of 437 Squadron at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 27, 2023

The rude comedy of Sacha Baron Cohen and the sex and violence of Game of Thrones have been deemed inappropriate for viewing by Canada’s top VIPs, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whenever they fly on board a military passenger jet.

Dozens of films, ranging from horror flicks such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Curse of Chucky to war movies such as Platoon, are on a list of movies not to be shown to VVIPs such as the prime minister and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon when they travel on the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Polaris passenger jet.

Also included is Sacha Baron Cohen’s 2012 political satire comedy, The Dictator, as well as A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, a comedy that focuses on extensive use of marijuana. It also includes a number of sexual jokes and scenes. In The Dictator, Baron Cohen plays Admiral General Aladeen, ruler of a fictional Arab country. The movie is a showcase of the comedian’s well-known risqué humour.

But the list of movies “deemed inappropriate” by the Canadian Forces seems arbitrary at times. The VVIPs also won’t be shown Machete, a 2010 exploitation film bursting with violence and sex, but they can order up the sequel Machete Kills, according to the documents obtained by this newspaper using the Access to Information law.

War movies such as Platoon, Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket are off-limits, but Quentin Tarantino’s ultra-violent war flick Inglourious Basterds can be watched.

At one point, the 2012 satire-comedy Ted was shown to VVIP audiences but was later moved to the “inappropriate” list. Ted is about a foul-mouthed, oversexed teddy bear that comes to life.

RCAF spokesperson Maj. Cynthia Kent noted that the decision to show certain movies was made by the leadership of 437 Squadron at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont. That unit operates the Polaris aircraft and is responsible for long-range military and VIP transportation.

“As part of 437’s commitment to the best service possible in flight, it does take some measures, as a matter of prudence, to not show some films — especially in the case where minors may be on the flight,” Kent noted. “In cases where the requestor/organizer of a VVIP flight wishes a specific movie to be shown, 437 will procure it prior to the flight.”

The squadron has hundreds of film titles in its library for VVIPs.

Also among those deemed inappropriate are TV series such as True Blood and Game of Thrones.

The censors seem to be especially concerned with horror films such as Saw, Fright Night, Final Destination, Paranormal Activity, Nightmare on Elm Street, Insidious, the Grudge, Evil Dead and The Purge. Also not for viewing is the Canadian-made Hobo with a Shotgun, a 2011 exploitation action black comedy film about a vigilante homeless man.

Some of the movies on the “deemed inappropriate” list seem to defy explanation, such as Steven Spielberg’s War Horse as well as the Day of the Locust. The 2011 film War Horse is about the journeys of a horse during the First World War. Day of the Locust was a 1975 box-office flop dissecting the shallowness of show business and Hollywood.

Some of the movies not to be shown are critical duds and box-office failures. Those include Mother’s Day 2016, a romantic comedy-drama with Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston, and Breaking Wind, a parody of the Twilight series films.

Also deemed inappropriate is The Grey, a 2011 tale about plane crash survivors who have to fend off hungry wolves. In addition, the list includes Eastern Promises, a 2007 gangster film by Canadian director David Cronenberg. It revolves around the Russian mafia, sexual violence and the sex trade.

Still, if VVIPs want a supply of cinematic sex, off-colour comedy, violence and mayhem, they do have a hefty list to still choose from. The available videos for viewing include TV series such as Breaking Bad, Dexter and The Trailer Boys as well as movies such as Hot Tub Time Machine, My Bloody Valentine, No Country for Old Men, Bad Teacher, Fargo, Pulp Fiction, Rambo, Seven Psychopaths, Sicario, Trainspotting, World War Z and Zero Dark Thirty.

Defence Watch

by Silveray Mon 27 Mar 2023, 8:36 pm

Canada requests Boeing P-8 surveillance aircraft from U.S. government

Bombardier still intends to put in a bid if the Liberal government decides it will hold a competition to replace the CP-140 Auroras.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Mar 27, 2023

Canada has made a formal request to the U.S. asking it to offer an American-built fleet of surveillance aircraft in a deal that could involve spending upwards of $9 billion.

The Canadian Forces had planned a competition starting next year to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora aircraft. That program, dubbed the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Project, had outlined the acceptance of bids in 2027.

The Quebec-based aerospace firm Bombardier had planned to bid on the project, pitching a proposal to build the planes in the Toronto area. U.S. aerospace giant Boeing also intended on bidding.

But on Monday, Public Services and Procurement Canada confirmed that it has issued a letter of request to the U.S. government about the Boeing P-8 aircraft. “With a view to exploring this option in more detail, Canada has recently submitted a Letter of Request through the United States government’s Foreign Military Sales program outlining Canada’s requirements and requesting an offer,” PSPC noted on its website. “These requirements include up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft and associated equipment and initial servicing, as well as access to intellectual property and technical data.”

PSPC states that the request “does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon and the project remains in Options Analysis. The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry.”

But the department added that the P-8 is the only aircraft that meets the military’s needs.

Bombardier still intends to put in a bid if the Liberal government decides it will hold a competition.

Mark Masluch, senior director of communications for Bombardier, said the firm has spoken to Defence Minister Anita Anand and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The company “eagerly awaits an answer on when and how we can present a bid, and a solution Canadians will be proud of for decades to come,” said Masluch.

“Canada has the opportunity to leverage its aerospace industry to provide a multi-mission aircraft that will be the standard for decades to come, at home and abroad as an export,” he added. “It will be faster, fly farther and be greener, burning significantly less fuel than current aircraft being considered for similar missions. Performance should matter. Canadian jobs should matter. And sustainability should matter most.”

This newspaper first reported in December about Anand’s push to buy the Boeing aircraft to replace the CP-140 Auroras.

Boeing told Canada that its P-8 Poseidon production line in the U.S. could be shut down by 2025 if additional orders aren’t placed. It made the unsolicited pitch to Anand several months ago for Canada to do an immediate sole-source purchase of P-8s.

The P-8 is in service with the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and Germany Navy.

The U.S. government has been pressuring Canada to boost defence spending, in particular, acquiring more American-built equipment.

In response, Anand has been highlighting Canada’s ongoing military equipment projects to U.S. lawmakers, noting that Canada is buying the U.S.-built F-35 stealth fighter and will spend tens of billions on joint U.S.-Canadian radar systems and defences. In addition, many of the armaments and ammunition Canada is providing to Ukraine come from U.S. industry via the American government.

Anand has faced pushback from some Canadian firms arguing she is more interested in creating American jobs than building up the domestic aerospace and defence industries.

During a recent visit to Washington, Anand and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne sat with Boeing officials. Anand tweeted about the Feb. 9 meeting, pointing out the discussion centred on how “we can advance the integration of our continental Defence Industrial Base, and create jobs and growth for Canadians. We continue to work with industry to deliver modern equipment to the Canadian Forces.”

Bombardier has its own surveillance aircraft, which it has sold to a number of nations. It wanted that plane to be considered for the Aurora replacement.

Bombardier president Éric Martel had been trying to raise concerns with the Liberal government for more than two months about the P-8 proposal. “As President and CEO of Bombardier, I want to publicly share my concern that Canada, which is facing an important choice about the airborne surveillance of its vast borders, may be considering awarding a sole-source contract directly to Boeing,” Martel said in December.

During a defence conference in Toronto in February, Martel said he still hadn’t received an answer from the Liberal government about whether they would proceed with a sole source P-8 proposal. “It will be their decision,” Martel said. “But they are going to have to explain why we weren’t part of the process when our platform is successful in a lot of other countries.”

Martel has argued that “a Canadian-built option should, and must, be considered on equal footing with those of foreign companies who have, in the past, directly attacked our home-grown aircraft programs.”

That last dig was directly aimed at Boeing, which was involved in a 2018 trade dispute with Canada and Bombardier over commercial aircraft.

Boeing spokesperson Marcia Costley has pointed out that the range, speed and endurance of the P-8 made it the ideal aircraft to monitor Canada’s northern and maritime approaches. She added that the P-8 would ensure allied interoperability to meet Canada’s security commitments and contribute to the country’s economic growth.

The Aurora fleet is being upgraded with new technology and that program is expected to be completed next year.

Defence Watch

by **Joker** Sat 01 Apr 2023, 8:57 am

History Canada: April 1, 1924, The Royal Canadian Air Force is formed

By Marc Montgomery

Posted: Monday, April 1, 2019

Radio Canada International

by Geoman Fri 21 Apr 2023, 11:41 am

Arrival of new aircraft, lack of trained staff will cause 'significant disruption' for RCAF, generals told

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 21, 2023

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is dealing with a high number of inexperienced personnel, as well as shortages of staff in key jobs, while at the same time trying to bring in new-generation stealth fighter jets and drones.

The result is going to be “significant disruption to the RCAF” and an unsustainable situation for the future, according to a Nov. 15, 2022, briefing package for senior air force leaders.

The introduction of the F-35 jet, the purchase of a drone fleet, and the modernization of fleets of other existing aircraft will transform the RCAF, the generals were told.

But those initiatives will also create an unprecedented challenge and a “significant internal demand for talented and experienced people” as well as “significant disruption to the RCAF.”

“The RCAF is under-resourced with a high inexperience burden resulting in an unsustainable model to deliver expected outcomes and capabilities for current and future demands,” leaders were told.

The ongoing sexual misconduct crisis, concerns about toxic leadership and a lack of interest in the military among young people has hindered recruitment, according to various Canadian Forces reports. At the same time, skilled personnel are leaving, fed up by a lack of affordable housing near their military posts as well as with inadequate pay and benefits. In addition, there is a lack of work for spouses of military personnel in some locations.

The ongoing issues are compounded by the fact the RCAF is competing with the commercial aviation sector, which also needs skilled personnel, according to the Nov. 15 briefings.

RCAF commander Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny talked about challenges the service faces with the introduction of new aircraft during an interview published Feb. 13, 2023, by The Canadian Press.

But the Nov. 15, 2022, briefing package obtained by this newspaper was more blunt in its assessment: There is “insufficient intake (of personnel) to address traditional attrition and growth,” the briefing package noted.

“Intake is lowest at the RCAF officer trades which may cause issues in the future given heavy reliance on this trade for NORAD staffing,” the briefing added. It recommended examining whether the “NORAD footprint can be adjusted.”

To solve the ongoing problems, the RCAF leaders were also told they need to “foster agility,” military training, and be flexible on when that training is delivered.

Earlier this year, Defence Minister Anita Anand announced that Canada would purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets. The first four aircraft will be delivered in 2026 and the next six in 2027.

In late March, Canada also announced plans to move ahead with the acquisition of another new aircraft fleet. The Liberal government made a formal request to the U.S. asking it to offer an American-built fleet of Boeing P-8 surveillance aircraft.

Recruitment and retention is an issue all elements of the Canadian Forces are dealing with.

In 2022, this newspaper reported that defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre and other senior leaders had received a briefing that the Canadian military was facing its highest attrition rate in 15 years and would need more than a decade to get numbers of personnel back up to needed levels.

“Compensation and Benefits are directly related to CAF members (quality of life), and are a key driver in both Recruitment and Retention,” that briefing for the Armed Forces Council noted.

It acknowledged the military is facing a “workforce crisis” and pointed to a plan put in place for what Eyre is calling the “reconstitution” of the Canadian Forces. That plan is supposed to unfold over the next eight years to bring staff levels back to proper levels.

But the briefing warned Eyre and other senior leaders that it is likely it will take another three years beyond that, for a total of 11 years.

According to the Armed Forces Council briefing, a number of military health-related jobs, as well as aviation technician and air operations, army telecommunications and cyber operations positions, have dropped to “critical staffing” levels.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here:
ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

Defence Watch

by **Joker** Tue 02 May 2023, 11:28 am

Royal Canadian Air Force CH-148 Cyclone operational cross-country transfer

May 01, 2023

Media advisory

by **Zoneforce** Thu 18 May 2023, 11:37 am

Bombardier teams with Ottawa firm to offer RCAF new surveillance aircraft

The announcement is a direct challenge to Defence Minister Anita Anand who has been pushing the Liberal government to buy 16 new Boeing P-8 surveillance aircraft to replace the Auroras.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published May 18, 2023

Bombardier has teamed with an Ottawa company to offer the Royal Canadian Air Force a new surveillance plane to replace the current fleet of CP-140 Auroras.

The Quebec-based firm announced Thursday it has joined forces with General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada of Ottawa for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Project. It will offer the RCAF a fleet of Global 6500 aircraft outfitted with sensors developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems.

The two companies also called on the Canadian government to allow “a competitive, fair and transparent procurement process” for the new surveillance aircraft.

Bombardier’s announcement is a direct challenge to Defence Minister Anita Anand who has been pushing the Liberal government to buy 16 new Boeing P-8 surveillance aircraft to replace the Auroras. That is estimated to cost around $9 billion and, in late March, Canada requested initial details from the United States to set the groundwork for that order.

But Bombardier officials have pointed out that Canada should consider Canadian-made and developed equipment. The Canadian government has already invested heavily in developing General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada as a centre of excellence for anti-submarine and multi-mission sensors.

Anand’s push for the Boeing P-8 had thrown the potential for a competition for the new surveillance aircraft into question.

Public Service and Procurement Canada has noted that it believes the Boeing P-8 is the only aircraft that met the RCAF’s needs. But it also stated that the request to the U.S. for information on the Boeing plane “does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon, and the project remains in what is called options analysis. The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry.”

Aerospace industry sources say that the Bombardier-General Dynamics teaming hopes to put emphasis on the made-in-Canada solution to the military’s needs. General Dynamics is already responsible for developing the new sensors on board the CP-140 Auroras and the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter. The companies pointed out that the Canadian design is already proven and will allow for a low-risk integration of sensors and other systems.

Joel Houde, vice president of General Dynamics Mission Systems–International, said in a statement that the made-in-Canada systems would meet the RCAF’s needs but there could also be export sales to other militaries. Besides its headquarters in Ottawa, General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada has offices in Halifax, Calgary and Sherbrooke, Que.

The companies noted that the Aurora modernization program extended the operational life of those planes into the 2030s, leaving enough time for the Canadian Forces to look for a replacement.

“The published CMMA procurement timeframe was prudently designed by the Department of National Defence to permit the Government of Canada to fully engage with industry to explore options to meet Canada’s multi-mission aircraft needs and to have sufficient time to evaluate options,” the firms noted. “The Canadian-based platform brought forward by Bombardier Defense and General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada, providing world leading capabilities in ASW, ISR and operational efficiencies leveraging the Global 6500 aircraft is a prime example.”

The P-8 is in service with the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and German Navy.

The U.S. government has been pressuring Canada to boost defence spending, in particular, acquiring more American-built equipment.

In response, Anand has been highlighting Canada’s ongoing military equipment projects to U.S. lawmakers, noting Canada is buying the U.S.-built F-35 stealth fighter and will spend tens of billions on joint U.S.-Canadian radar systems and defences. In addition, many of the armaments and ammunition Canada is providing to Ukraine come from U.S. industry via the American government.

But Anand has faced pushback from some Canadian firms arguing she is more interested in creating American jobs than building up domestic aerospace and defence industries.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

Defence Watch

by Spartan Fri 26 May 2023, 5:44 am

Aerospace executives call on Trudeau to consider Canadian plane for multi-billion dollar military program

The consortium of companies, led by Bombardier, says allowing a Canadian-made plane in a competition to replace the Aurora CP-140 aircraft will create jobs and potentially foreign sales in the future.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published May 25, 2023

A number of leading Canadian aerospace firms have written Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requesting he allow an open competition for a new surveillance plane for the military instead of sole-sourcing the deal to a U.S. company.

The consortium of companies, led by Bombardier, says allowing a Canadian-made plane in the competition to find a replacement for the Aurora CP-140 aircraft will create jobs and potentially foreign sales in the future.

Bombardier and the other companies are challenging Defence Minister Anita Anand‘s decision to champion the Boeing P-8 surveillance aircraft in a sole source deal estimated to cost around $9 billion. In late March, Canada requested initial details from the United States to set the groundwork for ordering P-8s for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) project.

“Sole-sourcing a replacement for the RCAF’s Aurora CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft in lieu of an open, fair, transparent competitive procurement does not align with Strong, Secure, Engaged,” the Bombardier consortium noted in its letter referencing the Liberal defence policy. “It will unnecessarily stymie growth and innovation in Canada’s world-renowned aerospace and defence industries. It will not ensure we get the most modern and right-sized solution at the best price, while maximizing economic benefits for Canadians.”

The letter is addressed to Trudeau, deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, Defence Minister Anand, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek.

Opening the CMMA to Canadian firms would provide an “opportunity for Canada to re-think its surveillance capabilities. Canadian-built solutions should, and must, be considered on equal footing with foreign-built options,” the companies noted.

The company executives have requested meetings with each of the ministers named in the letter. The letter was signed by executives with Bombardier, General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada, De Havilland Canada, PAL Aerospace, Thales, ATLAS Aeronautik Inc and 10 other firms or aerospace associations.

Bombardier announced May 18 it has teamed with General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada of Ottawa to offer the RCAF a new surveillance plane to replace the current fleet of Auroras. It will offer the air force a fleet of Global 6500 aircraft outfitted with sensors developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems.

Any potential competition would pit Bombardier against its aerospace rival Boeing. In 2017 Trudeau denounced Boeing for efforts to undercut Bombardier in a trade dispute over commercial aircraft. At the time, the prime minister accused Boeing of trying to “put our aerospace workers out of business.”

Public Service and Procurement Canada has noted it believes the Boeing P-8 is the only aircraft that meets the RCAF’s needs. But it also stated that the request to the U.S. for information on the Boeing plane “does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon, and the project remains in what is called options analysis. The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry.”

Aerospace industry sources say the Bombardier-General Dynamics teaming hopes to put emphasis on the made-in-Canada solution to the military’s needs. General Dynamics is already responsible for developing the new sensors on board the CP-140 Auroras and the CH-148 Cyclone helicopters. The companies pointed out the Canadian design is already proven and will allow for a low-risk integration of sensors and other systems.

Bombardier is also highlighting that the planes would be built in the Toronto area and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has promoted that aspect on social media.

Boeing and the U.S. government are also positioning themselves to highlight the role of Canadian firms and the potential economic benefits that would come if the P-8 is selected. At a reception scheduled for next Tuesday in Ottawa, Boeing officials and the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, will outline the industrial benefits to Canada of a Boeing aircraft purchase. Canadian firms CAE, GE Canada, Honeywell, IMP, KF Aerospace, Raytheon Canada and StandardAero will be represented at that reception.

The P-8 is in service with the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and German Navy.

The U.S. government is pressuring Canada to boost defence spending, in particular, and acquire more American-built equipment.

In response, Anand has highlighted Canada’s ongoing military equipment projects to U.S. lawmakers, noting Canada is buying the U.S.-built F-35 stealth fighter and will spend tens of billions on joint U.S.-Canadian radar systems and defences. In addition, many of the armaments and ammunition Canada is providing to Ukraine come from U.S. industry via the American government.

But Anand has faced pushback from some Canadian firms who argue she is more interested in creating American jobs than building up domestic aerospace and defence industries.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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