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~ Industry News / Press Releases ~ |
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Very often, defence industry press releases announce DND procurement decisions before any Government department
does. In some cases, that manufacturer's news release is the only notification available to Canadian
citizens of what Government is doing in their names. Below is a sampling of such industry news / press
releases. Also see: Government of Canada/Department of National Defence News Releases |
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Defence Industry – Industry Press Release – February 2011 12 Surplus Pz87 Leo to Become CF Armoured Engineer Vehicles Courtesy of DND's Swiss opposites, another piece of the Leopard 2 puzzle has fallen into place. In its press release, the Swiss military explain to their citizenry the disposal of 12 surplus Leopard 2A4s (or Pz 87 Leos as the Swiss Army know them) to Canada. 
These 12 hulls are for the Force Mobility Enhancement project, separate but undeniably linked to the larger
Tank Replacement Project. Once again, Canadians discover what DND is doing in their names through an announcement
from another government or foreign industry.Read CASR commentary on surplus Leopard 2A4s and the Swiss press release |
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Defence Industry – Industry Press Release – November 2010 KMW' improved Leopard 2A4M CAN is Heading for Afghanistan Krauss Maffei Wegmann has issued a press release to announce the acceptance of the Canadian Forces' first Leopard 2A4M CAN tank. KMW provides little new information about the state of the Tank Replacement Project but does confirm that the first five ex- Netherlands Leopard 2A4 tanks to be 'Canadianized' will be deployed to Afghanistan. 
The result of KMW's moderni- zation is a hybrid based on CF combat experience. Slat armour has been reduced compared
to 2A6Ms, while composite hull armour is retained. [2] The 2A4 turret protection is
improved but the original gun is retained. That may be no bad thing. CF Leopard 2s are operating as
direct-fire support vehicles. That unwieldy L/55 gun was designed for Cold War tank battles that
never happened.Read CASR commentary on the Leopard 2A4M CAN and the KMW press release |
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Defence Industry – Industry & Gov't Backgrounder – April/Sept 2010 Norway's Kongsberg to build medium-calibre RWS in London ON This press release combines Backgrounders from the PMO and Kongsberg Gruppen about opening a plant to built new medium-calibre remote weapon stations in London, ON. Prototypes of this MC-RWS have been tested on two wheeled armoured vehicles but interest is really in the decision DND takes for its Close Combat Vehicle armament. 
Both Backgrounders refer to the Kongsberg RWS( remote weapon station ) currently in service, the Protector RWS – used on the CF's RG-31 APVs. Kongsberg's new MC RWS will enter a crowded medium-calibre remote turret market. But building the MC RWS in Canada matches requirements for the the upcoming DND projects including LAV III UP and the Close Combat Vehicle. Indeed, the two vehicles prototyped with the MC RWS are GDLS' LAV-based Wheeled Combat Vehicle Demonstrator and the Piranha Class 5 for CCV. Read CASR commentary on the MC-RWS and the text of the Backgrounders |
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Small Arm Weapons – C8 IURs as the Danish Army's new M/10 – May 2010 New Canadian-Made Rifles for the Danish Army – C8 IUR M/10 A foreign military press release but with a Canadian connection. Denmark announced that it has bought 5,000 new rifles for its military. The Colt Canada C8 IUR rifle is a new variant of the Canadian Forces' C7/C8 family. In Danish service, it will be the M/10 rifle. 
Such sales are good news for Colt Canada but we are more interested in how this news was handled by
Danish military authorities. Danish defence planning and acquisitions are done in the open. That's a lesson
for DND's Director General ADM (Public Affairs).Read CASR commentary on the C8 IUR and the text of the M/10 press release |
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Canadian Forces CCV Project – BAE CV90 Series –
November 2009 FRES SV – The British Equivalent of the Close Combat Vehicle? 
The British Army equivalant of DND's CCV project is the Future Rapid Effect System-Specialist Vehicle (FRES SV)
program consisting of armed reconnaissance Scouts and closely-related support vehicles. The Scouts will replace
existing Scimitars. Like the CCV project, there is sudden urgency behind the FRES SV. Unlike the CCV,
the British program has produced a technology demonstrator – the subject of this press
release. More importantly, from a Canadian viewpoint, FRES SV has its main gun
chosen.Read CASR commentary on CCV, TAPV, and the British FRES SV Project |
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Visual Analytics – Aerospace IRBs – SFU Press Release – May 2008/Sept 2009 Industry Canada's National Aerospace/Defence Strategic Plan Another Industry Canada document concerning Canadian aerospace industry firms. 
The "National Aerospace and Defence Strategic Framework" from Industry Canada has
been sub-titled as "A Vision for the Aerospace and Defence Industry in Canada to 2025". As usual for documents of
this type, there is much stirring rhetoric about potential and strategic importance of the sector. But what else
does this Framework deliver? Promises are like piecrust so we'll examine what's actually been done.Read CASR commentary on IC's Aerospace Strategic Plan & the Bell 429 |
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Visual Analytics – Aerospace IRBs – SFU Press Release – May 2008/Sept 2009 IRBs and Visual Analytics: Cash, Data Bases, & Pretty Pictures 
Offsets in the form of Industrial Regional Benefits are how the Federal Government recoups the value of a
contract awarded to a foreign company. The IRB program dictates that the total value of any
such award be re-invested in Canadian firms or institutions. The question is: Does it work?Read CASR commentary on Boeing IRB to SFU/UBC for Visual Analytics |
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Strategic Aerospace & Defence Industry – SADI Backgrounder – Sept 2009 Industry Canada's Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative This is a Government of Canada (Industry Canada) Backgrounder. It is included here under Industry Press Releases because, although it concerns aerospace and defence, the content of the Backgrounder is aimed specifically at relevant Canadian industries. 
Industry Canada's Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative is a loan plan for research and development
for aerospace, defence, space, and security industries in Canada. Industry Canada notes that private investment in
R&D for these Canadian industries "lags behind" when compared with other OECD member states. The point
of SADI is to provide repayable 'seed' funding towards such R&D to ensure "... that additional private
sector ... funds are leveraged".Read CASR commentary on SADI and Industry Canada's SADI Backgrounder |
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Coastal Patrol – Canadian Coast Guard – CCG Procurement – 03 September 2009 MSPV: Damen Shipyards Announces Award for partner, Irving 
DFO has announced their choice for new MSPV (Mid-Shore Patrol Vessels ). Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax has
been awarded a $194 Million contract to build the nine MSPV, 'Canadianized' Stan Patrol 4207 boats
designed by Nether- lands - based Damen Shipyards.Read CASR commentary, MSPV Specs, and the text of Damen news release |
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Canadian Arctic Security – Denmark and Greenland –
28 August 2009 Danish Defence Chief visits Nunavut to plan for future defence Not an industry press release but rather a foreign military news release. The question arises: why must Canadians have to rely on Public Affairs officers in a distant country to uncover what's being planned in their name? Is it unrealistic to expect DND to do it? 
In Canada, Defence Chief Jørgensen visits the town of Iqaluit – the administrative capital of
Nunavut, the eastern portion of the Canadian arctic regions. Here Tim Sloth Jørgensen met with his Canadian
counterpart, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Walter Natynczyk [ in Iqaluit for Nanook 2009
]. Higher activity levels in the arctic are not least among the subjects for discussion:Read CASR commentary and the text of the Danish CDS visit to Iqaluit |
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Canadian Forces FWSAR Project – Industry Press Release – May
2009 Kelowna Flightcraft to Maintain CF Buffalo & Twin Otter Fleets 
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd (KFL) has been awarded a $39M contract by DND to perform the heavy maintenance and other
support services for CC-115 Buffalo FWSAR and the CC-138 Twin Otter utility transport
aircraft. This is a four year, renewable contract.As Gary Wolfe, Director of Military Programs notes, KFL "...having dealt with similar issues for the Convair 580 ... I believe that we can start to put the aging issues behind us and we can bring the Buffalo fleet operational readiness back where it needs to be." Gary Wolfe emphasized that the CC-115s "are only at their structural 'half life' so flight safety is not an aging issue". DND had found sourcing rare Buffalo parts difficult and propeller overhauls troublesome. With this contract, neither is a major issue any more. Read CASR commentary and the text of KFL's press release (originally a pdf) |
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Canadian Forces FWSAR Project – Industry Response – February
2009 DHC-5NG — a New-Production Buffalo Compared with C-27J 
In late January 2008, Viking Air prepareda document describing their proposed DHC-5NG and comparing this improved variant with in-service CC-115 Buffalos and the reputed front-runner for DND's FWSAR replacement project, the C-27J. Viking provides a brief history of the development of the original DHC-5 plus the origins of its Italian competition, from Fiat G.222 to Alenia C-27J Spartan. There is also a tabular comparison of the C-27J, proposed DHC-5NG, and CC-115. Finally, Viking compares the Canadian approach to aircraft procurement with that of Italy. Read CASR commentary and the text of Viking's document (originally a pdf) |
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CF Artillery Systems – International News – CF Procurement –
January 2009 A Source for the LRPRS (Long Range Precision Rocket System)? 
DND wants a new precision-guided rocket system and the LOI notice leaves little room for anything
other than the US MLRS. As it happens, Denmark now wants to sell off its 12 upgraded M270A1 MLRS launchers. The
opportunity is obvious but such a purchase would not suit DND's all-in-one approach to procurement. Can DND
learn to be light on its feet? Is buying hardware from a previous owner while arranging support and
training from the maker really too big of a stretch?Read CASR commentary on LRPRS options and an offical Danish news release |
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