Ottawa to spend $1.24 billion to extend life of search-and-rescue chopper fleet | 24CA News

The Department of National Defence (DND) quietly introduced Thursday that it’s going to spend $1.24 billion to increase the lifetime of the air drive’s search and rescue helicopter fleet — a part of a long-standing, problem-plagued procurement effort.

The announcement was made by press launch late within the day by Defence Minister Anita Anand’s workplace on behalf of Public Services and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek.

The improve to the nation’s 13 CH-149 Cormorant helicopter fleet was first proposed greater than 5 years in the past within the Liberal authorities’s defence coverage.

The sole-source undertaking hit a significant snag nearly two years in the past when improve proposals turned out to be costlier than the federal government anticipated.

“Negotiations with the contractor were put on pause due to the proposals being unaffordable,” mentioned a one-page inside presentation used to replace senior officers on the time.

The preliminary price range for the life extension — to maintain the helicopters flying till the 2040s — was pegged at $1.03 billion.

On Thursday, the Liberal authorities introduced two contracts — one for the improve, the opposite for simulators. 

CAE Inc. of Montreal will provide the simulators whereas Leonardo U.Ok. Ltd. (Yeovil, United Kingdom) will carry out the overhaul.

The work will, amongst different issues, equip the choppers with superior electronics. The authorities additionally says it is going to add three extra helicopters to the fleet.

In the assertion, the division mentioned the additional plane will make sure the air drive can proceed to carry out search and rescue operations out of Comox, B.C., Gander, N.L. and Greenwood, N.S., and can resume operations out of Trenton, Ont.

“The CH-149 Cormorant helicopter is a critical asset for search and rescue operations in Canada and these contracts provide the best solution for Canada to upgrade its fleet and provide the accompanying training tools to our aviators so that they can continue to keep Canadians safe – now, and in the years to come,” Anand mentioned in a media assertion.