FWSAR (CC130H, Buffalo, C27J, V22): Status & Possibilities

[GAP]

MacKay to announce major review of search and rescue system
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mackay-to-announce-major-review-of-search-and-rescue-system-1.1263500#ixzz2S8zZeCr6

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Thursday, May 2, 2013 9:46AM EDT

Defence Minister Peter MacKay is set to announce a wide-ranging review of the country's search and rescue operations Thursday, CTV News has learned.

The news comes just days after Auditor General Michael Ferguson said Canada's search-and-rescue system was in distress and some aspects were even at the "breaking point" -- particularly when it comes to aircraft. Ferguson said the country doesn't have enough, or the right type, of planes to respond to emergencies.

Ferguson's report appears to have spurred quick action from the federal government, said CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife.

Today at noon Defence Minister Peter MacKay is going to announce a comprehensive review of search-and-rescue operations, that will also include a lot of input from the provinces, particularly on the east coast and west coast, as well as public input on how the government can fix this as quickly as possible," Fife reported Thursday from Ottawa.

The review will be broad in scope, looking at all aspects of Canada's search-and-rescue efforts and finding ways to improve delivery and ensure the necessary tools are available to the military.

The Harper government has long promised new aircraft. The air force's fleet of C-115 Buffalo planes and older C-130 Hercules transport aircraft are aging and in need of replacement.

In his report, Ferguson noted the Hercules lack sensors and data management found on search aircraft in other countries.

And maintenance on the Buffalo fleet alone has climbed to $20 million a year
end

 

[Colin Parkinson]

*cough, kits base, cough*

CCG facing many of the same problems, not enough rescue specialists, which is not surprising, this was a grass root initiative pushed from the bottom up despite the indifference of management. Back in the 80's CCG was seen to be good at searching and not so good with the rescue bit. With the advent of GPS, ERIB's and SPOTs searching is becoming less of an issue, bring the ability to actually rescue to the forefront. 

 

[Retired and Broken]

Watched the whole announcement live today. A lot of smoke and mirrors.

 

[Kirkhill]

Ooops  :-[ :-[

I was so taken by the moment I posted in the wrong thread....

Please check CBC thread for unadulterated gloating.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Note to FWSAR potential bidders:  you wanna include an estimated cost for your planes, either fully-equipped or empty, in your submissions?  More in the latest bid document amendments (7 page PDF via Google Docs) here

 

[The Bread Guy]

Next bit of homework for potential FWSAR bidders:  tell us how much work Canadian companies can expect from your bids.

.... Industry is requested to use the document titled Industrial and Regional Benefits Direct Requirement to provide information on the current and planned level of Direct work (Canadian Content) for the acquisition portion of the potential FWSAR contract. Industry is also to submit the planned level of Direct work on the in service support (ISS) portion of the potential FWSAR contract. The information provided by industry will assist the Government in determining a separate direct requirement for the acquisition and ISS portions of the FWSAR contract and will be included in the FWSAR RFP ....

More in the latest bid document update (3 page PDF) here

 

[The Bread Guy]

Am I reading this right?  Is Canada asking companies to come up with an incentive plan to ensure all SAR aircraft needed (if not more) will be available as required?  This from the latest amendment to the FWSAR bidding package:

.... By a significant degree, the most important Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to Canada is Aircraft Operational Availability. Not achieving the required aircraft operational availability represents a serious failure as it puts Canadian lives at risk. For this reason, this KPI, and only this KPI, provides the opportunity to earn an incentive payment (a payment for performance above the contractual standard). It is Canada's expectation that Industry would propose a sufficient number of aircraft and an ISS solution that is robust enough to exceed the contractually required aircraft operational availability and thereby earn an incentive for this KPI. It is also part of Canada's expectation that any solution proposed would consider and include the performance implication of DND personnel assigned to first level maintenance ....

If I'm reading this wrong, I'm happy to correct myself - happy to hear from SME's on this one.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest ....

Today the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, announced that the project to replace Canada’s fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft has moved forward with a draft Request for Proposals (RFP). The draft is being shared with industry for final comments before the RFP phase is launched in early 2014.

(....)

The principles of Smart Procurement have been applied throughout this procurement, including good governance, early engagement and consultation with industry, and the use of third-party independent advisors, such as the fairness monitor appointed to oversee the integrity of the process.

Since August 2011, industry representatives have provided feedback on a number of Letters of Interests, and during one-on-one consultations and workshops, ranging from the Basis of Payment concept, to the role of the Canadian In-service Support Integrator, to the aircraft requirements. The feedback received provided useful information in order to assist the Government in improving project documentation prior to launching the actual procurement.

Following analysis of comments received from industry on the draft, the final RFP will be posted on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders) in early 2014 ....

According to the buyandsell.gc.ca listing, the full RFP is available on request - see attached.

 

[Privateer]

From Fox News: New Air Force cargo planes fly straight into mothballs

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/07/new-air-force-cargo-planes-fly-straight-into-mothballs/

The Pentagon is sending $50 million cargo planes straight from the assembly line to mothballs because it has no use for them, yet it still hasn’t stopped ordering the aircraft, according to a report.

A dozen nearly new Italian-built C-27J Spartans have been shipped to an Air Force facility in Arizona dubbed “the boneyard,” and five more currently under construction are likely headed for the same fate, according to an investigation by the Dayton Daily News.  The Air Force has spent $567 million on 21 of the planes since 2007, according to purchasing officials at Dayton’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Of those, 16 have been delivered – with almost all sent directly to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, where some 4,400 aircraft and 13 aerospace vehicles, with a total value of more than $35 billion, sit unused. ...

 

[Kirkhill]

I weep.

 

[Edward Campbell]

I weep.

No, no, no ... look on the brights side:

    1. New RCAF mess dress;

    2. Rumour has it that the RCAF will get new (old) rank badges and new (old) rank designations; and

    3. Pips and crowns for the Army and the executive curl for the RCN.

These are the priorities we can manage under the Conservatives' Canada First Defence Strategy; there's no time to fuss about friggin' foreign flying machines.

:sarcasm: in case it wasn't obvious

 

[Colin Parkinson]

"They are too near completion for a termination to be cost effective and other government agencies have requested the aircraft," Mayer told the paper.


Hmm might be spoken for, are these the same aircraft the maker said they would refuse to support if sold to us?

 

[Zoomie]

are these the same aircraft the maker said they would refuse to support if sold to us?

Yes - Alenia has pretty much stated that anyone who buys these planes off the USAF will not be supported by them.  Parts would be impossible to obtain.

Alenia has stated that the USAF could return them to Italy - have them reconditioned to factory new (they do have at least 10 hours on them) and then sold to Canada.  :

 

[Kirkhill]

Nudder bright idear Zoomie.

You and your mates volunteer for a long term TDY with the USAF to fly the C27s over Canada.....  :nod:

 

[George Wallace]

What if we just bought them as "Scrap Metal"?

 

[The Bread Guy]

Yes - Alenia has pretty much stated that anyone who buys these planes off the USAF will not be supported by them.  Parts would be impossible to obtain.

Attention bright idea fairies:  would this still be the case if Canada leases the planes from the U.S.?  >

 

[Ostrozac]

What if we just bought them as "Scrap Metal"?

Buying the aircraft isn't a problem -- they belong to the US government. But Canada would risk having no support from the original manufacturer. Now, this is certainly possible -- that's the situation that Iran are in with their F-14 Tomcats, for example -- but it is a complicating factor.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I wonder if the company will pull away from that position once the deal is done. Pretty much not supporting their products will be the kiss of death for any major buys.

 

[dapaterson]

Purchases from the US military are considered as "Foreign Military Sales" and are a real PITA to execute.  Rentals are even more so, particularly when you remove the property from the USA.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The ownership could be transferred back to the company and the plane "resold" by the company without the planes moving. A "broker fee" of modest portions would be acceptable and the company would make money supporting the fleet and the ability to use the fleet as a marketing tool.