By Chris Thatcher | December 8, 2016 Estimated reading time 6 minutes, 52 seconds.
After more than a decade of assessing options, the federal government has selected the Airbus C295W as the Royal Canadian Air Force’s next dedicated fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft.
Senior government officials made the announcement on Dec. 8, 2016, inside the hangar of 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., awarding a $2.4 billion contract to Airbus Defence & Space.
“Now, I am starting to believe it is true,” said Fernando Alonso, head of military aircraft at Airbus, who had his doubts about the outcome of the competition until 48 hours before the official announcement.
The contract will be rolled out in two phases. The first includes delivery of 16 aircraft, beginning in 2019 and concluding by 2022, as well as construction of a new training centre in Comox, B.C. The second will cover five years of maintenance and support.
The agreement includes options to provide maintenance and support services for an additional 15 years, bringing the total value to $4.7 billion.
The C295W will replace the RCAF’s aging fleet of CC-115 Buffalos and the CC-130H Hercules assigned to search and rescue (SAR) duty, and will operate from the air force’s current bases in Greenwood, N.S., Trenton, Winnipeg, Man., and Comox.
The C295W features two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines, Airbus Defence and Space’s fully integrated tactical system (FITS), and an L-3 Wescam advanced electro-optical/infrared turret system, which recently surpassed 1,000 flight hours on all Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft. CAE will construct and deliver the training centre while Provincial Aerospace, under a joint venture with Airbus called AirPro, will provide the in-service support.
The advanced integrated radar and sensors, along with sophisticated communications and data management systems, will allow technicians to track up to 200 search objects simultaneously and share that data in real time with other air, land and sea assets.
“I believe this new fleet, with the ability to fully integrate with our SAR partners, will fundamentally change the SAR paradigm for us,” said LGen Mike Hood, commander of the RCAF, noting the aircraft’s sensor capability and increased endurance. “I believe search and rescue is going to become a lot less about search and a lot more about rescue.”
“This aircraft is a game-changer for search and rescue in Canada,” said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, after noting the harsh and remote conditions in which SAR operators work, an 18-million square-kilometre area of responsibility that extends from the Pacific Ocean to the North Pole and deep into the North Atlantic. “It represents a great technological improvement of our [SAR] capabilities for the future.”
Unlike previous defence procurement projects that have usually specified the quantity of equipment and supporting infrastructure required, Public Services and Procurement took a different approach, inviting bidders to propose a “complete search and rescue service,” according to Minister Judy Foote, that included the number of aircraft and bases as well as a maintenance program that would ensure availability to meet the RCAF’s needs.
“If you ask industry, this was the first time they have ever been so engaged,” said Foote, noting that Canadian companies have the expertise to solve some defence challenges. “[We] have reached out to industry…[because] we want to reap the maximum benefit for Canadian companies and Canadians.”
The fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) project was first announced in 2003 and at various times attracted up to seven potential bidders, including Bombardier, Viking Air, Lockheed Martin, Bell-Boeing, Leonardo (formerly Alenia), Embraer Defence and Airbus.
When the request for proposals closed in January 2016, however, the C295 was one of three, along with the Leonardo C-27J Spartan, an early favourite when the project was first launched, and the Embraer KC-390, a late entrant that is still under development in Brazil.
Both the C295W and C-27J were deemed compliant. But after a fair and open competition, “it came down to the cost,” said Foote.
Team Spartan, which included a joint venture between Leonardo Aircraft and General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada, released a statement saying it had no comment on the contract award pending a debrief.
