MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. announced a few days ago that it had signed contract amendments with the Canadian Space Agency for the Design Phase of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM).

“The additional functionality for RCM resulting from these amendments includes higher security features for the spacecraft, and development of a solution supporting identification of ships using RCM's Automatic Identification System (AIS),” the company said in a statement.

“In conjunction with the Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery provided by RCM, the AIS system will provide additional data supporting the monitoring of Canada's coastal zones,” it added.

The value of the amendments totals $6.8 million.

The company has noted that unlike RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2, which are single satellites, RCM is a constellation of three satellites. This allows for more regular monitoring of the Canadian coast, thus greatly enhancing Canada's coastal surveillance. While the initial mission includes three satellites, the Constellation is designed so that it can grow to include additional satellites.

From DND:

SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - May 21, 2011) - The Royal Military College Saint-Jean received its Colours this morning from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, during a formal parade at RMC Saint-Jean, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. 

"Royal Military College Saint-Jean is an integral part of growing Canada's next generation of military leaders by providing an outstanding curriculum and by teaching the skills to serve with distinction in the Canadian Forces," stated the Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Peter MacKay. "The Colours are an important military tradition that symbolizes the loyalty and duty of paramount importance in serving Canada."

During the pristine ceremony, the RMC Saint-Jean Colours, composed of the Queen's Colours and the Royal Military College Saint-Jean Colours, were first consecrated by the Senior Chaplain of the Canadian Defence Academy, Lieutenant-Colonel Alain Guevremont, and then presented to the College by His Excellency. Officer Cadet Benjamin Legault, Cadet Wing and Parade Commander, received the Colours on behalf of the RMC Saint-Jean Commandant, Colonel Guy Maillet. The parade, which also marked the end of the academic year, was composed of officer cadets in their traditional uniforms.

"We are very honoured to have our new Colours from the Governor General," stated Colonel Guy Maillet, Commandant of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean. "Unit Colours are a symbol of our loyalty and duty to Sovereign and Country. They are highly valued and are treated with the utmost respect."

The College first received the Queen's and the College Colours in 1961. New Queen's Colours were presented in 1969 and in 1977, and new College Colours were presented in 1979. All former Colours are kept at the Fort Saint-Jean Museum on the College grounds. 

The mission of RMC Saint-Jean is to train and develop top leaders who possess excellent intellectual abilities, sound leadership skills, are physically fit, and have the ability to communicate effectively in both official languages so they can assume a full-time and promising career as a commissioned officer in the Canadian Forces. Academics, Leadership, Sports and Bilingualism are the four components of achievement on which RMC Saint-Jean's curriculum is based. 

As you may know the Taliban have started using Twitter. Post Media's Matthew Fisher reports that the Canadian Forces are reacting:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The chief of staff to the general commanding Canada's combat forces in Afghanistan has emphatically denied a tweet sent out by the Taliban this week that said, "Land mine in Boldak obliterates Canadian invaders (sic) tank."

"Task Force Kandahar does not have forces or equipment in the Spin Boldak region," Lt.-Col. Doug Claggett said Friday. "The announcement that a Canadian tank was destroyed in the Spin Boldak region highlights the lies and propaganda published on the insurgents' website and Twitter page."

In fact, no Canadian armoured forces have operated in Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan, for several years. The Van Doo battle group, which closes out Canada's combat operations in Kandahar in July, is concentrated in two districts about 100 kilometres to the west of Spin Boldak.

The Taliban has for years made outrageous claims on the web of battlefield triumphs against Canadian and other coalition forces. However, it apparently only began using Twitter earlier this month.

Tuesday's tweet, which was written by someone calling himself Mostafa Ahmedi, linked to a longer item credited to Qari Yousuf Ahmadi on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's Voice of Jihad website.

"Reports from Boldak district's Dona area say that a Canadin invaders tanak was obliterated this morning at 08:00 am when a land mine ripped through it as the invaders military convoy was passing through the mentioned area," read the Voice of Jihad entry, which contained typos.

While not commenting on how closely Canada monitors the Taliban's use of the web to spread what is usually disinformation, "we are certainly aware of the insurgents' use of the Internet to spread their propaganda," Claggett said. "The absence of relevancy with the population and their failed acts of aggression force the insurgents to spread falsehoods and grandiose claims of victory across the Internet.

"The insurgents' claims are evidence that they are accountable to no one and actively spread lies to advance their cause. Insurgent claims run counter to the truth on the ground and actually demonstrates desperation. We place no value in the unsubstantiated claims of the insurgents."

Viking has sent this out:

With the first five aircraft completed and another ten in final assembly, Viking Air Limited of Sidney, BC, Canada has now received Transport Canada final “Production” approval for the manufacture of the Series 400 Twin Otter.

This manufacturing certificate is an approval to manufacture duplicate products under the Transport Canada type design (type certificate), allowing Viking to issue airworthiness certificates for aircraft produced under their revised manufacturing approval.

The official Production Manufacturing approval from Transport Canada is the final key to Viking’s aircraft production program, after receiving Type Approval from both Transport Canada and the

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the Series 400 Twin Otter in 2010.

Viking has also obtained Transport Canada approval for the inclusion of “Avionics” to their Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Organization’s maintenance ratings, a significant element in the modernization package of the Series 400 aircraft. The addition of Avionics capability license

to the current approvals will allow the MRO to conduct the full spectrum of maintenance requirements for both legacy Twin Otter and Series 400 customers alike.

Viking launched the new DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 production program in 2007, and currently has a production backlog estimated at over $300M through 2014. Viking provides OEM support for the worldwide fleet of de Havilland heritage line of aircraft (DHC-1 through DHC-7), and is part of

Westerkirk Capital Inc., a Canadian private investment firm with substantial holdings in the hospitality, aviation and real estate sectors.

The Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom has put out a press release (see below), which is like all press releases, one point of view. 

But before reading that, check out the Register in the UK has another version of the item below. It’s by Lewis Page and tells a much different story than the official press release.

Here is part of his story with a full link follwing:

Analysis HMS Daring, first of the £1.1bn+ Type 45 destroyers now coming into service with the Royal Navy, has finally fired her primary (and only significant) armament, the Sea Viper missile system.

The glad news comes five years after the ship was launched, three years after she was accepted into the Royal Navy and well into the tenure of her third commanding officer. Captain Guy Robinson, in a tinned quote supplied earlier this week by the Ministry of Defence, said: "This Sea Viper firing is a significant milestone for us and the final piece in the jigsaw as we prepare for our first deployment. I am very pleased."

It was hoped that Sea Viper would be ready for use by 2007, allowing it to be fitted to HMS Daring in a timely fashion so that she would be operational in 2008. Sadly the project suffered the traditional cost and time overruns, leading the MPs of the Public Accounts Committee to dub the weapon "disgraceful" in 2009, and as a result three captains and several generations of crew have served aboard an almost completely unarmed ship* for the last few years.

Stripping away the hype, Sea Viper has never been tested against a supersonic target and there are no plans to do so - meaning that it would be a brave decision indeed to rely on it against supersonic threats in combat. (The system's first four trials even against subsonics saw two failures.)

 For the full Register story go here:

 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/20/daring_armed/

And now on to the official UK MoD Press release on the Sea Viper:

The Royal Navy's flagship Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring, has successfully fired her groundbreaking new air defence missile system for the first time.

HMS Daring, the first of the formidable next generation of warships to be built, fired her world-leading air defence missile system, Sea Viper, during a rigorous training exercise at the MOD's target range in the Hebrides.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, said:

"This is another important achievement for the Type 45 project. Sea Viper is one of the most advanced weapons systems in the world and this capability, combined with the might and speed of the Type 45 destroyer, will provide the Royal Navy with a fearsome fighting force with unparalleled protection from air attacks."

Sea Viper is one of the most sophisticated weapon systems to date and is capable of defending the new battleships, and other vessels sailing with them, against missiles approaching from any direction and at supersonic speeds, representing a huge leap in capability for the Royal Navy.

Captain Guy Robinson, Commanding Officer of HMS Daring, said:

"This Sea Viper firing is a significant milestone for us and the final piece in the jigsaw as we prepare for our first deployment. I am very pleased with the test and how my team conducted themselves during this very complex procedure."

The successful firing comes as the MOD announces that support for the Sea Viper weapon system has been secured for the next six years.

The GBP165m contract has been awarded to MBDA UK, who are based in Bristol and Stevenage, to provide technical assistance for the Sea Viper missile systems on the six destroyers that will be based at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Bernard Gray, Chief of Defence Materiel for MOD Defence Equipment and Support, said:

"Securing support to the Sea Viper missile system is an essential element in ensuring that the Royal Navy's new destroyers are always ready to undertake their role in defending Britain's interests wherever that may be."

In further progress to the Type 45 programme, HMS Diamond was formally commissioned into the Royal Navy on 6 May 2011, Dragon is undertaking her second set of sea trials and HMS Dauntless has completed her basic operational sea training.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Nanaimo and Saskatoon are in Nanaimo Harbour to participate in the City of Nanaimo’s Empire Days Festival from May 20-23.

More from the MARPAC press release:

 
“There is a very strong relationship between the City of Nanaimo and the Navy,” said Lieutenant-Commander Michele Tessier, the Commanding Officer of HMCS Nanaimo. “Our participation during the Empire Days Festival is really a special opportunity to reconnect with old friends and celebrate the history of our namesake city.” 
 
Visit highlights will include each ship’s participation in the May Queen Crowning Ceremony and the 144th Empire Days Parade.  On Monday, both ships will conduct a daysail from Nanaimo to Esquimalt for Members of the Friends of Nanaimo Society, local Sea Cadets and Navy League Squadrons.    
 
The public is invited to drop by between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 for a guided tour of the warships and to meet their crews.  Both ships will be berthed at the Visiting Vessel Pier (north tip of Cameron Island) for the duration of their visit.
 
Nanaimo and Saskatoon are two of the Canadian Navy’s twelve Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs) and are manned primarily by naval reservists.  These multi-role warships can be fitted with inter-changeable modules allowing for a wide variety of operations including coastal surveillance and patrol, training, mine countermeasures and ocean-floor mapping.  MCDVs are 55 meters long, 11 meters wide and are equipped with two 50-calibre heavy machine guns, a 40mm Bofors main gun, surveillance radars, a modern communications suite and state-of-the-art navigation systems

Press release from OSI:

VANCOUVER, May 20, 2011 /CNW/ - OSI Geospatial Inc. ("the Company") (TSX Venture: OSI) today announced the resignation of Mr. Helmut Lobmeier as Director of the Company. Mr. Lobmeier has served on the Board for 21 years. 

"Helmut has been a key contributor to OSI since its very early days and on behalf of the Board, I would like to extend our gratitude for his long and valued service to the Company", said Mark Rivers, Chair. 

About OSI Geospatial 

OSI Geospatial Inc. operates two distinct business units: Offshore Systems Ltd. (based in Vancouver, British Columbia), a world-leading naval fleet supplier of integrated navigation and tactical solutions; and CHI Systems, Inc. (based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), a leading-edge research, development, and systems integration supplier of technology solutions for defense, aerospace, health, and bioscience markets.  OSI Geospatial systems and software are in use by military, government, and commercial customers around the world. The Company is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange. For additional informationplease visit www.osigeospatial.com. 

This press release came in from Jane's:

Holding territorial gains, standing up Afghan army and police and solving the “Pakistan Enigma” among key developments at a crossroads, according to IHS Jane’s editor, Peter Felstead

 LONDON (May 20, 2011) – Developments in Afghanistan are at a critical juncture and could make the 2011 fighting season the crucial test for the future of the allied mission in Afghanistan, according to a new analysis in IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly by Editor, Peter Felstead, who recently returned from the warfront.

The report, based on more than a dozen interviews with key International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) officials and visits to ISAF Headquarters in Kabul, the ISAF base at Kabul International Airport, Kandahar Air Field and others, appears in the May 25 issue of Jane’s Defence Weekly. 

Key Highlights:

Holding on to Territory and Momentum

Securing the past year’s strategic gains, such as the taking of Kandahar and the Central Helmand River Valley, will be key as the newly-commenced 2011 fighting season heats up.

“For once [the insurgent] has now got to do something to reverse the momentum,” Major General Michael Krause, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of planning at the ISAF Joint Command in Afghanistan told Felstead. “That’s not a bad position to be in.”

The Taliban began ramping up attacks and operations in recent weeks—capped off with the audacious jail break of 541 Taliban prisoners from a Kandahar City jail on April 24—while allied forces look to hold on to the newly-won territory.

“If we’re able to do that for a fighting season, we think that could be close to a game-changer,” Krause said. 

Training Afghan Forces Mission Critical

Much of the success of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan depends on the success of the NATO training mission charged with building the Afghan army and police. The NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan (NTM-A) comprises just three percent of ISAF’s total strength but its job has become mission critical, Felstead writes. The training mission made substantial gains in 2010 but its goal for 2011 is daunting. 64,700 new recruits will need to be trained by October 31, 2011 if the Afghan forces are to reach their full mandated strength.

Interestingly, one of the training missions greatest obstacles—Afghan illiteracy—is also one of its strongest selling points, Felstead says. In a country where education all but disappeared for decades, it is a powerful recruiting tool.

“Literacy is one of the most powerful weapons we have against the Taliban,” one officer tells Felstead. “The recruits take it as a gift.”

Solving “The Pakistan Enigma”

Success and failure in Afghanistan remains inextricably linked to the security situation in Pakistan, a relationship that has been exasperated by the recent revelation that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was found and killed in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad.

Military officials tell Felstead that support for extremists coming from Pakistan remains rooted in a “lens that is focused on India.”

“What I would say from an operation point of view is: ‘Can I achieve my plan without a game change in Pakistan?’ And the answer to that is ‘Yes, we can, but it will be much harder,” General Krause said.

Press release from DEW:

OTTAWA, May 20, 2011 /CNW/ - DEW Engineering and Development ULC of Ottawa, Canada is pleased to announce the recent signing of teaming and licensing agreements with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd of Haifa, Israel. 

These agreements will result in the most advanced protection systems for vehicles being made available to the Canadian Military.  With a broad range of Army programs on the horizon and survivability at the forefront for soldiers and their equipment, this teaming will offer the Canadian Army the advanced technologies needed for success in future operations.

With over 60 years of experience, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd designs, manufactures and supplies a wide range of high-tech defense systems for air, land, sea and space applications.  Rafael has initiated industrial cooperation in over 20 countries with the understanding that these strategic partnerships and offset activities are the keys to growth and success.  This collaboration will bring into Canada Rafael's innovative armour technologies.  Years of research and testing have culminated in these proven, fielded technologies that achieve platform protection with very low collateral damage.

Rafael's systems are successfully employed by the Israeli Defense Forces, the U.S. Army and other armies world-wide.  At the CANSEC 2011 Exhibition, DEW Engineering, in collaboration with Rafael, will present models of Rafael's Trophy Active Protective System and Reactive Armour installed on an M113 APC.

As underscored by Giora Katz, Corporate VP and General Manager of Land and Naval Sector "Rafael is a world pioneer and leader in the area of active protection systems and reactive armour solutions.  Teaming with DEW will enable the introduction of Rafael's protection systems in the Canadian Forces for enhanced survivability, which is a priority of paramount importance on the 21st century battlefield.  Rafael is proud to team up with such a formidable partner in the field of armour protection in Canada."

DEW has over 30 years experience as a principal defence contractor, with core business in designing and manufacturing armour solutions, providing re-life/re-role vehicle services and partnering with global OEMs to create and maintain Canadian jobs.  "We see Rafael and DEW as very likeminded in their philosophies on Strategic Partnering," states Ian Marsh, DEW's President.  "Their active and reactive protection technologies complement our own passive protection solutions to provide an exceptional product range to support the Canadian Army in their missions."

From Britain’s Ministry of Defence:

British Army Apache helicopters have recently fired Hellfire missiles for the first time whilst flying from a Royal Navy warship.

In a significant milestone in proving the capability of Apache to operate and strike from the sea, 30mm rounds and Hellfire missiles were successfully fired against seaborne targets in a long-planned exercise near Gibraltar.

In total, 550 30mm rounds and nine radar-guided Hellfire missiles were fired, achieving a 100 per cent strike rate. This was the first time that Hellfire has been launched in the maritime environment.

The last two weeks have seen a succession of 'firsts' for the Army Air Corps (AAC) Attack Helicopter Force at sea.

Currently deployed onboard HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy's largest warship, 656 Squadron from 4 Regiment AAC have spent the past few weeks conducting intensive training that will allow them to operate effectively by day and by night.

Major Mike Neville, who commands 656 Squadron onboard HMS Ocean, said:

"Today we proved that Apache can operate effectively from a Royal Navy ship, transporting munitions from the ship's magazine, aircraft upload, launch, firing and then recovering to HMS Ocean.

"Once again 656 Squadron is at the leading edge of attack helicopter capability development. We are now well on the way to proving the maritime strike capability in highly complex scenarios."

Despite the majority of 656 Squadron having seen recent service in Afghanistan, the maritime environment presents many new challenges.

Understanding shipborne life and learning new procedures for the preparation and movement of ammunition from the ship's magazine to the deck, efficiently and safely, was no small achievement.

In combination with the successful live firing aspect of the exercise, 656 Squadron have established a firm base on which to develop their maritime role.

Commander Jol Woodard, the Commanding Officer of HMS Ocean's Air Group, said:

"Today's achievement is a landmark in the integration of the Apache into the maritime domain and is also a very important step in the development of the UK's amphibious capability.

"I have been delighted with the way in which 656 Squadron and their support elements have integrated into the Air Group as a whole and the success of this whole-ship evolution demonstrates just how potent a truly joint Air Group can be."

Captain Andrew Betton, HMS Ocean's Commanding Officer, said:

"HMS Ocean is the UK's only dedicated amphibious helicopter carrier and it is fitting that we provided the platform from which the Army Air Corps have made history. 656 Squadron have fully integrated themselves onboard the ship and are an integral part of HMS Ocean's ship's company."

The Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, said:

"This important milestone in Army aviation and amphibious operations demonstrates clearly the versatility of our cutting edge military equipment.

"To see Apache operating to its full capacity at sea reinforces the Government's commitment to shape and equip our Armed Forces to best meet the range of current and future commitments."

656 Squadron and HMS Ocean are part of the Response Force Task Group deployed on Cougar 11, which is a long-planned series of exercises in the Mediterranean and Middle East.

 By David Pugliese

Defence Watch

There’s been a lot of talk in military and defence circles about Julian Fantino’s new appointment as Associate Minister of Defence.

The Prime Minister’s Office has said Fantino will be responsible for procurement issues.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay told reporters though that Fantino will be reporting on procurement files “through” him. In other words, MacKay is still top dog in this portfolio, at least in his eyes.

But other defence insiders tell a different story. Fantino, who will also sit on the Treasury Board and cabinet’s foreign affairs and defence committee, is running the show on procurement, they say. He will be reporting to the prime minister’s office. Under that scenario MacKay becomes a defence minister without much say on procurement.

The Globe and Mail’s Jane Taber had a piece yesterday noting that MacKay has slowly been losing his political power. After the 2008 election, the regional development agency he headed, ACOA, was taken away, Taber pointed out. She suggested that MacKay and Harper are not exactly the closest of friends.

From DND’s point of view, it should be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming years. Fantino will have his own staff. MacKay has his own staff.  It will be up to NDHQ to figure out the power dynamics here.

The position of Associate Defence Minister is part of the National Defence Act, according to MacKay’s spokesman Jay Paxton. He said he has been told the first appointment was that of Minister Power (1940 - 1944). YorkRegion.com also noted that the associate defence minister post has been in and out of the cabinet fold with different governments.

 And what about Parliamentary Defence Secretary Laurie Hawn? Does he still have a job?

Parliamentary Secretaries have not yet been named by the Prime Minister……so stay tuned. But does the defence portfolio need three politicians to watch over it?

From MARPAC:

ESQUIMALT, B.C. —A new captain will take the helm of the Canadian Navy’s sail training ship, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Oriole on Tuesday (May 24).  Cmdr. Jim Sprang of the Coastal Defence Group will preside when Lt.-Cmdr. Jeffery Kibble takes the watch from Lt.-Cmdr Erik James in a short ceremony at 11 a.m. on the foredeck of the ship alongside “Bravo Jetty.”
 
The first challenge for Lt.-Cmdr. Kibble will be to sail the 90-year old Ketch-rigged ship in the 68th Swiftsure Race on Saturday.  He hopes the winds are big enough to move Oriole faster than the 33-foot sail boat “Electra” skippered by his father, Roger.   
 
After the principals sign the change of command certificates, the outgoing commanding officer will be rowed ashore in Oriole’s rowing tender.  Lt.-Cmdr. James is to become the Executive Officer of the Naval Officer Training Centre (Venture) at Work Point. 
 

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JEFFERY KIBBLE CD
COMMANDING OFFICER HMCS ORIOLE

Lieutenant Commander Jeff Kibble was born in Toronto. He spent his formative years on the West Coast where his family introduced him to sailing.  at an early age by his family.  Following in his grandfather’s foot steps, LCdr Kibble enrolled in the Navy in 1988 in the Officer Candidate Training Program as a Naval Cadet. He graduated from the Naval Officer Training Center in 1990 and he was posted to Halifax. He gained operational experience in HMC ships FRASER and GATINEAU to earn his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate.
 
After completing the Destroyer Navigation Officer course in 1992, LCdr Kibble returned to the West Coast to serve as Navigation Officer in HMCS THUNDER and HMCS ANNAPOLIS. He also served as the Communications Officer in HMCS WINNIPEG and as a Regular Force Staff Officer at HMCS CATARAQUI in Kingston, Ontario. After earning his Deep Draught Navigation Officer qualification, he went on to navigate HMCS PROTECTEUR and deployed to East Timor in 1999/2000.
 
LCdr Kibble instructed navigation at the Naval Officer Training center in Victoria for five years and simultaneously earned his Minor War Vessel Command Qualification and occasionally sailed in HMCS ORIOLE.  He proceeded to Halifax again, to undertake the Operations Room Officer course prior to returning to HMCS PROTECTEUR as the Operations Officer and eventually Combat Officer. While in HMCS PROTECTEUR, he circumnavigated the globe as part of Task Force 150 in the Persian Gulf and deployed to the Far East for a West PAC Oiler mission. Prior to assuming Command of HMCS ORIOLE, he served for two years as the Officer in Charge of the Regional Joint Operations Center located within the Maritime Force Pacific Headquarters.
 
LCdr Jeff Kibble assumed command of HMCS ORIOLE in May 2011
  

Press release from PwC AK the “brand” that member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited operate under:

MONTREAL, May 19 /CNW/ - Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the Canadian aerospace & defence (A&D) sector exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2011 with the pace of activity rising significantly this quarter compared to 2008-2010 levels. Globally, it was the highest first quarter total for announced deals the global A&D sector has seen in more than 30 years, according to a new PwC deals report.

Q1 saw the announced acquisition of Canada's Vector Aerospace by Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS, for US$611 million—the largest Canadian deal in the A&D space in more than three years. There have been no deals of this magnitude in the Canadian A&D sector since the fourth quarter of 2007 when Sweden's Hexagon AB acquired Canada's Novatel for US$430 million.

A global PwC report shows the first quarter also saw a resurgence of large deals in the global A&D sector. In Q1 2011, there were 17 deals with values more than US$50 million amounting to US$9.5 billion, compared to just 10 deals worth a total of US$5.7 billion in Q1 2010. This is a 67% increase in global deal value and 70% rise in deal volume year-over-year. There were also six "mega deals" (transactions more than US$250 million) in Q1 globally, an increase from five for the same period in 2010.

"The big deals were back in the first quarter globally, with the acquisition of Canada's Vector Aerospace taking third place honours," says Mario Longpré, national aerospace and defence leader, PwC.

With the cyclical nature of transactions in the A&D sector, Canada is tracking ahead when compared to the previous economic recovery cycle from 2002-2005. During that time period, transactions in the Canadian A&D sector averaged US$834 million per year on an average of just under two transactions per year. This compares to the global averages of US$15.5 billion and just under 31 transactions per year. For 2011, we expect a reversion to the mean in terms of the number of deals and average value of transactions as the global economy continues to rebound and more companies, both within and outside of Canada, resume the search for growth prospects in the A&D sector.

The outlook looks positive for increased deal activity in the Canadian A&D sector pending potential risks associated with the strong Canadian dollar and rising fuel prices. So far, the second quarter has provided an additional lift as Canadian Helicopters Group acquired New Zealand's Helicopters Pty Ltd last month for about $125 million.

PwC expects four key themes for the Canadian A&D sector for the remainder of 2011:

1)     

Increased defence deal-making: Canadian defence spending has traditionally not been a key driver for the Canadian A&D sector. However, according to Longpré, "the recent Conservative majority win bodes well for military programs such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and military helicopters. Deal-making among small-to-medium size players to achieve scale ahead of expected subsector strengthening may be on the horizon."

 2)     

Fuel prices and strong Canadian dollar to affect A&D: Oil price volatility in 2010-2011 combined with geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East impedes OEMs and suppliers from forecasting volumes and planning for production. As such, we expect many firms to adopt a "wait and see" approach to M&A until oil prices stabilize. Similarly, the rising Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar and the Euro—the two major end-markets for Canadian products—may impact deal valuation on the sell side. On the flip side, a strong dollar also puts Canadian A&D firms in a better position to buy abroad.

  3)     

M&A as a tool to achieve scale: As OEMs continue to reduce the number of suppliers they work with; more small-to-medium size A&D players may merge to demonstrate sufficient scale. Also, further consolidation may be spurred by new demand from high-growth markets such as China and India.

  4)     

Deals to rise in MRO subsector: PwC expects firms in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector to be attractive targets for M&A. Large OEMs may acquire pure-play MRO firms as part of an industry-wide trend of moving towards a "lease and service" business model, rather than an "outright sale" business model. "This could be positive for Canada where a cluster of MRO firms generate more than $3 billion in annual revenues," says Longpré. "The recent acquisition of Vector Aerospace by EADS is a case in point."

For a copy of Mission Control, PwC's quarterly analysis of M&A activity in the global A&D sector, visit: www.pwc.com/ca/aerospace-defence

About PwC's Deal Team

PwC's Deal Team (www.pwc.com/ca/deals) helps clients to achieve deal success—from concept to close and beyond. As part of the world's largest Transaction Advisory practice , and with our global Corporate Finance group being 2010 Upper Mid Market M&A Advisor of the Year , the PwC Canada Deals Team is your gateway to an exciting new world of emerging M&A opportunities.

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PwC firms provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to enhance value for their clients. More than 161,000 people in 154 countries in firms across the PwC network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. See www.pwc.com for more information. In Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (www.pwc.com/ca) and its related entities have more than 5,800 partners and staff in offices across the country.

"PwC" is the brand under which member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL) operate and provide services. Together, these firms form the PwC network. Each firm in the network is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way.

The CDS will be at the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada on Friday, May 20, 2011, for the Commissioning Parade for more than 200 RMC Cadets.

More from DND:

General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, along with Environmental and Operational Commanders will present the graduating cadets with their Officer Commissions in the Canadian Forces.

Cadets will display their foot drill, sword movements, and the rifle salute known as the "Feux de Joie" in honour of the graduating class. The newly commissioned officers will then march through the Memorial Arch, signifying the end of their training at RMC. The ceremony will include a flypast by the Snowbirds Demonstration Team.

When: Friday, May 20, 2011

Where: RMC Parade Square, Highway 2, Kingston

What: Commissioning Parade for RMC Cadets

 Multiple rocket systems was the topic of discussion at Defence Watch a few days ago. Here is some news from Lockheed Martin on that front:

Dallas, TX - Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] received a $45.3 million contract to upgrade 22 Finnish Army M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers, incorporating the Universal Fire Control System and other enhancements. The upgrade enables the launchers to fire precision GPS-guided munitions for the first time.

"Finland has used MLRS products for four years, and the M270 launcher upgrade gives the Finnish Army a modernized fire control system and new artillery options with GPS-enabled precision munitions," said Scott Arnold, vice president for Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This important upgrade will allow Finland to use the full range of MLRS precision munitions, including GMLRS Unitary and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Unitary."

The agreement takes advantage of current full-rate component production for U.S. MLRS contracts. Finland joins other countries that have recognized the combat-proven precision advantages that the MLRS Family of Munitions delivers. This is Lockheed Martin's third international M270 launcher upgrade contract.

"We want to make precision fires an affordable capability for our customers. We've accomplished that for Finland through a combined production run and using new capability upgrades to extend launcher life," Arnold said.

Specifically, the launcher upgrade extends strike distance with the Universal Fire Control System, which is also common on new High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) models. It also provides GPS-guided precision fires capability for the first time, and enables M270 launchers to launch Finnish-furnished practice rockets, exemplifying the ease of integrating new products into the system. The contract also includes training and component support.

The launcher and its munitions are designed to enable troops to engage and defeat artillery, air defense concentrations, trucks, light armor and personnel carriers, as well as support troop and supply lines. The enhanced MLRS M270 launcher can move away from the area at high speed following missile launch and can be transported to and from conflicts using NATO cargo aircraft. Similar units have been in operation with the U.S. Army since 2002.