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

[kev994]

I know that my buddy flew the 235 and although it was capable of all weather Ops, the anti-ice is electrical and drew so much power that you couldn't run the mission system, kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

What is this all about? https://twitter.com/PoliticsWatch/status/783711862508498944/photo/1

 

[kev994]

What is this all about? https://twitter.com/PoliticsWatch/status/783711862508498944/photo/1

Appears to be one of the scenarios in the RFP. IIRC the requirements had scenarios that the proposed solutions would have to meet, AFAIK one of those scenarios was to fly to the edge of the SRR in the Atlantic, conduct a search, and recover in the U.K.  (It's closer)

 

[Spencer100]

I don't even want to say anything about this piece.  I'll just let you read it.
http://politicswatch.com/fwsar-oct192016.html

 

[Journeyman]

I don't even want to say anything about this piece.  I'll just let you read it.
http://politicswatch.com/fwsar-oct192016.html

"The Trudeau Liberals inherited this procurement file, known as the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) program, from the Harper Conservatives.....
When the FWSAR program began back in the early 2000s.... "
    Gee, I could have sworn that the 2000 election was a majority win by Chrétien's Liberals.  Oh well, bad Harper Conservatives, bad!

Other than that blatant politicking, what's wrong with the article?

 

[kev994]

The article tries to imply that the spartan is a luxury aircraft based on the USAF saying that medium range lift capability is a luxury. That's not a logical argument, we're not buying it for that capability, though it is an alternative use for whatever aircraft wins.

 

[MarkOttawa]

From 2013:

RCAF’s New Fixed-Wing SAR Plane: Slowly, Slowly

Nine years ago [2004] the Liberal government declared this project a major priority (see top right of second column here http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo6/no3/doc/commentary-commentair-eng.pdf )...
https://cgai3ds.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/mark-collins-rcafs-new-fixed-wing-sar-plane-slowly-slowly/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[dapaterson]

I don't even want to say anything about this piece.  I'll just let you read it.
http://politicswatch.com/fwsar-oct192016.html

When they wrote "New CH-149 Cormorant helicopters also came into service with several still unused remaining in storage to this today." I start to turn off; I guess they don't want facts to get in the way of a good story.

When they say (paraphrased) "Hey, keep those Herc-H models flying!" I start to ask "Gee, did IMP write this article?" 


Unsigned articles laden with opinion that's not sourced make Wikipedia look positively authoritative.

 

[Kirkhill]

The article tries to imply that the spartan is a luxury aircraft based on the USAF saying that medium range lift capability is a luxury. That's not a logical argument, we're not buying it for that capability, though it is an alternative use for whatever aircraft wins.

Nothing there about the US Army wanting to buy over a hundred Spartans because the US Air Force wasn't flying where the Army wanted to go, when the Army wanted to go.
(Kind of the same reasoning with the Navy and the JHSV now I think about it).

Nothing there about the US Air Force dragging the project to their side of the line then downsizing it, stomping on it and booting it out the inventory with the Coast Guard picking up a "freeby" orphan fleet that the supplier wouldn't/couldn't profitably support.

I wonder how many COTS ships and aircraft 6 BCAD in foreign aid could buy?

Edit:  How long before the "Cadillac" line is trouted out?  Or will it be "Lexus" because this is, after all, 2016?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well the luxury term is already out there, can't use "Cadillac" as it's tied to the Sea King fiasco, so Luxury will do.

 

[kev994]

Comox has been announced as the training center, I think this was widely expected but it's official now:
http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/397851751.html?mobile=true
According to media reports, 19 Wing Comox has been named as the training facility for the new search and rescue fixed wing aircraft.

The announcement is the culmination of more than a year's work by a 12-person Comox Valley Economic Development Society team, which had been promoting the Comox site as the best of the four possible locations for the training centre.

The other locations being considered for the training centre were 17 Wing Winnipeg (Man.), 8 Wing Trenton (Ont.), and 14 Wing Greenwood (NS).

For local reaction to the announcement, see Tuesday's Record.

 

[quadrapiper]

For local reaction to the announcement, see Tuesday's Record.

Preemptive noise complaints, probably.

 

[Sub_Guy]

The announcement is the culmination of more than a year's work by a 12-person Comox Valley Economic Development Society team, which had been promoting the Comox site as the best of the four possible locations for the training centre.

Really?  You needed a team of 12 for this?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Having a new plane is superfluous to the plan.

 

[RaceAddict]

Having a new plane is superfluous to the plan.

As long as someone's getting paid, who needs planes at all? :

 

[RaceAddict]

Amidst all the F-35 vs. F-18E/F talk over the past week it seems like this was missed:

Thu Nov 24, 2016 | 8:45pm GMT
Canada to take December decision on SAR aircraft -sources

By Allison Lampert | MONTREAL

Nov 24 Canada's federal government is expected to take a decision in early December on new fixed-wing search-and-rescue aircraft, with Airbus Group SE's C-295 and Leonardo Aircraft's C-27J Spartan emerging as front-runners, two aerospace industry sources familiar with the matter said.

The federal Treasury Board is expected on Dec. 8 to authorize the government to enter into a contract with the winning bidder for the purchase and in-service support of aircraft, a third industry source said on Thursday.

All three sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is not public and the timing of the Treasury Board decision could be changed.

The value and number of aircraft in the procurement have not yet been made public, a spokesman for Canada's National Defence Department said. The value of the deal, including the acquisition and in-service support, has been estimated in media reports at about C$3 billion ($2.22 billion).

Embraer's KC-390 is also part of the competition, but the aircraft is not expected to win because the program is still in development and Canada's government wants an aircraft that is already certified, two of the sources said.

Full Story

 

[MarkOttawa]

History:

A Canadian Forces Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Project Timeline
http://casr.ca/id-fwsar-project-timeline.htm

Mark
Ottawa

 

[kev994]

History:

Mark
Ottawa

Thanks! I was under the mistaken impression that there would be a contract awarded this week. It seems that TB is authorizing a contract, but that contract won't be entered until later this month or sometime next month. Still lots of time left to scrap the whole thing and start over.

 

[fireman1867]

Still lots of time left to scrap the whole thing and start over.

Amen

 

[George Wallace]

Looks like Airbus has been announced as the winner with their C295