By David Pugliese
Defence Watch
Stamina seems to be a key ingredient for companies who want to take part in Canadian military procurement programs. Take for instance the firms that have been for at least 11 years trying to interest the Canadian Forces in buying their aircraft for the fixed wing search and rescue project.
When the request for proposals is released later this year, three firms will be the only ones left standing.
Alenia Aermacchi will be offering the C-27J Spartan, Airbus Military has its C295 and Lockheed Martin is promoting the C-130J. (of the three, Lockheed is a relative newcomer….Alenia and Airbus have been promoting their planes in Canada for more than 11 years now).
But what about the other potential contenders?
Bombardier was one of those but company officials say the firm is no longer pursuing the project because of the requirement for a rear ramp on the FWSAR aircraft. Its Q series/Dash 8 planes do not have such a ramp and the cost of redesigning and certifying such aircraft to take part in the competition would be prohibitive.
Boeing, which at one point was hoping to offer Canada the V-22 Osprey for search and rescue, has gone silent.
Viking Air Ltd of Sidney, BC had proposed that it provide new production DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft, with the work being done in manufacturing facilities in Sidney and in Calgary, Alberta. The Buffalo is currently used by the Canadian Forces for fixed-wing search and rescue on the west coast.
But Viking has yet to build a new production Buffalo, a situation that would hinder any bid since it is expected than the request for proposals would call for flight testing of an existing aircraft.
Viking Air officials recently confirmed to Esprit de Corps magazine that the company no longer considers itself a “prime contender” for the project and has pulled back from the program.
