Canadian aerospace companies are pushing back against the idea that a Bombardier Inc. contract win to replace aging military patrol planes would be best for the sector, saying that a deal between Ottawa and front-runner Boeing Co. could be at least as lucrative.

Bombardier has been demanding the federal government allow for open competition on the successor to the Royal Canadian Air Force害羞草研究所檚 half-century-old fleet of CP-140 Aurora aircraft.

The Montreal-based business jet maker has argued that its reconnaissance planes will 害羞草研究所� once they start rolling off the line early next decade 害羞草研究所� offer a cheaper and more high-tech product that will be assembled in Canada 害羞草研究所� largely at a manufacturing centre on the edge of Toronto害羞草研究所檚 Pearson airport.

So far the government has not said whether it will go with a sole-source contract or an open bid. But its procurement department has stated that Boeing害羞草研究所檚 off-the-shelf P-8A Poseidon is 害羞草研究所渢he only currently available aircraft that meets all of the CMMA (Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft) operational requirements害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� particularly around anti-submarine warfare and surveillance.

Martin Brassard, CEO of Quebec-based landing gear maker H茅roux-Devtek Inc., points to Boeing害羞草研究所檚 massive production capacity, which would generate business for parts providers and maintenance and repair outfits across Canada. Eighty-one suppliers for the Poseidon are already based in this country.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not criticizing the Bombardier solution, because I don害羞草研究所檛 know the solution. One thing I know is they don害羞草研究所檛 have a solution ready. And this one (Boeing) is ready,害羞草研究所� Brassard said in an interview.

He said a contract win could shore up Boeing害羞草研究所檚 94-year-old presence in Canada 害羞草研究所� it directly employs some 1,800 workers and contracts roughly 500 suppliers north of the border 害羞草研究所� and open other doors at the company for Canadian operators.

Brassard also stressed the importance of a fast, reliable procurement process, pointing to past delays around military plane selection 害羞草研究所� for the CF-18 Hornet in the 1970s and more recently for the F-35 stealth fighter jet, whose competition process dragged on for more than seven years before being chosen in 2022.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want that history to repeat itself with the CP-140, with all the political debates that now Bombardier is doing. It should not be a political decision; it should be a (Defence Department) decision.害羞草研究所�

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault this month echoed Bombardier害羞草研究所檚 calls for an open bid, renewing their demand from the summer to 害羞草研究所渓evel the playing field害羞草研究所� with a request for proposals.

害羞草研究所淭hey are confident of being able to develop the machine and then sell it outside Quebec, therefore creating jobs here,害羞草研究所� Legault told reporters in French on Friday, when asked about Brassard害羞草研究所檚 comments.

Company spokesman Mark Masluch has warned of an 害羞草研究所渦ndue urgency害羞草研究所� around securing a replacement for planes that don害羞草研究所檛 have a hard retirement date, calling it a 害羞草研究所渇allacy.害羞草研究所� The 14 current aircraft are set to retire in 2030.

John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, agreed that the Auroras are 害羞草研究所渘ot going to fall out of the sky,害羞草研究所� but said time is a key consideration nonetheless.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e going to start becoming very expensive to maintain, and sometimes even impossible to maintain because parts aren害羞草研究所檛 there anymore,害羞草研究所� he said, noting that the Poseidons would be slated for delivery as early as 2026, roughly five years before Bombardier害羞草研究所檚 alternative.

害羞草研究所淭he question is, what shape is it going to be in and can it do the missions,害羞草研究所� Gradek added. 害羞草研究所淚s it the technology we need?害羞草研究所�

Earlier this year, Bombardier joined forces with U.S. rival General Dynamics to build a surveillance aircraft that would be a modified version of the Global 6500 jet, equipped with submarine-hunting technology and sensors from General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada 害羞草研究所� an Ottawa-based subsidiary of the Virginia defence contractor.

The plane would burn 30 per cent less fuel and fly 害羞草研究所渇urther, faster and higher害羞草研究所� than its American counterpart, Bombardier Defense executive vice-president Jean-Christophe Gallagher claimed in May.

Bombardier has said a deal would add $2.8 billion to the country害羞草研究所檚 gross domestic product, citing a PwC report commissioned by the company. The potential multibillion-dollar contract would furnish 22,650 jobs directly 害羞草研究所� nearly 11,000 in Ontario, 6,550 in Quebec and close to 4,200-plus in Atlantic Canada 害羞草研究所� the report found.

A Boeing-commissioned study by Ottawa-based Doyletech found that a Boeing contract would generate nearly $10 billion in domestic economic activity over a decade and directly support more than 230 Canadian businesses.

The price of the 16 P-8A Poseidons and associated gear that Boeing aims to sell to Ottawa amounts to US$5.9 billion, according to a June 27 post from the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Tracy Medve, CEO of KF Aerospace, which does plane repair and overhaul in British Columbia and Ontario, has worked on Boeing害羞草研究所檚 Poseidon planes for decades.

害羞草研究所淚 believe personally it害羞草研究所檚 the right choice for Canada, because it害羞草研究所檚 a proven Boeing platform and because the P-8 has been in service in so many other areas,害羞草研究所� she said.

The fact that Canadian allies operate the P-8A Poseidon could make it a smoother fit for the military as well as domestic suppliers already familiar with the product.

害羞草研究所淪hould your aircraft be down, you want to be able to go to your allies and say, 害羞草研究所楬ey, do you have that part?害羞草研究所� The airlines do it all the time,害羞草研究所� said Lorenzo Marandola, president of Quebec-based M1 Composites Technology, which specializes in aircraft maintenance

害羞草研究所淭his is extremely important in terms of sustainment and in terms of mission operability.害羞草研究所�

The other members of the Five Eyes Intelligence alliance 害羞草研究所� the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand 害羞草研究所� as well as Germany, Norway and South Korea all fly the P-8, or plan to do so.

However, going with Bombardier could allow Canadian firms to carve a fresh technological path in aviation.

害羞草研究所淵ou could potentially develop some Canadian-specific technology that Canada could own, control, potentially export internationally,害羞草研究所� said Dave Perry, president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

In recent years, Boeing has struggled with production and quality issues on its big-name commercial jetliners, particularly the 737 Max, 787 Dreamliner and 777. Questions linger over whether it could manufacture the Poseidons on time.

But Peter Wheatley, a vice-president at StandardAero, which maintains and repairs jet engines, called the risk 害羞草研究所渋ncredibly low.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he P-8 selection would be a phenomenal choice for the Canadian industry and businesses like mine,害羞草研究所� he said.

StandardAero, founded in Winnipeg in 1937 with its other main facilities now in Prince Edward Island and Langley, B.C., would see up to $600 million flow into its coffers alone for a 10-year contract, Wheatley projected.

The company has already worked on 111 U.S. navy Poseidons as well as 15 Australian air force P-8s.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檇 just love the chance to be able to do the Canadian ones as well.害羞草研究所�