The federal government is buying at least 14 Boeing surveillance planes from the United States to replace the aging CP-140 Aurora fleet, cabinet ministers announced Thursday.
The deal costs more than $10 billion in total, including US$5.9 billion for the jets themselves, and the planes are expected to be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
害羞草研究所淭hese aircraft are not just planes, they are complex weapon systems. And the Poseidon has a proven capability with a track record of success,害羞草研究所� Defence Minister Bill Blair said Thursday at a news conference in Ottawa.
He also said Boeing害羞草研究所檚 P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane was the only available aircraft that will meet Royal Canadian Air Force needs before the Auroras reach their retirement age in 2030.
In a media briefing on Thursday, officials said the fleet will give Canada new capabilities in the Arctic to hunt submarines, and that allies including Norway are already flying the planes in the Far North.
The officials from the Defence Department, the Royal Canadian Air Force and Procurement Department were providing the information on the condition they not be named.
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 and South Korea all fly the P-8, or plan to do so.
害羞草研究所淭his interoperability is key in today害羞草研究所檚 global security environment,害羞草研究所� Blair said. 害羞草研究所淥ur adversaries have been deploying increasingly sophisticated, stealthy and lethal capabilities.害羞草研究所�
The decision to go with a sole-source contract has closed the door on Quebec-based jet maker Bombardier, which had been pushing for an open bid.
A typical procurement process with open tendering would take around three to four years to complete before the planes could be purchased, officials said Thursday.
Bombardier CEO 脡ric Martel has argued that its plane, which is currently a prototype and slated to roll off the line in the early 2030s, would offer a cheaper and more high-tech alternative that害羞草研究所檚 made in Canada.
Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne, who represents a Quebec riding, called the company害羞草研究所檚 effort 害羞草研究所渁 laudable goal.害羞草研究所� But he joined his fellow ministers in presenting the P-8A as the only option currently on the table.
He noted that Boeing has committed to establishing an 害羞草研究所渋nnovation centre害羞草研究所� in Montreal 害羞草研究所� a global aerospace hub and Bombardier害羞草研究所檚 home base.
Blair also acknowledged the decision to go for a sole-source deal marked a recognition the federal government needs to move faster on procurement.
Officials said Boeing has also signed an agreement to provide business activities and investments in Canada equal to the value of its portion of the contract, which is $5.4 billion.
Canada害羞草研究所檚 agreement with the United States government allows it to buy up to 16 planes, though officials said the plan is to first buy 14 to meet the air force害羞草研究所檚 needs.
The new fleet will be based in Nova Scotia at 14 Wing Greenwood and in B.C. at 19 Wing Comox. The planes have a range of more than 7,000 kilometres and can be refuelled in the air using the new CC-130 Husky fleet.
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