MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has signed a contract in excess of $7 million (CAD) with a confidential international client. MDA will use RADARSAT-2 data to deliver advanced derived information to support the customer’s requirements.
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has conducted its first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF): four months after the contract was awarded. Flight operations are officially underway from the Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.
The service will support Australian forces by providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information directly to ground commanders in real time.
Inuit Canada, the makers of QuickTax – tax software, is offering its tax software free to those members of Canada’s Armed Forces (and their families) who were on Active Military Duty in 2009
Lockheed Martin successfully flight tested its F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter engaged with its STOVL propulsion system. This is the first in a series of planned STOVL-mode flights, which will include the aircraft flying progressively slower, hovering, and ultimately landing vertically. Most STOVL-mode testing will be conducted at NAS Patuxent River.
“The joint F-35 industry and government team has already shown during extended ground tests that the STOVL propulsion system performs well, and thousands of hours of component testing has validated its durability. Now we are seeing early proof that the system operates in flight as our team predicted,” said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager.
The aircraft is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine driving a Rolls-Royce LiftFan®. The system, which includes a Rolls-Royce 3-bearing swivel duct that vectors engine thrust and under-wing roll ducts that provide lateral stability, produces more than 41,000 pounds of vertical thrust. The F135 is the most powerful engine ever flown in a fighter aircraft.
EADS Defence & Security has been awarded the contract for deployment of its CORP25 digital radio communications network to service the RCMP “O” Division critical communications in the province of Ontario. The contract includes the rollout of a state of the art, open standard P25 IP-based digital public safety radio communication network and command and control centers that will expand across Ontario as the new Central Region Operation Communication System. The P25 digital communication network will also be used as the primary means to provide secure wireless communication during the upcoming G8 being held in Canada in June 2010.
The rollout is a multi-step approach with a number of phases. Phase 1 of the project will be implemented in time for exclusive use to secure the G8 Summit and be spread out across a 360km corridor in Ontario. The second and larger phase will extend the network to cover the entire province and replace the existing Central Region Operation Communication System.
The Board of Unmanned Systems Canada has announced that the merger of UVS Canada and AUVSI-Canada was completed on January 6th, 2010.
“We are excited about the future of the Canadian Unmanned systems community and we look forward to working on its behalf”, said Pip Rudkin, Chairman of the Board, Unmanned Systems Canada.
USC has assured members that the services previously provided will continue and be further enhanced as a result of the merger. Additionally, it is in the final stages of negotiating a membership sharing affiliation with AUVSI that will see Canadian members have access to the equivalent level benefits with AUVSI. The agreement is expected to be concluded by early February.
Retired Brigadier General Greg Mitchell, who joined the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre last fall as Deputy Director, will be taking over the reins from Colonel (ret'd) Peter J. Kramers on 1 February 2010. The New Year will also see a transition of the PPC exercise programme from Halifax to Ottawa under Greg’s leadership.
Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd., a leading edge technology company focused on providing Aerospace Solutions to assist aviation operators worldwide, announced two additional sales of its STAR-ISMS Lite Flight Tracking and Communication technology units to SkyLink Aviation Inc. This brings the total SkyLink order to 33.
STAR-ISMS Lite provides Flight Tracking, Asset Management, Two-way Data/Voice Communications, and Backup Emergency SOS/Distress Capabilities.
Field Aviation Company Inc. has delivered the last of seven Dash 8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).
Following a thorough evaluation of aircraft, sensors and modifiers, Field Aviation modified the first Dash 8 Series 200 MPA aircraft for CBP in 2004, and additional aircraft were subsequently ordered such that the fleet now consists of four Dash 8 Series 200s and three larger Series 300 aircraft.
Field Aviation has received each aircraft as a standard commercial version from the manufacturer, modified the structure, interior, navigation and communications equipment as well as other systems so the sensor hardware and the mission management system could be installed by ATK Integrated Systems in the USA prior to final delivery to CBP.
The Department of National Defence has awarded a $29.4 million contract to DEW Engineering and Development ULC of Ottawa for the Long Term Engineering and Support Services to the M113 Fleet.
The four year contract, with two one-year option periods, provides Technical Engineering and Maintenance Services (TEMS), Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), Repair and Overhaul (R&O) services and support spares, and Battle Damage Repair, on an as-required-basis for the M113 Family of Vehicles (FOV).
Retired Brigadier General Greg Mitchell, who joined the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre last fall as Deputy Director, will be taking over the reins from Colonel (ret'd) Peter J. Kramers on 1 February 2010. The New Year will also see a transition of the PPC exercise programme from Halifax to Ottawa under Greg’s leadership. 
Field Aviation Company Inc. has delivered the last of seven Dash 8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). 
The Department of National Defence has awarded a $29.4 million contract to DEW Engineering and Development ULC of Ottawa for the Long Term Engineering and Support Services to the M113 Fleet. 
