Companies will be vying at CANSEC arms show for $5 billion contract for Canada’s new anti-submarine warfare aircraft

Photo: General Dynamics-Bombardier aircraft.

General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada and Bombardier will be holding a media conference on Wednesday May 31 at the CANSEC arms show in Ottawa.

They are bidding on the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Project that is expected to cost Canada more than $5 billion.

The other major bidder is Boeing.

In December 2022, the Ottawa Citizen reported: “Boeing announced [in June that] it had teamed with Canadian firms such as CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, and Raytheon Canada for any future bid on the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project.”

“Anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare”

National Defence has explained that the objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft is “to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range, long-endurance, multi-mission capability, optimized in Command, Control, Communications and Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) to replace the [Lockheed Martin] CP140.”

Bombardier and General Dynamics are trying to sell a modified version of the Global 6500 aircraft, while Boeing is promoting its P-8A Poseidon.

The Globe and Mail has also reported: “An image rendering of the proposed plane released by [General Dynamics and Bombardier] shows torpedoes and missiles fitted under the plane’s wings. Such weapons would be supplied by the Canadian government.”

As for the Boeing aircraft, Skies Magazine notes: “The P-8 can carry torpedoes, missiles, bombs, depth charges, mines, and sonobuoys in the weapons bay. As well, it can fire the AGM-65 Maverick land attack missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and AIM-120 AMRAAM from underwing hardpoints.”

It may be that Boeing has the upper hand.

In March of this year, Public Services and Procurement Canada reportedly stated: “The government has determined that the P-8A Poseidon is the only currently available aircraft that meets all of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft operational requirements, namely anti-submarine warfare and C4ISR [Command, Control, Communications and Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance].”

Boeing, General Dynamics and Bombardier will all be the CANSEC arms show at the EY Centre in Ottawa this coming May 31-June 1.

The decision on the new aircraft is expected to be made in 2027-28.

$100 billion for new submarines too?

Along with anti-submarine warfare aircraft, new submarines could be on the horizon too.

The CBC now reports: “Several weeks ago, the Ottawa Citizen reported on an internal Canadian navy proposal which suggested up to 12 submarines would be needed to meet Canada’s defence needs in the coming decades — six boats on each coast. Industry sources told the newspaper that such a plan would cost roughly $60 billion.”

The Ottawa Citizen article adds: “That price tag could climb to $100 billion as military equipment procurement programs are rarely on budget.”

Stop CANSEC, May 31

For information on the popular mobilization being planned against militarism, the relationship between arms sales and human rights violations, the manufacturing of wars to sell weapons, and more, please click here.

“We spend billions on weapons research and millions training our young people at military academies. Why not invest in peace studies and peace actions? We need training centers, public campaigns, and educational materials. We need to support groups like Peace Brigades International that intervene nonviolently in situations of conflict. We need to work concretely to realize peace and nonviolence in our time.” – Petra Kelly, Nonviolent Social Defense