Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces support to keep Canada’s CF-18 fighters Action-Ready

September 01, 2010

Mirabel, Quebec – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the Government of Canada will extend the contract to maintain Canada’s fleet of 78 CF-18 fighter jets until Canada’s next generation fighter capability becomes operational.  The Prime Minister was joined at the announcement by Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence.
 
“Our Government is committed to providing the Canadian Forces with the tools and equipment they need to defend our sovereignty at home and perform their missions abroad,” Prime Minister Harper said.  “Today’s important announcement also generates significant economic benefits for the Canadian aerospace industry, a big part of the Greater Montreal economy.”
 
The contract with L-3 Communications MAS based in Mirabel, Quebec will be extended to provide aircraft support and maintenance for the CF-18 fighter jets.  The contract extension follows the delivery of the final updated CF-18 Hornet aircraft in March 2010.
 
The contract extension advances the Government’s long-term objectives set out in the Canada First Defence Strategy to rebuild and support the military.  Through this strategy, the Harper Government is providing predictable, long-term funding to increase the readiness of the Canadian Forces, improve defence infrastructure, modernize equipment and expand both the Regular and Reserve Forces.  The Canada First Defence Strategy also provides significant and long-term economic opportunities for Canadian communities and industry, creating jobs and helping Canadian businesses become leaders in the high-tech and research sectors.


Backgrounder

CF-18 fighter jets MAINTENANCE EXTENSION


In recent years, the Harper Government has made major investments in the country’s military capabilities in support of the Canada First Defence Strategy.  The Strategy sets out a detailed road map for the modernization of the Canadian Forces. It will increase the size of the Forces and replace core capabilities through stable and predictable defence funding, including balanced investments across the four pillars upon which military capabilities are built: personnel, equipment, readiness and infrastructure.  The Strategy will ensure a first-class, modern military, one that is well-trained, well-equipped and ready to take on the challenges of the 21st century.  It also presents unprecedented opportunities for Canadian industry in its reach for global excellence.
 
The Government has extended its Systems Engineering Support Contract (SESC) for the CF-18 Primary Air Vehicle (PAV) to L-3 Communications MAS of Mirabel, Quebec until at least 2017.  This seven-year contract extension is valued at $467 million, which sustains approximately 500 jobs annually.  The contract extension also includes three additional one-year extension options, valued in total at $86 million, which would bring the in-service support contract to the end of the fleet’s estimated service life of 2020. 
 
Under the SESC, L-3 Communications MAS of Mirabel, Quebec, in partnership with the Government of Canada, is responsible for the development, engineering and maintenance of the CF-18 fleet.  The contractor’s primary responsibility for the CF-18 fleet is development and maintenance work that includes:

• developing, testing, uploading and ongoing maintenance of mission software;
• testing of critical structural components;
• fly-in repairs, which include depot-level inspections and repairs that are beyond the level of repairs within the Department of National Defence (DND);
• provision of technical support teams that work directly with DND at the two Main Operating Bases in first-line support of flying operations; and
• engineering services.

The CF-18 will remain in service as Canada’s front-line tactical fighter aircraft until at least the 2017 timeframe, when Canada’s next generation fighter capability, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, becomes operational.