By Ken Pole | August 18, 2014 Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 57 seconds.
The Department of National Defence (DND) has abandoned plans to buy several new fixed-wing aircraft fitted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
Without going into detail, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) cited “reasons of security and technical feasibility” for the decision to cancel the procurement in early August, nearly 10 months after it had held an industry day for 22 prospective suppliers at its headquarters in Gatineau, Que.
“It is anticipated Canada will competitively procure some elements and obtain the others directly from the US government,” PWGSC said in its notice of cancellation. An unspecified number of industry day participants have requested a formal debriefing on the procurement cancellation, and PWGSC told Skies that the companies will be contacted “over the next week to make arrangements.”
A possible option for DND is the acquisition of relatively low-hour MC-12W Liberty platforms from the U.S. Air Force. Based on the Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 and 350ER, the augmented twin turboprops were fitted with sensor and communications gear and Rockwell Collins cockpit displays, for ISR work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Acquired between 2008 and 2010, and flyable low and slow when needed, they provided real-time video and signals intelligence to commanders on the ground.
With combat missions wound down, the USAF is moving to reduce its fleet of 37 MC-12W Liberty aircraft, which includes eight 350s and 29 of the extended-range variant. Their potential appeal for the Royal Canadian Air Force would primarily be affordability, but there is also a “comfort factor” in that 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School uses smaller King Air C-90Bs leased from Allied Wings Limited Partnership for its multi-engine program at Portage la Prairie, Man.
The MC-12Ws are 48’8” long overall with a wingspan of 57’11”, and have a maximum takeoff weight of 15,000 pounds in the 350 and 16,500 in the ER. Operational range in the 350 is 1,500 nautical miles and 2,400 nm in the 350ER.
An experienced pilot with King Air time told Skies that although the greater size, mass and power of the 350 or 350R combine to yield different flight characteristics, experienced pilots would have little, if any, difficulty transitioning from the C-90B trainer.
When PWGSC launched the procurement with a Letter of Interest (LOI) last fall, it said DND wanted three to four aircraft capable of providing “enduring, operational level, multi-sensor, manned capability.” The LOI also mooted the procurement of support services for the aircraft and the prime mission equipment.
DND was looking for an aircraft capable of short-notice domestic or international deployment with a crew of four—two pilots and two sensor operators—and “approximately” 1,200 pounds of mission equipment. It also wanted a range of at least 2,000 km (1,080 nm) and a service life of 10 years or 10,000 hours, predicated on four flying hours per engine cycle—an estimated 1,800 hours annually for the fleet.
Twin-engine turboprops are seen as a more affordable aircraft to acquire and operate than the RCAF’s principal ISR platform, its long-range patrol (LRP) Lockheed Martin CP-140 Aurora. Those have been extensively refitted to maintain the ISR/LRP capability until at least 2026, but replacement is inevitable and a mixed fleet could make economic and operational sense.
