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Canada moves ahead on Boeing spy plane over Bombardier objections

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MILAN — The Canadian government is considering the purchase of as many as 16 P-8A surveillance aircraft from U.S. aerospace company Boeing without a competition, despite objections from Quebec-based Bombardier.

On 27 March, Canada announced that Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon is the sole available aircraft that conforms to all operational requirements outlined in the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project, specifically anti-submarine warfare and C4ISR.

“In view of exploring this option in more detail, Canada has submitted a Letter of Request through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales program outlining the requirements and requesting an offer,” Public Services and Procurement Canada said in a statement. “These include up to 16 P-8A aircraft and associated equipment and initial servicing, as well as access to intellectual property and technical data.”

The LOR does not commit Ottawa to buying the fleet. A final decision will ultimately rest on affordability, capability offered and advantages to the Canadian industry.

The country has sought a replacement for its CP-140 Aurora fleet for some time. The Lockheed-made aircraft has been in service with the Royal Canadian Air Force since the 1980s and will need to be retired by 2030.

A Boeing spokesperson told Defense News that the company along with its Canadian industry partners – CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada and Standard Aerospace – are committed to delivering 100 percent industrial and technical benefits to significantly expand the country’s defense industry.

Bombardier, which had planned to offer its own Global 6500 aircraft as a potential replacement for the Aurora, has argued that a Canadian-made solution needs to be considered on an equal footing.

“Canada has the opportunity to leverage its [domestic] aerospace industry to provide a multi-mission aircraft that will be the standard for decades to come,” said Bombardier spokesman Mark Masluch. “Performance should matter. Canadian jobs should matter. And sustainability matters most.”

Bombardier has been in contact with Minister of National Defense Anita Anand regarding this matter, and is “eagerly” awaiting a response, he said.

Rivals with a history

The competitors have been at odds for years, even entering into a trade dispute in 2018 over the sale of Bombardier’s 100-seat C Series jets, which Boeing complained to the U.S. government were sold to Delta below their cost of production. Bombardier ultimately won.

Ottawa had previously issued a Request for Information in February 2022, outlining 13 mandatory requirements for the eventual platform. Among the core ones are an aircraft with secure and non-secure line of sight and beyond-line-of-sight communication tools, the ability to conduct multi-spectral sensing, and access external information sources in real time or near-real time.

What could play in Poseidon’s favor is its air-to-air refueling capability, one that the Aurora aircraft lacks. In addition, the fact that four out five of its operators are Five Eyes members may be beneficial on some level when considering tactical interoperability, shared logistics and infrastructure elements.

Although there is no official contract yet, this does represent a step in the right direction for Boeing, after recent setbacks it has suffered in regard to Canadian industry prospects. In 2021, its KC-46 failed to qualify for the RCAF’s Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project, and last December the PSPC ruled out the participation of the F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet in the Future Fighter Capability program.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

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