Bombardier believes the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is being lured into an “end-of-life product” by considering buying military surveillance aircraft from Boeing over-the-counter. The Quebec aircraft manufacturer, which covets this multi-billion dollar contract, does not intend to sit idly by if there is no call for tenders.
Canada, which must replace its 140 CP-140 Auroras put into service in 1980, has just sent a letter to the American government in order to obtain information, including a price, for a maximum of 16 P-8 Poseidon planes – l device offered by the American giant.
Ottawa says this does not constitute a firm order, but experts consulted by La Presse believe otherwise. This scenario would put a spoke in the wheels of Bombardier, which is hunting for military contracts and which is asking for a chance to promote its Global private jets, which can be converted for surveillance missions. The device is assembled in the Toronto area and then modified in the United States.
“It’s a product at the end of its life, launched the president and CEO of the aircraft manufacturer, Éric Martel, on Wednesday, on the sidelines of a speech before the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, speaking of the P- 8 Poseidon. Boeing says buy it now because we’re going to stop producing it soon.”
Although the Trudeau government calls the Boeing aircraft the “only aircraft currently offered” that “meets all operational requirements”, Mr. Martel says the Trudeau government has given him to understand that no decision has yet been made. plug.
The Bombardier boss repeats that he is not asking for preferential treatment, but rather a chance to be able to compete in the context of a formal tender. The Quebec company will study “all the options at its disposal” if an over-the-counter agreement is reached with Boeing.
“You can interpret it that way, yes,” replied Mr. Martel, when asked if he intended to retaliate in the absence of a call for tenders.
The military contract in question is valued at more than 5 billion and concerns the replacement of the Aurora CP-140 of the Armed Forces, which will be phased out from 2030. This patrol aircraft can also carry eight anti-submarine torpedoes . The Poseidon – akin to the 737 family of aircraft – can drop torpedoes. This is not the case with aircraft converted by Bombardier, but it is possible, says the company.
Boeing has delivered 158 copies of its surveillance plane, assembled in the United States. The American aircraft manufacturer currently has 183 orders.
“We will continue to build P-8s as long as there is demand,” the American multinational said in an email. That said, the continuation of production depends on a sufficient number of orders to feed the production line at a profitable level. »
Observers specializing in military procurement issues believe that at this stage, Bombardier’s chances are practically non-existent with the request that has just been sent by Ottawa.
“The government has written that the Poseidon is the only aircraft in service that meets the need,” said Thomas Hughes, postdoctoral fellow at the Center for International and Defense Policy at Queen’s University in Kingston. Several Canadian partners and allies use this device. It is not negligible. »
On this aspect, Mr. Martel sees things differently. According to him, Canada has two choices before it: procure the last examples of an existing program or opt for a platform – converted Bombardier jets – which is likely to be adopted by many allies in the coming decades. .
Richard Shimooka, a researcher at the Macdonald-Laurier Canadian Institute who specializes in particular in defense issues, also believes that Bombardier’s chances are slim. According to the expert, one of the main reasons why Canada seems to “have accelerated the acquisition process is the possibility that production of the P-8 will cease in the coming years,” he wrote, in a report.
