The Vanguard Podcast (Vanguard Canada)

C4ISR event, Game Changers and armed drones – Episode 16

In this week’s episode of the Vanguard Podcast, John Jones, publisher of Vanguard, tells us why the upcoming C4ISR event on April 20th is the place to be!

Nestor Arellano, also talks about Vanguard’s latest series the Game Changers.

We also cover the opening of the ADGA simulation lab in Kingston, Ontario and discuss the implications of chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance’s call for armed drones.

For more information on the C4ISR event:
www.C4ISRandbeyond.com

Interview with Kwon-Sik Woo, Senior VP, Director of Marketing & Sales, Naval & Special Ship Business Unit, HD HHI

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Kwon-Sik Woo, Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing & Sales for the Naval & Special Ship Business Unit at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). With over 28 years of experience in the global shipbuilding industry, Mr. Woo offers valuable insights into HHI’s leading role in naval shipbuilding and defence contracting for the Republic of Korea Navy.

Mr. Woo’s career journey began in HHI’s Shipsales Department, moved to heading international offices in London and Singapore, and eventually to his current executive role. He discusses the evolution of HHI’s Naval & Special Ship Business Unit, a world-renowned naval shipyard and licensed defence industrial shipbuilder. As HHI celebrates over 50 years of innovation and excellence in heavy industries, Mr. Woo sheds light on how the company continues to lead in engineering advancements, diversifying into offshore and machinery sectors, while remaining at the forefront of naval technology.

Join us for an engaging discussion on the future of naval defence, international collaboration, and the strategic direction of one of the most influential companies in the global shipbuilding landscape.

In this episode:

• HD HHI's strategy for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project
• HHI's strengths compared to its competitors
• HHI's Submarine Strengths
• HHI's strategy for ITBs
• Examples of HHI's Transfer for Technologies
• And more!

Another delay for CSC and aerospace companies call on PM to move on Super Hornets

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, Canada sends a CC130J to Texas to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, another delay for the Canadian Surface Combatant project, and Canadian-based aerospace companies are calling on the Prime Minister to stop blocking the purchase of the Super Hornet fighter jets.

Show Notes:

A Royal Canadian Air Force CC130J Hercules left Canada recently for the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, carrying humanitarian supplies including baby formula, blankets, cribs, and similar items to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

The Government of Canada offered to assist with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and the offer was accepted by the US.

Hurricane Harvey has caused a mandatory evacuation of approximately 750,000 people with an additional 1.1 million people who are under a voluntary evacuation order along the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Wilma in 2005, ending a record 12-year drought in which no major hurricanes made landfall in the country. Harvey caused at least 71 confirmed deaths; 1 in Guyana, and 70 in the United States. Harvey is considered the worst disaster in Texas history, and the recovery will take many years. Economic losses are preliminarily estimated at between $70 to $200 billion, with a large portion of the losses sustained by uninsured homeowners.

CSC delays again

The Canadian Surface Combatant program is heading into another delay, the deadline for the RFP for this program is now expected to be in November, moving from August. That means the decision on which off-the-shelf design to go with for the CSC project is being delayed until next year late winter or early spring.

Lisa Campbell, assistant deputy minister of defence and marine procurement, said the delay will not affect the overall timeline for the program.

"It's not going to affect ship construction, which is still planned to start in the early 2020s," Campbell told CBC News in an interview.

According to reports, the procurement plan was more complex than initially advertised and needed to be rewritten. Some of the 12 prequalified bidders complained about tight timelines.

Super Hornet

Ten Canadian-based aerospace companies are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop blocking the purchase of 18 Super Hornet fighter jets. These companies are arguing they stand to suffer from the government's unwavering support of Bombardier Inc. in a trade dispute with Boeing Co.

A letter sent recently by senior executives from firms such as L-3 MAS, CAE and GE Canada, reads, "Prime Minister, we ask for your co-operation as we work with Boeing to keep our collective growth and innovation story unfolding here in Canada. Our partnership is deep and enduring, but it needs your engagement."

The letter, which calls on the government to advance "aerospace for all of Canada," is the most recent development in an increasingly bitter dispute between the Canadian government and Boeing.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Joseph Galimberti, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs of PAL Aerospace.

PAL Aerospace is a diversified international aerospace and defence company headquartered in Canada. With over four decades of operations, PAL has continuously built on their experience to evolve into a global leader of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions. 

Hear more about PAL Aerospace and some of their exciting capabilities within the aerospace field. Joseph shares of lessons and capabilities that PAL has that will be incorporated to provide in-service support for the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue project. Their ISR special mission platform called the Force Multiplier and what specific issues this will solve for the Canadian Armed Forces and militaries around the world, aerial surveillance for Canada’s inland, coastal and offshore waters, and emerging technologies for ISR solutions.

Joseph Galimberti joined PAL in late 2018 as the Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs. Prior to joining PAL, Joseph held a variety of executive positions including: President of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, Vice-President of Public and Corporate Affairs at Hill + Knowlton Strategies Canada, Director of Government and Community Relations at Air Canada, and has also served in various capacities with the Government of Canada. Joseph is co-owner of his family business Broad Street Cycles in Victoria, B.C., and a former Trustee on the Board of Pearson College UWC. Joseph lives in Ottawa with his wife Heidi and their twin sons Jonah and Bennett.

To learn more about PAL Aerospace, go to https://www.palaerospace.com.

In this edition of Vanguard Weekly, J. Richard Jones chats about citizen development and how technology applications are enabling scalable solutions to help citizens. Joining the show are special guests Brian Macdonald, Executive Director with Aman Lara and Caleb Walker, SVP Global Pursuits at WithYouWithMe.

Aman Lara is a not for profit group of former veterans and volunteers helping "good people get out of bad places." They have had tremendous results, first in Afghanistan and now in Ukraine. Tune in to learn about the unique collaboration between WithYouWithMe and Aman Lara. We also explore the special app that has been developed to provide greater accessibility in helping extract people from dangerous places, all the way from the tracking and processing through to the final immigration stage.

In this episode:

• The collaboration between Aman Lara and WithYouWithMe
• The technology app and how it works while working with small budgets
• Making the complex simple - getting through the process and bureaucracy
• The challenges of working with technology and people
• And so much more

In this episode, Uber self-driving car killed a woman in Arizona recently, was that accident avoidable? There are many calls coming from different quarters to quite Facebook and streaming is taking over the music industry, so what's next?

Show Notes

Last Sunday, in the city of Tempe, Arizona, Elaine Herzberg who was 49 years old, attempted to cross a busy road. She was pushing a bicycle across the road about 100 meters from the closest pedestrian crosswalk when she was hit by a vehicle, which was travelling at 38 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone.

The Police Chief of Tempe said the crash may have been unavoidable.

One analyst who follows autonomous vehicles, said laser and radar systems can see in the dark much better than humans or cameras and that the victim was well within the range.

He said, “It absolutely should have been able to pick her up. From what I see in the video it sure looks like the car is at fault, not the pedestrian.”

Delete Facebook

How often do you post on Facebook? A lot of people are calling for others to quit Facebook. Even the hashtag #DeleteFacebook is trending.

Many are wondering if it is time to say goodbye to Facebook.

At its best, Facebook is a nice way to stay in touch with friends around the world, in business to learn what’s important to the people we serve and to share the work we’re doing. But there’s a concern to all of this. The very data that make it work so well, have power, power that can be used for good or evil.

And because of this, many are now waking up to the concerns over privacy and how our personal information is being shared.

Streaming Music

Over the years we have seen the evolution of the way music is consumed. From cassettes to cds, then onto digital downloads. For a little while now streaming is the main way of getting our music.

Streaming music is taking over the music industry, and that can be seen with digital download sales which have fallen so much in the past few years that they’re now smaller than sales of CDs, vinyl, and other physical media.

A recent report shows that digital downloads fell to $1.3 billion last year, whereas physical media, while also falling, only declined to $1.5 billion.

We know that communications in the North is always a challenge. Recently, two communications companies teamed up to offer a new service to help solve this issue.

Galaxy Broadband and Hunter Communications have recently announced a new service to provide high-power Ku-band satellite service to Canadian federal departments and agencies using the new Hunter Ku-band satellite coverage. And now, for the first time this service is available through Shared Services Canada.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Doug Harvey from Galaxy Broadband and Brent Perrott from Hunter Communications about this new service.

Learn more about what prompted these companies to get together, what this means for Canada’s military, the coverage or reach, in-flight connectivity, the Hunter beam and their experience in providing service in the North.

To learn more go to https://huntercomm.net/and http://www.galaxybroadband.ca/.

Vanguard visits the new IMPACT Centre of Lockheed Martin Canada in Kanata. This facility will spearhead the company’s latest research work on projects such as the Canadian Surface Combatant programme.

Terri Pavelic, editor of Vanguard, speaks with Rosemary Chapdelaine, vice-president of Lockheed Martin Canada’s MST business area, to find out more about the new facility.

Welcome back to episode 4 of the Digital Natives and Modern Military podcast series. Joining J. Richard Jones once more are special guests, General Sir James Everard, former senior British Army Officer, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for NATO and LTCOL Caleb Walker, Global Vice President of Defence for WithYouWithMe. In this episode we explore how the militaries across the five eyes can look to innovation and in particular new engagement channels as a part of the fight to bring digital natives into their ranks.

In this episode:

• Defence is foreign for digital natives
• Spectrum engagement
• The need to build innovation hubs within defence
• And more!

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Valarie Findlay, Research Fellow, National Police Foundation, American Society for Evidence-Based Policing about the controversial topic of Canada's gun legislation.

Mass shootings are becoming more rampant. Many blame guns as the cause while others believe that it's not about guns but there are other factors at play. Would implementing gun laws solve the deadly issue of mass shootings? What are the impacts of the new gun legislation, how does it affect hunters, our rights, and will it actually work?

To get a copy of Valarie’s presentation on Gun-Involved Crime and Violence: Technology, Evidenced-Based and Sociological Considerations delivered at DCJS Gun-Involved Violence Elimination Symposium, Albany, NY in Oct 15-16, 2018, go (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328563031_Gun-Involved_Crime_and_Violence_Technology_Evidenced-Based_and_Sociological_Considerations_Presented_at_DCJS_Gun-Involved_Violence_Elimination_Symposium_Albany_NY_Oct_15-16_2018) or you can view it on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw7v8o-bhW0.

You can connect with Valarie on Twitter @janemoneypenny.

Welcome back to another episode of Vanguard Radio with host J. Richard Jones. In this episode, we speak with Theo Zafirakos, CISO Coach and Professional Services, Security Awareness Speaker for Fortra's Terranova Security. Theo is an experienced security leader and trusted advisor known for his expertise in security awareness strategy, governance, privacy, and cyber security. He collaborates with CISOs and security leaders globally, assisting them in identifying, evaluating, and managing security awareness risks. Prior to joining Terranova Security, Theo spent two decades at Canadian National Railway (CN) as the CISO, where he was responsible for the information security and governance strategy. He currently leads the Fortra's Terranova Security Professional Services team, which focuses on implementing and executing security awareness programs to achieve measurable results.

Terranova Security is a valuable addition to Fortra's comprehensive cybersecurity portfolio, which aims to simplify the complex landscape with innovative solutions. Their risk-based campaigns and high-quality training content empower employees to understand critical practices like phishing and compliance. Customized options align with customer goals, strengthening long-term information security. Terranova fosters an inclusive workplace with equal gender representation and encourages diverse voices to drive innovative security awareness training.

Today’s conversation zeros in on the fact that a successful security awareness program should generate a security-aware organizational culture.

In this episode:

• Why should your organization build a Security-Aware Culture?
• How to Spot a Security-Aware Cultural Shift in a Business?
• Why leaders need to understand employee cyber security awareness levels
• Why your organization should be concerned about Third-Party Risk Management
• And much more!

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, Marcello Sukhdeo talks about the US to increase troops deployment to Afghanistan, the Prime Minister stance on asylum seekers crossing the border into Canada and the Oceans Protection Plan. 

Show Notes:

U.S. President, Donald Trump recently endorsed the option to increase troops to Afghanistan, but has not provided any specific numbers.

In referring to their presence in Afghanistan, the president said he won't be bound by deadlines and the eventual withdrawal will be determined by "conditions on the ground," which is something American military commanders have long supported.

This conflict, which started with President George W. Bush and continued during the Obama administration, has now been taken over by Donald Trump - spanning three US presidents.

Trump said he thought about pulling out of Afghanistan entirely, but decided against it.

Total withdrawal would be a signal of defeat in the face of Iran, Pakistan and Russia, all of which are vying for influence in the region, said a former commander of Canadian special operations troops.

Asylum seekers

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking at a news conference earlier this week, addressed the issue of asylum seekers crossing the border into Canada.

He said, "If I could directly speak to people seeking asylum, I'd like to remind them there's no advantage. Our rules, our principles and our laws apply to everyone."

In the first two weeks of August, more than 3,800 people walked over the border into the province, compared to about 2,900 who crossed throughout all of July.

The Prime Minister stressed that anyone seeking refugee status will have to go through Canada's "rigorous" screening process.

Oceans Protection Plan

In November 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the Oceans Protection Plan. With an investment of $1.5 billion dollars, the plan came about due to a collaboration between the federal government and Canadians to protect Canada's coasts and waterways.

Canada is known for the longest coastline in the world, and because of the size of territory to cover, this plan was developed to raise the bar on marine protection.

Through the Oceans Protection Plan, Canada’s new direction on marine safety now includes four priority areas:

1. Creating a world-leading marine safety system;

2. Protecting and restoring Canada’s marine ecosystems;

3. Strengthening partnerships with coastal and Indigenous communities;

4. Investing in science for decision-making

Over the next five years, more than 50 initiatives associated with these priority areas are being launched under the Plan. They will include faster response to oil spills, removing abandoned boats across the country, reducing vessel noise to protect whales, exploring new ways to work together with Indigenous communities, and researching how oil behaves when spilled in marine environments.

For more information on this, please check out this article that was submitted to Vanguard from Transport Canada - http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/08/21/the-oceans-protection-plan-canadas-new-direction-to-protect-its-coasts/

Thanks for joining us on Vanguard Radio for today.

In this show, you’ll hear from Lee Obst, President and Managing Director at Rockwell Collins Canada. Terri Pavelic, Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard spoke with Lee a few days ago during their open house event in Ottawa.

Rockwell Collins is multinational company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa providing avionics and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers. Seen as a leader in aviation and high-integrity solutions for commercial and military customers around the world, Rockwell Collins provides flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, cabin interiors, information management, mission communications, and simulation and training products and services.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, we will talk about a major problem that affects naval vessels - that problem is corrosion. How can we detect and assess corrosion behind surface coatings such as paint, insulation, tiles, and seamless decking onboard Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) platforms in order to reduce corrosion’s operational impact and improve the effectiveness of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance?

To tell us more is Tom Hughes, Sandbox and Test Drive Manager for IDEaS (Innovation for Defence, Excellence and Security).

In this episode, the Russian President is opened to the idea of having UN peacekeepers in Ukraine, also the U.K. Prime Minister asked U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in a court dispute between Boeing and Bombardier. And lastly, North Korea issued warnings of “forthcoming measures” against the United States after the latest round of sanctions was announced.

Show Notes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to look into the idea of deploying UN peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine and not only along the conflict line separating Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists, but also in other areas where monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) work.

The Kremlin said Putin made the comments in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on September 11.

In a statement, the German Chancellor said Putin "agreed to remove the previous limitation of deployment of the planned UN mission" after Ms. Merkel pointed out that "changes in the mandate were necessary."

On September 5, Putin called for the deployment of lightly armed peacekeepers to protect OSCE observers monitoring the conflict in eastern Ukraine. But he indicated that the peacekeepers would operate only along the front line separating Ukrainian government forces and separatists.

Boeing and Bombardier

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May asked U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in a court dispute between Boeing Co. and Canada’s Bombardier Inc.

Ms. May made the request during a call with President Trump on Sept. 5 and comes at a time when the UK government seeks to protect jobs at a Bombardier plant in Belfast.

It is expected that the UK Prime Minister will discuss this matter with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a visit to Ottawa on Sept. 18.

The U.K. Department for Business said in an emailed statement that their "priority is to encourage Boeing to drop its case and seek a negotiated settlement with Bombardier."

North Korea

In an attempt to punish North Korea for its latest nuclear test, the UN Security Council approved new sanctions, targeting the country’s textile industry and limiting its import of crude oil.

After this latest round of UN sanctions was announced, North Korea issued warnings of “forthcoming measures” against the United States.

North Korea said it successfully conducted its sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. The latest test was said to have been a hydrogen bomb designed to be mounted on a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile that has “great destructive power,” state media said following the announcement of the test.

North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations lashed out at the UN’s latest “illegal and unlawful” sanctions against his country, calling it a “grave challenge to international peace and justice.”

The North Korean ambassador went on to warn the U.S. that it will suffer consequences for the approved sanctions.

“The DPRK is ready to use any form of ultimate means,” he said. “The forthcoming measures by DPRK will make the U.S. suffer the greatest pain it’s ever experienced in its history.”

In this episode of Vanguard Weekly, J. Richard Jones welcomes back special guest Caleb Walker, Vice President Defence and Federal, WithYouWithMe. Tune in as they discuss what is a Tech Design Sprint and how you can participate. Government faces common technology challenges as they build their digital strategies. The Design Sprint will have a theme focused on ‘building national resilience’ and provide opportunities for participants to co-design tech solutions to real problems. But its so much more than that!

In this episode:

• Why the Design Sprint and what are the objectives?
• Talking about and working through tech solutions to help with common digital challenges
• The business process, getting started and mapping it out, before the technology
• New ideas and learning from different departments
• Understanding the user experience and how to improve
• Design Sprint, a week of knowledge and exploration
• The Design Sprint and how to participate

Pull up a chair for this electrifying episode of Vanguard Radio as J. Richard Jones speaks with Bruce Alexander, President, Raymond EMC about military electromagnetic capability (EMC), emissions security (EMSEC), and TEMPEST technology. Your security is the issue in this conversation about bad actors who could be stealing your data, keystrokes, and video.

Also in this episode:

• Bruce Alexander’s journey in the industry
• What exactly is EMC?
• The four pillars of EMC testing
• What is EMSEC and TEMPEST
• What’s at risk?
• And more!

Today, host J. Richard Jones is joined by Rick Fawcett, Vice President, Operations ADGA. Richard is retired Colonel who served 34 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before taking on executive roles in the defence industry and joining the ADGA team in September 2020. Founded in 1967, ADGA Group Consultants Inc. is a privately owned and operated Canadian company specializing in Advanced Technology Solutions. In December 2021, ADGA was acquired by Commissionaires Ottawa, converging its capabilities with allied companies to provide a one-stop, full spectrum of cyber, electronic, and physical security solutions. ADGA is also committed to initiatives and policies that contribute to jobs, innovation, and economic growth across Canada. Vanguard asks Rick to explain what and how ADGA delivers for Canada.

Also in this episode:

• What is ADGA's social mandate?
• Why is the social mandate important to ADGA and how did it come about?
• What differentiates ADGA from other companies?
• How does the social mandate help ADGA when it comes to contracts, both present and future?
• What does ADGA do for veterans?
• What should veterans and people leaving the military know about ADGA?

Welcome back! In episode three of our special 5-part podcast series, J. Richard Jones and special guests, General Sir James Everard, former senior British Army Officer, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for NATO and LTCOL Caleb Walker, Global Vice President of Defence for WithYouWithMe explore the idea of service as it relates to digital natives. Just what are digital natives looking for and how can the military meet that need?

In this episode:

• Meeting the needs of digital natives
• Inspired through service
• Pattern of service or hybrid service - the flexible establishment model
• The digital future of military
• And so much more!

Coming soon:

Episode 4: New Engagement Channels: Incorporating Innovation

Host, J. Richard Jones, speaks with Paul Guindon, CEO, Commissionaires Ottawa and National Business Management Committee Chair. Commissionaires is one of Canada’s leading security solutions providers and the largest private sector employer of veterans. It is founded on the core military values of dedication, responsibility, and sense of mission. It also employs 22,000+ people from coast to coast to coast.

In this episode:

• Digital fingerprinting
• Infrastructure
• Background checks
• Risk assessment
• And many other areas of security

The CAF’s Web site gets hacked, tips on taking care of your supply chain, and shooting first against ISIS.

These are the items we’ll be taking about on the Vanguard Radio today.

In this episode of Vanguard radio, J. Richard Jones joins the show as guest host. He discusses Towed Reelable Active-Passive Sonar, (TRAPS) a new program for reservists and Canada’s role in the Iraq mission. All this and more, in this episode of Vanguard radio.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Jean-Claude Siew, Vice President for Technology and Simulation for Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc.

Jean-Claude has a deep understanding of training and simulation and management leadership, which he accumulated over 20 years of working in the aerospace and defence industry. He has a strong focus on growing Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc. through technology leadership and by further developing the products and services in working closely with large aerospace and defence OEMs.

Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc. (BTS) operates within the defence and aerospace industry by designing and developing highly specialized, high performance, tactical training for front line operators of equipment working in complex environments and high-risk situations. This includes, training systems needs analysis, custom courseware development, virtual simulation training devices, and ongoing training support for in service support.

Hear more about Bluedrop, some of the lessons learned in working with the Canadian Armed Forces to shape future courseware and training, developing training programs for a variety of different systems on the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels and the role that it will play in helping the Canadian Coast Guard to effectively operate these vessels.

Jean-Claude talks about how Bluedrop provides training solutions for other countries. He shares some of the takeaways of working with foreign organizations that can be applied to Canada and vice versa.

Check out Bluedrop at CANSEC at booth 1215 to learn more.

In this exciting episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones speaks with Derek Buxton, VP Business Development & Ottawa about the Vigilance Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel, and the importance of the proposed Team Canada approach.

Derek Buxton has 32 years of combined service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard and is currently spearheading the development of new opportunities for VARD in the global government shipbuilding sector. After completing his engineering degree at the Royal Military College of Canada, Derek started his career in the military serving in many sea-going and shore-based roles. He spent four years on exchange duties in Australia with the COLLINS Class submarine program, and subsequently worked on the acquisition and in-service support of Canada’s VICTORIA Class submarines upon his return to Canada. He then finished his military career in 2007 as the design authority for submarine platform systems. Derek spent eleven years with the Canadian Coast Guard in key leadership roles supporting its renewal program, and most recently was responsible for the requirements definition and concept development for the Coast Guard’s future fleet.

Vard Marine Inc. is a consulting naval architecture and marine engineering company established in 1983 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of VARD Group AS in Norway, a Fincantieri company. These partnerships provide for access to design and construction databases from both VARD Group and Fincantieri that can be utilized in projects worldwide.

In this episode:

• The Vigilance Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel design and the proposed approach
• What the Team Vigilance partners bring to the table
• The importance of the proposed Team Canada approach
• Kingston-class replacement vs a life extension program
• Designing and tailoring for a specific customer
• The importance of designing in Canada
• And more!

In this important episode of Vanguard Radio Editor in Chief, Terri Pavelic, discusses the Battle of Vimy Ridge with non-profit leader and public history professional, Caitlin Bailey, Executive Director of both the Canadian Centre for the Great War and the Vimy Foundation. Caitlin is committed to ensuring the longevity of the memory of the Great War in Canadian life and finding new and interesting ways to tell its story. The Vimy Foundation is inspired by the heroic victory of the Canadian Forces at Vimy Ridge and believes that the key to a successful future lies in knowing one’s past. To help spread awareness, particularly in young people, the Foundation works with different partners on many projects and commemorative initiatives, while also creating forward-looking educational program that use history as a tool for building a better future.

In this episode:

• Explore the mission of the Vimy Foundation
• Learn the importance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge
• Hear about the “Vimy: A Living Memorial” initiative
• Examine the digital tools and 2.5D technologies involved in creating “Vimy: A Living Memorial”
• And so much more!

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, the topic of conversation revolves around satellites and Arctic communications services. Host, J. Richard Jones, interviews Gill Fortin, Director Business Development, Canada, Inmarsat. With experience spanning Customer Service, Operations, Technical Support, Product Management, Account Management, Sales and Business Development, Gill has seen and contributed to the changes that have helped shape the satellite industry as it is today and offers a unique perspective on the challenges faced by those requiring communications services in the Arctic.

In this episode:

• Why are Arctic communications services so vital?
• Who benefits from satellite services in the Arctic?
• How would Arctic satellite services be used in the future?
• What’s the biggest impediment to Arctic satellite service?
• How are world events affecting Arctic interests?
• And more…

The government hast just extended the CAF's anti-ISIS operations. But that's not the only change that's worth reporting about the military's mission in Iraq.

Also, a team of former and current military experts are recommending an overhaul of the Royal Military College of Canada's training module.

New collaborations and contracts are reported by defence industry firms Airbus, SITA, Mannarino Systems & Software, Lockheed Martin, Field Aviation and CAE.

Links:

• http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/03/31/caf-anti-isis-mission-extended/
• http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/03/29/rmcc-training-to-be-revamped/
• http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/04/04/airbus-sita-work-together-on-air-transport-cybersecurity/
• http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/04/03/montreal-software-firm-bags-lockheeds-offset-investment/

http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/03/31/field-aviation-to-upgrade-ct-156-harvard-aircraft/

J. Richard Jones is back with another episode of Vanguard Radio. This week he speaks with Owen Brine, Sales Director Defence (Canada) at Kongsberg Digital. In his role at Kongsberg Digital, Owen draws upon a distinguished 20 years of active naval service; including four NATO deployments conducting operations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Among other Navy roles, he was assigned to National Defence Headquarters where he led the defence Human Systems Integration team in the design of the Combat Management System for the Halifax Class warship.

Kongsberg Digital is the provider of the K-Sim maritime simulation system that enables efficient and realistic training of students and crew, building vital skills that promote safety, cost-efficiency, and sustainability in operations at sea.

Also in this episode:

• What public sector experience does DXC bring to Canada?
• How can DXC help the Government of Canada?
• Turning Data into Insights & Actions
• Managing and protecting data as a strategic asset
• And more!

Welcome back to episode two of our special 5-part podcast series.  Join host, J. Richard Jones and special guests, General Sir James Everard, former senior British Army Officer and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for NATO and LTCOL Caleb Walker, Global Vice President of Defence for WithYouWithMe. In the episode listen in as they examine the challenge facing all militaries across the West around engaging digital natives – with a particular focus on the future fight and the need for militaries to build out their digital armies.

Also in this episode:

• The business of military is changing fast. We need to be prepared, we need to build our armies, and this includes digital armies
• How technology and digital environments are disrupting established ways of operating
• Growing demand for cyber demands a new approach to recruitment
• The number one reason for retirement
• And so much more!

In the latest episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones talks with Jack MacDonald, Technical Director, ADGA Group about ADGA’s core services, observations, and insights on defence procurement problems and how ADGA's Value-added Program Management service is part of the solution.

Jack MacDonald served 27 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before taking on leadership roles both within government and the defence industry. He brings years of experience in complex procurement, program management and technology innovation to his current role as Technical Director for ADGA Group.

ADGA Group is a proudly Canadian-owned and operated defence and security technology company. Their core services include value-added program management, agile software engineering development, and integrated security solutions. ADGA is recognized for employing advanced technology experts who bring unparalleled expertise in defence and security systems. For decades, ADGA have recruited CAF veterans to integrate their unique skill sets and highly specialized training into their workforce and work culture. ADGA’s social mandate is not only to hire veterans, but also family members and fellow citizens who share a passion to protect Canadians and Canada’s allies, and to give back to veteran causes in the community.

In this episode:

• What has changed at ADGA since the acquisition by Commissionaires Ottawa
• ADGA's core services
• What is “Value-added Program Management"?
• How Value-added Program Management supports military members on the battlefield and behind the lines
• And more!

In the episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones speaks with Emma Palmacci PhD - Senior Director, Global Strategy, Mission Systems, Collins Aerospace. Tune is as they talk about industry strategy and global trends. As part of its contribution and commitment to Department of National Defence's MINDS program, Collins Aerospace teamed up with Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, with the support of MITACS, to conduct a 2.5-year long research endeavor on the Impacts of Emerging Technology on Defence Policy. This joint effort supported the professional growth of graduate level interns – the next generation of defence experts – for a period ranging from a few months to the full duration. The project examined key emerging technologies, interoperability, connectivity, C4ISR and connected battlespace capabilities.

In this episode:

• How international customer behaviours have been evolving over the last few years
• What are the main drivers of C4ISR capability development?
• What are the emerging technologies with disruptive impacts?
• What are the lessons learned around the world?
• Why collaboration between industry and government is increasingly important?
• And more!

Over a hundred years ago, The Boeing Company became a key partner in the Canadian aerospace industry.  Since that time, Boeing has grown to become a leader in the Canadian aerospace industry with 12 locations across the country supporting Boeing’s commercial and defence industries.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 A Lighting II fighter is designated "combat ready" by the United States Air Force. However, the fate in Canada controversial stealth-capable fighter is still up in the air.

Work begins in compiling and reviewing more than 20,000 submissions from Canadians who the government to hear their say on the country's upcoming Defence Policy Review. And Canadian troops are off to a number of military exercises and competition around the globe.

These and more and discussed in this episode of the Vanguard Podcast

For more Information

Follow Us on Twitter: @VanguardMag

Like Us on Facebook: Vanguard Magazine

Visit our Website: www.VanguardCanada.com

Subscribe to us on YouTube: Vanguard Canada

Vanguard magazine takes you through a first-hand account of the 2017 Wounded Warriors Canada Battlefield Bike Ride with special guest Astrid Neuland.

For more information on Wounded Warriors, please visit: https://woundedwarriors.ca/

Since 2008, Babcock has been operating in Canada in working with committed experts to design, build, manage, operate and maintain assets vital to the delivery of critical public services. Globally, the company is a 35,000-strong organization, which helps customers around the world to improve the capability, reliability and availability of their most critical assets within the key market sectors of Marine, Land, Aviation, and Nuclear.

Recently, Babcock was awarded a contract for aerial firefighting by the Government of Manitoba. This Wildfire Suppression Services contract is for a period of ten years. 

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Mike Whalley, President of Babcock Canada and Jake Jacobson, Vice-President of Babcock Canada about this contract and the operation of Babcock in Canada. 

Hear an update on the Victoria-class submarine program, lessons gleaned from this program that can be applied to future naval in-service support programs, lessons from working in the United Kingdom and the Australasia regions in incorporating those in Canada, some of the services they provide in the different sectors, the recent contract by the Manitoba government for aerial firefighting services and the future for Babcock Canada.

To learn more about Babcock Canada, go to https://babcockcanada.com.

The legal, intelligence and ethical perspectives of surveillance along with a focus on its associated opportunities and challenges will be discussed at C4ISR and Beyond 2020, taking place on January 28 in Ottawa.

This panel will be moderated by LGen D. Michael Day (Ret’d). In this episode of Vanguard Radio, Day shares a teaser of what we can expect from this discussion. The panelists will tackle the complications associated with the legal, intelligence and ethical perspectives for ISR so that industry can build capabilities with these considerations “baked” in.

LGen D. Michael Day (Ret’d) joined the Canadian Forces in 1983 and had the privilege of serving and commanding within his Regiment. He spent the majority of his career as an Operator within Canada’s Counter Terrorist and Special Forces community commanding both Joint Task Force Two ( JTF 2) & Canada’s Special Operations Forces Command. He was deployed operationally to Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Afghanistan and was responsible for the preparation, training, and oversight of NATO’s Response Force, with distributed command throughout Europe.

He has served in a variety of Senior Staff appointments including the Canadian Armed Forces Senior Military Officer in the Defence Policy Group, and the Chief Strategic Planner for the CAF where he also oversaw the development of the Department of National Defence’s Space and Cyber Programs. After retiring in September 2015, he began consulting with many companies, with a particular focus on the Tech Sector specifically ISR, Space and Cyber. 

The panelists:

Jessica Davis, President & Principal Consultant, Insight Threat Intelligence

Leah West, Lecturer of International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

Stephanie Carvin, Assistant Professor Assistant Professor of International Affairs - National Security Issues, Terrorism, Critical Infrastructure Protection, International Law, Humanitarianism, Foreign Policy, Carleton University

Hear more about this panel, the speakers and what they will be talking about, some of the takeaways and why you should attend C4ISR and Beyond 2020.  

We have a few seats remaining. Be sure to register today!

In the episode of Vanguard, J. Richard Jones interviews Rick Fawcett, OMM, CD- Executive Vice-President, Defence and Terri Pavelic, Editor-In-Chief, Vanguard Media. Topics discussed include the challenges associated with digital transformation, what can be learned, the role that industry plays with CAF’s digital transformation and the next steps for the CAF?

Plus, special “Bonus Show Notes,” which include behind the scenes audio as well as questions and answers not included with the show.

Babcock Canada, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards, and BMT, have been working together for over 12 years with the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Scott, the FMF Cape Breton, the Department of National Defence, and Public Services and Procurement Canada to maintain, refit, and upgrade Canada’s Victoria-Class Submarines.

These three companies are a part of what is called the ‘Team Victoria-Class’. In this episode of Vanguard Radio, we have the privilege to hear from three distinguished executives from these three companies.

Anthony March - Anthony is the Vice President Engineering Service at Babcock Canada. He worked previously with the Canadian Armed Forces where he served as the Marine Systems Engineering Officer in HMC Submarines Victoria, Windsor, and Corner Brook.

Tony Winter. Tony is Vice President, Project Delivery, Victoria Shipyards (Seaspan). He also has a military background, serving with the Royal Australian Navy before taking up his current role with Seaspan.

Keith Cunnane. Keith is Vice President, Operations for BMT in Canada. He served in the UK’s Royal Navy for over 20 years on several attack submarines that were deployed on operations around the world.

Hear more about on how the Team Victoria-Class started, submarine sustainment, the supplier network, the benefits to Canada and the future of Team Victoria-Class.

In this episode, hear about the increasing value of data for defence and the impact of digital transformation in response to the pandemic.

Through digital transformation and innovation, Microsoft is empowering government organizations to achieve more as they engage with citizens, empower employees, optimize operations and reinvent government services and business models.

Welcome to the concluding episode of our 5-part Digital Natives and Modern Military podcast series. Host, J. Richard Jones wraps up his exciting and enlightening discussion with very special guests General Sir James Everard, former senior British Army Officer, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for NATO and LTCOL Caleb Walker, Global Vice President of Defence for WithYouWithMe. In the final episode they explore the large and important topic of how to retain digital natives and how to retrain them as necessary.

In this episode:

• Convincing the gatekeepers
• Implementing and supporting retention methods
• Defining career paths and training programs
• Providing diversity of movement
• Performance management
• Mentoring and support networks
• And much more!

In the latest episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones has a discussion with Ted Kirkpatrick, Director of Business Development and Government Relations, Heddle Shipyards about shipbuilding in Ontario, Team Vigilance eliminating the boom-and-bust cycles of shipbuilding and repair, and much more.

Ted Kirkpatrick, a seasoned maritime professional with a diverse background, joined Heddle Shipyards in 2019. In 2020, he assumed the role of Director of Business Development and Government Relations. Ted's journey began as a deckhand in 2012 with McKeil Marine, where he worked his way up to becoming a Captain and Navigation officer, obtaining his certificates while at sea.

Throughout his career, Ted has gained extensive experience on various vessels, from tugs to self-unloaders and pneumatic cement carriers. He has been actively involved in both vessel maintenance and operations, fostering deep connections within the Canadian commercial shipping industry.

In his current role, Ted is focused on enhancing Heddle's market presence and nurturing relationships with clients and government entities.

Heddle Shipyards is the largest Canadian ship repair and construction company on the Great Lakes operating shipyards in Hamilton, St. Catharines and Thunder Bay. A wholly Canadian owned company, Heddle has been in continuous operation since 1987 and is the leading vessel life cycle services provider on the Great Lakes. Their vision is to be recognized as the most reliable provider of ship repair and maintenance services in Canada and a meaningful partner in the shipbuilding industry.

In this episode:

• The state of shipbuilding in Ontario
• How the province can support the growth of the industry
• How Heddle preparing for increased shipbuilding work
• And more!

In this episode J. Richard Jones and special weekly guests Terri Pavelic, editor-in-chief, Vanguard Media and Caleb Walker, Country Manager, WYWM provide updates, opinion, and perspectives.

Episode 3:

• C4ISR 2022, reviewing a fantastic event. The speakers, a summary of key topics, best practices, lessons learned, progress in the digital arena
• ShipTech 2022, a sneak peak, the speakers, themes for this year. How to take advantage of early bird registrations
• Rethinking how Government solves problems
• Automating process to save labor hours

And more!

COVID-19 is affecting all facets of society today and life as we know it. This pandemic is creating havoc around the world and is being used by threat actors to perpetrate grey zone actions and to infiltrate security vulnerabilities.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Valarie Findlay, American Society for Evidenced-Based Policing member and a research fellow for the Police Foundation (USA). Valarie has two decades of senior-level expertise in cybersecurity and policing initiatives. She has worked extensively on federal cyber initiatives and is a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police eCrimes Cyber Council and AFCEA DC. She has a Masters in Sociology and a Masters in Terrorism Studies with her dissertation addressing the impacts of terrorism on law enforcement in Western Nations.

In a time of crisis, there are a number of areas of potential exposure for malicious threats and non-malicious threats. The latter is more a part of a pandemic. Learn more about how one aspect is affecting other aspects of society, resulting in a broader state of vulnerability.

Hear about grey zone actions that can create vulnerabilities for a nation to be attacked and who it can be used to erode a nation's democracy. These are covert and often hard to detect actions. But how we respond to them is important in maintaining a democracy and the overall stability of a nation. When a country is in a state of crisis or vulnerability like the COVID-19 pandemic, it leaves that nation more susceptible to grey zone actions. The question at that point is, does that nation have the ability to handle additional threats in a state of crisis?

Valarie talks about Prevention, Detection, Response and Recovery strategies and how these can help in a crisis, the inconsistency of messages across social media, how governments need to have a consistent message for the social wellbeing of citizens and result of misinformation as a grey zone action that results in destabilization and phycological impact on people.

In May 2018, CAE and KF Aerospace joined together to form SkyAlyne Canada, a 50/50 joint venture that focuses on developing and delivering military pilot and aircrew training in Canada.

Currently, CAE and KF Aerospace deliver all phases of pilot training to the Royal Canadian Air Force through the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program managed by CAE, and the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) program managed by KF Aerospace.

These programs will come to an end in the next few years and the Government of Canada is looking to award a new contract to renew its existing aircrew training services through the Future Aircrew Training Program (FAcT).

In December 2018, Canada issued a list of qualified suppliers for this program, which includes:

Airbus Defence and Space
Babcock Canada Inc.
Leonardo Canada
Lockheed Martin Canada Inc. and
SkyAlyne Canada Limited Partnership

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Peter Fedak, Program Solutions for SkyAlyne.

Hear more about this joint venture and how it is being positioned for the FAcT program, some of the capabilities and solutions SkyAlyne will bring to Canada if selected for the FAcT program, top challenges of pilot training in Canada, advancement in training solutions, some of the lessons or takeaways from CFTS, the shortage pilot problem and steps to solve it, and the future of pilot training.

Peter Fedak is a retired RCAF LCol and helicopter pilot. He joined the RCAF in 1989 and after receiving his pilot wings in 1994 commenced his life as a tactical helicopter pilot supporting the Canadian Army. He has held operational tours with 408 and 403 Squadrons and a training tour at 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School achieving an A1 instructor category with the Central Flying School. Other than flying over most of the vast expanses of Canada at 100kts, Peter was deployed to Haiti in 1995 and in 2008 deployed to Afghanistan working with the USAF training Afghan Army Air Corps pilots on the nuances of tactical operations in the Mi-17 helicopter.

Peter’s final post in the RCAF was as the Commandant of 3CFFTS from 2012 to 2014. Upon release after 25 years of service he worked as a HEMS pilot for a year before assuming his current role as the KF Aerospace Site Manager for the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) contract supporting the training program for RCAF primary, rotary wing, and multi-engine pilots. Peter has just under 5000 hours of helicopter flying time on five different types including 1900 hours instructing.

To learn more, go to http://www.skyalyne.ca.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, we continue our series of supporting ill and injured Veterans, First Responders and their families.

Hear from Dr. Megan McElheran, a Clinical Psychologist with WGM Psychological Services in Calgary, AB. She completed her graduate training at the Stanford University clinical psychology consortium, during which she obtained specialized training in the treatment of PTSD through the National Center for PTSD in Menlo Park, CA. Dr. McElheran has been in practice in Calgary since 2008.

She also continues to focus her work with first responders, and her clinical practice involves work with active-duty members of the Canadian Forces, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, members of the Calgary Firefighter Department, medical personnel and others who are directly or vicariously impacted by traumatic events. She routinely engages in teaching and supervisory activity to ensure sound dissemination of empirically-grounded interventions for trauma.

She also works closely with Wounded Warriors Canada on their Before Operational Stress (BOS) program. BOS has been designed to provide Military, Police, Fire, Paramedic and Corrections officials with theoretical, practical and experiential learning to enhance their resilience and mental health as they continue to operate within their public service positions.

Hear more about this program, how you can participate in it, where and when the program is delivered and how it aligns with other services of Wounded Warriors Canada.

To support this program, sign up for Vanguard magazine. We have a partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada where a portion of all subscriptions is donated to help them with their various programs.

In the latest episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones is joined by Steve O’Brien, CD, Tactical Systems Integration Lab Lead and Joe Milligan, CD, LC4ISR Support Manager of General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada.

After a 27-year career in the CAF, serving in both the Infantry and Signal Corps, Steve O’Brien retired as a Master Warrant Officer and joined GDMS-C shortly after as a Mission Specialist. He is currently the Lead for several teams that support the Tactical Systems Integration Lab and provide on-site assistance to CAF fielding trials, exercises, and deployments.

After a career with the CAF, Joe transitioned to being a Trainer with GDMS and has spent the last 20 years in a support role as an FSR and Mission Specialist with GDMS. Joe is currently the LC4ISR Field Support Manager. Joe's teams support delivery, deployment, and operation of LC4ISR products to CAF as well as other nations.

General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada is a global defence and aerospace company with a worldwide reputation for excellence. In Canada, their operations focus on the delivery and support of C4ISR solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces and allied forces worldwide. They are proud to have been a partner with the Canadian government, industry colleagues, indigenous partners, and SMEs in developing and delivering innovative products and services for over 75 years in Canada. Through continuous engagement they have built a critical understanding of user needs and are confidently providing the capabilities necessary to support mission success today and into the future.

In this episode:

• What do the new LC4ISR contracts mean for Canada and their soldiers?
• How has the technology evolved with General Dynamics?
• How is GD arming our forces with the tech they need today and tomorrow?
• And more!

In this episode, we cover the news about the return of two Halifax-class frigates from the Asia-Pacific region, National Peacekeepers Day and the 9th annual Military Police National Motorcycle Relay is on the way.

Show Notes:

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Winnipeg and Ottawa returned recently to Canada after a five-month deployment in the Asia-Pacific on POSEIDON CUTLASS 17.

POSEIDON CUTLASS 17 provided an opportunity for over 430 personnel from the Canadian Armed Forces to engage in numerous exercises with regional partner navies, like the Royal Australian Navy, the Chilean Navy, the French Navy, the Indian Navy, and the United States Navy, to name a few. These exercises were done at sea but the RCN also took part in key events and engagements in 14 different ports across 10 countries during its deployment.

This type of deployment helps in providing options for the Government of Canada, in the event a Canadian response is needed in the region; as was the case last year when the HMCS Vancouver provided relief after the earthquake in New Zealand.

Participation in exercises of this nature delivers valuable training and improved interoperability, while advancing the readiness of personnel. 

“Through their impressive and professional efforts, they have reinforced Canada’s commitment to our regional friends and partners as we strengthen our mutual understanding and interoperability to ensure our collective success in the future,” said Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.

The deployment showcases Canada’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region as outlined in Canada’s new defence policy, Strong Secure Engaged.

National Peacekeepers' Day

Since its establishment in 2008, National Peacekeepers' Day has provided an opportunity for Canadians to express their gratitude and respect to those who serve in international peace and security operations.

For the past 60 years, more than 125,000 Canadian personnel of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police forces, as well as Canadian diplomats and civilians have served as peacekeepers around the world.

The greatest single loss of Canadian lives on a peacekeeping mission occurred on August 9, 1974. On that fatal day, all nine Canadian personnel on a United Nations-marked Canadian

transport aircraft were killed when their plane was shot down by Syrian missiles. In recognition of this loss, August 9 was designated as National Peacekeepers' Day.

Since 1948, 122 Canadian peacekeepers gave their lives in service of peace.

The Military Police National Motorcycle Relay

The 9th annual Military Police National Motorcycle Relay (MPNMR) began on July 30th in Victoria, British Columbia, where participants will ride across Canada to raise funds for visually impaired children.

This relay is the world’s longest annual motorcycle relay with a distance of more than 10, 000 kilometres from coast to coast. Stops will be made at Canadian Armed Forces establishments and points of interest along the way.

It is expected that a total of 300 riders will participate, each driving a leg of the relay (some for a day, some for a province and some from coast to coast) as the Relay makes its way across the country to arrive St. John’s, Newfoundland, on August 23.

With what started out initially years ago for Military Police motorcycle enthusiasts, the Relay is now open to anyone (military or civilian) who wishes to ride. Since its start in 2009, the Relay has raised more than $480 000 on behalf of the Military Police Fund for Blind Children and other charities. 

If you are interested in participating or even to take a look at the route, please go to https://sites.google.com/site/militarypolicemcrelay/home

Welcome back to a brand-new episode of Vanguard radio with host J. Richard Jones. In this episode we speak about simulation training with two very special guests who come at the topic from two different areas. Anita Pawluk is the President of RaceRocks 3D and Cathy Press is the CEO of Chinook Helicopters. Since co-founding RaceRocks in 2010 Anita has led the company to be recognized as a leading high-tech firm delivering Technology Enabled Learning (TEL) and digital training solutions to the defence and aerospace industries. Cathy is the first female helicopter flight instructor in Canada, and she has grown the family business from two helicopters to an internationally recognized flight school. Both women are very accomplished entrepreneurs who are highly involved in their communities. In the discussion, the three explore what is currently available in terms of simulation training technology, its accessibility, and what the present challenges are in the field. They also discuss what the future holds and what benefits are on the near horizon.

Also in this episode:

• What are the benefits of immersive simulation training technologies for learners?
• What are the benefits for organizations?
• How is simulation training being used today?
• What is the cost?
• Where is the future of simulation training taking us? Will it get better? Will it become the norm?
• Why should organizations make the investment?
• And much more!

SMP trucks delayed and President Trump and NAFTA In this episode, delivery of new SMP trucks delayed, Canada is convinced that President Trump will pull out of NAFTA, and Lockheed Martin enhances capability of its Aegis Missile-Defense System. Show Notes: There has been a delay in the delivery of the Standard Military Pattern or SMP trucks from Mack Defense. The Canadian Armed Forces was supposed to start receiving the first of its new SMP trucks by the summer of 2017 but that was pushed to the end of 2017. But now the truck delivery has been delayed once again. This is due to issues with certain aspects on the trucks that has to be dealt with. “The qualification testing has led to necessary changes in the vehicle that will be incorporated prior to delivering the equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Department of National Defence spokesman Andrew McKelvey. NAFTA Canada is increasingly convinced that President Donald Trump will soon announce the United States intends to pull out of NAFTA. One of the Canadian government sources also said later it was not certain that Trump would move against the treaty and that Ottawa was prepared for many scenarios. But even the prospect of potential damage to the three nations’ integrated economies sparked market concerns. The Canadian dollar weakened to its lowest this year against the greenback on Wednesday as the NAFTA concerns tempered bets that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates next week. Mike Archibald, associate portfolio manager at AGF Investments in Toronto, cited “a tremendous amount of uncertainty on the horizon”. Canadian government bond prices rose across the yield curve and railway, pipeline and other tradesensitive stocks weighed on the country’s main index. Mexico’s currency also weakened and stocks extended losses. Royal Bank of Canada’s Chief Executive Dave McKay said on Tuesday he believed there was now a greater chance that NAFTA could be scrapped. Separately, a U.S. source close to the White House quoted Trump as saying “I want out” as the talks drag on with little sign of progress. Aegis Missile-Defense System Lockheed Martin Corp said on Thursday it had connected key components of its new long-range discrimination radar (LRDR) with its Aegis Ashore missile-defense system to enhance Aegis's capabilities. With this technology, the Aegis missile-defense system - a collection of radar stations and interceptors - will be simultaneously able to detect threats from longer distances and combat targets with reduced reaction time, the U.S. weapons maker said.

In this episode, Marcello Sukhdeo talks about the Canadian Armed Forces counter explosive threat exercise which is underway, Bombardier to sell control of its C Series airliner program to Airbus, and Canadians are fearful of a nuclear attack according to a recent survey.

ARDENT DEFENDER 2017

The Canadian Armed Forces have begun a counter explosive threat exercise involving international military participants and Canadian law enforcement agencies. This exercise began on October 16th and will run to November 3rd.

This exercise which is named ARDENT DEFENDER 2017 provides an opportunity for explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device teams to run through scenarios that enable them to practice neutralizing and safely disposing of explosive devices and countering the threat networks that employ them. The training will strengthen inter-operability between Allies, partner nations, Global Affairs Canada and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

Bombardier to sell control of its C Series airliner program

Bombardier Inc. has struck an agreement to sell control of its C Series airliner program to Airbus Group.

The C Series program, has been at the centre of major political and investor drama in Canada since its inception. The single-aisle airliner's development at a cost of $6-billion (U.S.) drove Bombardier to the brink of bankruptcy in 2015 before Quebec handed the company a lifeline by investing $1-billion in the plane.

Quebec supports the transaction with Airbus, calling it the best solution to protect and create jobs in a sector vital to the province's economy. Ottawa has also offered a preliminary endorsement of the transaction, saying it would require review under federal investment law.

Canadians are fearful of a nuclear attack

With North Korea issuing warnings that “war may break out at any moment,” it’s no surprise that a recent survey by the Angus Reid Forum found more Canadians are fearful of a nuclear attack.

A survey of over 1,500 Canadians conducted in September found 55 per cent believe the prospect of nuclear war is “very” or “fairly” serious. That’s a marked increase from the 36 per cent of Canadians who said the concerns were serious in November 2016 — a 19 percentage point increase in 10 months.

The survey also notes that that women were more likely than men (64 per cent vs. 45 per cent) to believe that nuclear war is a serious concern.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the tensions between North Korea and the U.S. “very scary for everyone.”

In this episode, Marcello Sukhdeo talks about Vanguard’s Game Changer series focusing on our latest Game Changer Jim Quick from AIAC and U.S. policy directs the American military not to defend Canada if it is targeted in a ballistic missile attack.

The need for body worn cameras to be widely adopted emerged as a major topic in law enforcement, security and other sectors in 2020 and continues to be a trending discussion in 2021. Body worn cameras act as an unbiased witness to any incident, can act as a deterrent to unwanted behaviour and can be used as an effective training tool. But what are the implications of using body worn cameras? Can using body worn cameras truly make a difference?

In the show today, we will hear from John Merlino, Segment Development Manager, Government at Axis Communications, Inc. about this topic of body worn cameras.

A Conversation with Daniel Kroese, Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs Palo Alto Networks 

In this week’s episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down for an engaging conversation with Daniel Kroese, Vice President of Public Policy & Government Affairs at Palo Alto Networks. Mr. Kroese is leading the company’s engagement with policymakers and government stakeholders. He brings extensive Legislative and Executive Branch cyber policy experience, including roles as Staff Director for Ranking Member Katko on the House Homeland Security Committee and as a senior advisor to Director Krebs at CISA.

Previously, Daniel served as Chief of Staff to Congressman John Ratcliffe, chair of the House Homeland Cybersecurity Subcommittee. At Palo Alto Networks, he leverages this expertise to strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem. Daniel is also a visiting fellow at the National Security Institute.

Palo Alto Networks is the world’s cyber security leader, offering next-gen security solutions, expert services, and industry-leading threat intelligence. They empower organizations across every sector to transform with confidence.

In this episode:

• How can organizations enable the safe use of AI?
• How Alto Networks champions the ideals of Secure by Design
• How Palo Alto Networks is working to ensure Supply Chain Integrity
• Cybersecurity priorities for 2025
• Benefits of “secure internet browsers”

In the latest episode of Vanguard Weekly, join host J. Richard Jones for the first of an ongoing series that will discuss the topic of training and upskilling using capstones. He is joined by guests Caleb Walker, Chief Strategy Officer for WithYouWithMe and Major General (Retired) Rupert Jones. Caleb is a 20-year combat veteran with a passion for HR and digital transformation as well as cultural change, and a frequent guest of the show. Rupert is a retired senior British Army officer, who served as the Standing Joint Force Commander from November 2018 to July 2021. Together, they tackle the questions of how to measure the returns on staff training and how to determine what value was gained.

Also in this episode:

• What are capstones, how are they used, and how can they help?
• How to determine if someone has the skills you need?
• Mission rehearsal exercise as practical demonstration of skills
• Capstones as inspiration for solving other problems
• Attracting and retaining the right talent
• Driving training to build capability
• Capstones and the need for digital training
• The CV test versus the capstone opportunity

The CAF honours its first female Army colonel. Two Army officers are seeking formal recognition of the growing number of CAF members with Latino heritage. And the century-old Royal Military College goes under a thorough investigation

These are the stories we’ll be reviewing on the Vanguard Radio.

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Early last week, cadets and personnel of the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario gathered to hear a somber announcement from Vice- Admiral Mark Norman.

The 140-year-old institution that has groomed the men and women who would become officers of the Canadian Armed Forces was being placed under a review.

By now the Special Staff Assistant Visit team has already begun their initial investigation which Adm. Norman said will cover the “climate, training, environment, culture and program construct at the RMCC.

Deployment of the SSAV comes at a time when the there are several concerns over suspected suicide and allegations of sexual misconduct in campus.

In recent months, there have been several reports of sexual misconduct at the college.

Court martial documents show that an officer cadet received a severe reprimand and a fine of $2,000 in May 2015 after pleading guilty to a charge of assaulting a fellow cadet without her consent in 2013.

The military is also investigating the sudden deaths between May and August of three RMCC cadets aged 19 to 22.

However, Adm. Norman wants to make it clear that the ongoing review is entirely about sexual misconduct.

“Yes that has been one of the contributors, he said

But the SSAV is not exclusively focused on that one dimension.

This is an investigation into a broader malaise, he stressed.

In his letter to the parents, the vice chief of staff said the SSAV team will examine the following areas:

* What are the significant stressors affecting RMCC cadets? Can cadets identify and seek help to deal with stress without being viewed as weak?

* What support mechanisms are available to cadets for their mental health support, physical fitness, and counselling? How are cadets being made aware of these?

* What is the state of moral of RMCC cadets, the military wing and the academic wing? What are the factors leading to this state of morale?

* Does the current command structure of the college allow it to carry out its mission?

The admiral said the findings of the team will help inform decision on what changes or remedies should be done.

The military hope to conclude the review by February next year.

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Elizabeth Lawrie (Beth) Smellie was the daughter of a frontier physician who was a chief surgeon for the Canadian Pacific Railway as it was being built.

Despite her father’s discouragement, she left home to study nursing at Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland.

At the age of 25 in 1909, diploma in hand, she returned to Canada to as the night supervisor at McKellar General Hospital in her hometown, followed by a stint as a private nurse.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, Beth was one of the first to be accepted into the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps as a nursing sister.

No one probably knew it then, but Beth would become the first woman to reach in the rank of Colonel in the Canadian Army in 1944.

Few probably remember her accomplishments now, but she made several ground breaking strides in the field of medicine both in the service and in civilian life.

Beth is also known for organizing the Army’s Canadian Women’s Army Corp. in 1941.

You can find out more about bet in Lynn Capuano’s story: First female Army colonel oversaw creation of CWAC.

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Two Canadian Army officers have taken it upon themselves to shine a light on the contributions of Latin-Canadian members in particular.

Captain Rey Garcia-Salas and Captain Milton Hoyos hope to see, beginning as early as next year, Latin-Canadians acknowledged with an event similar to Black History Month each February and Asian Heritage Month in May.

Both men were part of a CAF delegation to this year’s Festival Latino in Ottawa. They and about a dozen other CAF representatives took part in the event, reports Steven Fouchard in his recent Vanguard post.

A native of Guatemala, who joined the Army Reserve in the late 1990s, Capt. Garcia-Salas is hoping a formal event within CAF will also serve as a demonstration to young Latin-Canadians that the organization is both welcoming and an excellent place to build a rewarding career.

Read more about his story, in Steven’s post: Army officers propose formal Latino heritage recognition

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Well, that’s it for now.

I hope you enjoyed our review of some of the stories we covered last week.

This is you host Nestor Arellano, saying see you again next week on, the Vanguard Radio.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio,  J. Richard Jones chats with Brent Perrot, President of Hunter Communications.  They discuss the challenges of satellite communications and how technology is winning the battle,  what satellite communications are doing to help the defence industry and Hunter Communications participation at CANSEC 2018.  All this and more on this episode of Vanguard Radio.

In this episode of Vanguard Weekly, J. Richard Jones catches up with Chief Strategy Officer, Caleb Walker from WithYouWithMe (WYWM). The topic of discussion is a new digital software factory for the Canadian Armed Forces by the WYWM team and how this new project will assist in driving digital solutions and innovation that remove silos and help increase connectivity across the enterprise.

Canada joins other allies who are embracing digital solutions to help streamline processes across the enterprise to help realize efficiencies when it comes to supporting defence teams. Do you have an idea on how to improve processes? Looking to participate in a design sprint?

Tune in to find out how you can submit your ideas to the software factory.

Get the full heads-up display in this episode of Vanguard Radio as J. Richard Jones speaks with Jordan Freed, President and Managing Director for Kongsberg Geospatial and Paige Cutland, Vice-President Sales and Marketing for Kongsberg Geospatial. Based out of Ottawa, Canada, Kongsberg Geospacial is the leading provider of mission-critical real-time mapping, geospatial visualization, and situational awareness solutions for air-traffic control, Command and Control, and air defence.

In this episode:

• Learn what problems Kongsberg is solving for clients
• What kind of applications Kongsberg produces
• Successful use cases of the TerraLens
• The latest updates on their IRIS product
• Latest products in the pipeline
• And so much more!

Join J. Richard Jones for another informative episode of Vanguard Radio. In this episode he speaks with Joseph McBrearty, President and CEO, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. CNL is Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, and a world leader in developing nuclear technology for peaceful and innovative applications. With their unique expertise, they are restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technology, and making medical breakthroughs that improve the health of people around the world.

In this episode:

• Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and CNL’s role
• Challenges to the adoption of nuclear technology
• Nuclear technology misconceptions debunked
• Preparing for climate change impact
• Steps to Canada’s climate change and energy security ambitions
• And more!

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones meets with Chip Downing, Senior Market Development Director of Aerospace and Defense at Real-Time Innovations (RTI).  The topic of discussion is How Next-Generation, Data-Centric Networks Support Pan-Domain Operations. Listen in, to learn more

Episode topics:

• What is data-centric networks and how it will benefit the military and industry system integrators?
• How data-centric networks help the military to achieve interoperability?
• JADC2 its relevance to the US military, what it is trying to achieve, and the progress being made?
• DND’s move toward pan-domain operation capability and the fundamentals needed to move in this direction?
• And more…

In this show, Marcello Sukhdeo talks about the call by the Senate’s defence committee to scrap the purchase of Boeing Super Hornets, also he touches on the grilling of Defence Minister Sajjan and developing the super soldier. 

Show Notes:

The Senate's defence committee is recommending that the Trudeau government forget about buying an interim fleet of Boeing’s Super Hornet fighters and instead look at replacing the entire fleet of CF-18s.

The Senate committee said that the interim Super Hornet purchase would hinder more than help. They are urging the federal government to hold a quick competition to pick a permanent solution for Canada’s next fighter plane and make a decision by end of June, 2018.

A few weeks ago, the same committee released another report which reveals that our current defence spending is at an historic low — at around 0.88 per cent of gross domestic product. The committee recommends that the federal government lay out a plan to increase spending to two per cent of GDP over an 11-year period.

This report is not binding on the federal government and in the past, the previous administrations have ignored what Senate committees say. But, given what is going on currently in the political realm, with the Trump administration really pushing allies on defence spending, we can see what the Senate committee is recommending may push the federal government to increase defence spending.

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The minister and his fellow Liberal MPs are trying to shift the conversation and by blaming the conservatives of inconsistent investment in defence over the years.

MPs on the other hand are trying to make the case that he should no longer serve as Defence Minister. The motion says, “the House has lost confidence in the Minister of National Defence’s ability to carry out his responsibilities on behalf of the Government since, on multiple occasions the Minister misrepresented his military service and provided misleading information to the House.”

A vote on the matter is expected anytime soon and it looks like Liberal majority in the Commons will vote for the motion to not pass.

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In the battlefield, maintaining a competitive advantage not only requires sound military strategy and weaponry, but also a consistently high degree of performance by soldiers, operating in multi-dimensional roles.

To get to the level of super soldiers, military leaders and defence experts are looking to enhance the critical, social, cultural and ethical skills and knowledge of soldiers to improve overall military performance.

This subject will be addressed at the twelfth annual Kingston Conference on International Security (KCIS).

The two-day event has six panels that will delve into overcoming human limitations, emerging technologies to successfully accelerate the physical limits of troops, processing and analyzing information for optimal decision making in operational environments.

The panels on the second day will include increasing social, cultural, and gender-based awareness, the multiple dimensions of resilience and how we should approach military performance enhancement.

This event will take place from June 12 to 14 in Kingston, Ontario. If you would like to know more, please go here. 

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with Ken Peterman, President, Government Systems at Viasat, a global communications company. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate.

In April 2013, Ken joined Viasat as Vice President, Government Systems. Just over a year later in June 2014, he was appointed Senior Vice President, Government Systems, and in May 2017, he assumed his current position as President, Government Systems.

Ken has over 30 years of experience in general management, systems engineering, strategic planning, portfolio management, and business leadership in the aerospace and defense industries.

In the show, he talks about how private sector is now developing technologies that are being adopted to fit defence, which is a reverse of what was done previously. This is an opportunity for defence forces to tap into and leverage the accelerated trajectories of these technologies. As in the case with Viasat, they are not just building these technologies for commercial markets but for defence as well.

Ken talks about how it is about bring forward cutting edge technologies to serve both markets in an affordable manner. This helps armed forces and benefits the tax payers as there is no R&D cost associated with it as it was already funded by private sector in the development of these technologies. 

Ken was selected as a Vanguard Game Changer, check out his profile on VanguardCanada.com to learn more about the leadership initiatives that he is employing to lead Viasat.

To learn more about Viasat, go to viasat.com.

On the show today, J. Richard Jones talks with Keith D’Sa from Axis Communications Canada about how technological developments are elevating surveillance and security.

Keith has more than 15 years providing insight and strategy tactics around business development, solution selling and account management in the security and surveillance industry. He is responsible for business operations in Canada, including new business development and sales team leadership.

Keith has been involved with industry leading associations and was featured in Security Products and Technology (SP&T) Magazine for the Top 10 under 40 Decision makers in the security/surveillance industry in Canada.

Hear about technologies in the security space, perimeter protection, network audio systems as a detect and deter function, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and the future of surveillance and security.

In the latest episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones is joined by Duncan McSporran, Chief Operations Officer & VP Defence and Public Sector, Kognitiv Spark. Mr. McSporran is a former military officer with a background in applied remote sensing, cartography, and GIS. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford Brookes University. In 2016, he helped to set up Kognitiv Spark which has grown into a global leader in the field of Augmented and Mixed Reality. His conversation with J. Richard Jones provides a brief over of Mixed Reality and its role in future deployments.

Also in this episode:

• Learn the difference between Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality
• Why this distinction is important
• What is RemoteSpark?
• How Mixed Reality is being implemented by defence clients
• How secure is Mixed Reality technology?
• How will the use of Mixed Reality evolve over the next 5 to 10 years?

There is increased awareness of the secondary impact trauma has on children, especially those with a parent diagnosed with Operational Stress Injuries (such as PTSD) from service-related experiences. While several treatment programs have been designed for caregivers, limited programs exist that support children/youth through the stressors connected to parental Operational Stress Injuries.

Today, joining us to talk about a program for kids who face this type of trauma is Dr. Helena Hawryluk.

In this episode, a new directive on how CSE shares intelligence with Canada's closest allies, the new defence policy could end up costing Canada billions more and an interview with Jeffery Hutchinson, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard. 

Show Notes 

According to a story from CBC News, the office of Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is crafting a directive for how Canada's electronic spy agency, that is the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) shares its foreign signals intelligence with its closest allies, the Five Eyes partners. The Five Eyes alliance is made up of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

CSE's commissioner first advised the defence minister to issue such a directive in 2013.

Christopher Parsons, research associate at The Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, said the purpose would be to authorize and draw boundaries around what is permissible when gathering and sharing data.

While there have been concerns about how the U.S. executive has treated intelligence information over the last six to eight months, Parsons said the directive may have as much to do with the current government's review of national security issues.

"So there's bill C-59 tabled before the summer recesses. As part of that there is total reformation of the CSE Act. So that means the government is really looking at how things work in terms of the collection and dissemination of intelligence information at the moment," Parsons told CBC News.

The new defence policy

The new defence policy could end up costing billions more according to an article from the Canadian Press. Why? Because it doesn’t include one big-ticket item: modernizing North America’s early warning systems.

That sets up a potentially difficult decision: to spend even more on defence than already promised, or to cut back on some of the other promises made to the military.

The current network of long-range radars used by Canada and the U.S. to monitor airborne threats was built in the Arctic in the 1980s but is quickly nearing the end of its useful life.

National Defence’s top financial officer, Claude Rochette, says the department could not account for the cost because Canada and the U.S. have not decided what they actually need.

“It’s still a discussion that needs to be done before we get guidance (from government),” Rochette told The Canadian Press in an interview.

“When we have guidance, then we will start looking at the options ... then we will start looking at costing. But that is not covered in the funding.”

And for our last story, I would like to draw your attention to an Interview I did with Jeffery Hutchinson, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard. This was published in the June/July Vanguard print edition. Now, we have the full interview on our website. Be sure to check it out.

In this interview I asked the Commissioner, his assessment of his new position, what is the focus and vision for the Canadian Coast Guard under his leadership, top challenges, fleet depletion and what is being done, his pressing needs in procurement. If you haven't looked at this yet, please head on over to VangaurdCanada.com and you will see the article on our home page or http://www.vanguardcanada.com/2017/08/29/interview-with-jeffery-hutchinson-commissioner-of-the-canadian-coast-guard/.

The Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project was talked about and debated for a number of years. Today, the contract has been awarded and work will commence in the early 2020s with an expected delivery of the first of 15 ships by mid-2020s.

In February 2019, the Government of Canada confirmed that the bid from Lockheed Martin Canada has been selected for the design of CSC, which is based on the BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

Lockheed Martin Canada is partnering with BAE Systems, CAE, L3 Technologies, MDA and Ultra Electronics in offering the Royal Canadian Navy an advanced and modern warship design. Part of this solution includes Lockheed Martin Canada’s internationally renowned and Canadian-developed combat management system, the CMS 330.

Today on Vanguard Radio, we are excited to talk with Gary Fudge, Vice President & General Manager of Lockheed Martin Canada about CSC and CMS 330.

Hear about Lockheed Martin Canada’s innovation in this space going all the way back to the 1980s. Learn more about some of the innovative projects that were done over the years, the genesis of the CMS 330,the upgrades that were made to keep this solution current with the times, how this technology is being used by other navies, areas that are being considered to advance the CMS 330, new innovative technologies for CSC, and some of the next steps in the CSC process?

To learn more about Lockheed Martin Canada, go to https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-ca/cms330.html

J. Richard Jones is back with another episode of Vanguard Radio. This time he’s sitting down to speak with Tracy Medve, President & CEO of KF Aerospace and Board Chair of SkyAlyne. The discussion covers many topics, including Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) and SkyAlyne, the Canadian-Multi Mission Aircraft project (CMMA) and Team Poseidon.

Since she began her career in aviation in 1985, Tracy has held various senior airline management positions, including at Norcanair, Time Air, Canadian Partner, and Canadian Regional Airlines. Tracy was the co-founder of C.T. AeroProjects, a Calgary-based consultancy focused on air transport resource management, working with a wide range of public and private aviation clients around the world. From 2007 to 2012, Tracy was the President of Canadian North Airlines.

In May 2013, Tracy was appointed President of KF Aerospace and became President and CEO in August 2021. Tracy is a lawyer by training (University of Saskatchewan, 1982) and a graduate of the John Molson School of Business Global Aviation MBA program at Concordia University (2009). She is the 2007 recipient of the John Molson School of Business MBA Scholarship and was inducted as a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honour society in 2009.

Tracy also served in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves as a Signals Officer from 1975 to 1981.

Founded by Barry Lapointe in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia in 1970, KF Aerospace is Canada’s largest commercial aviation maintenance, repair, overhaul, and modification (MRO) provider. With a workforce of over 1200 highly skilled employees, KF’s multi-faceted business operations include first-class engineering and design services, commercial aircraft leasing and decades of experience as a commercial cargo carrier. KF Aerospace also has a long history of supporting and working with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) including managing the CFTS pilot training contract for the RCAF at Southport, MB since 2005.

In this episode:

• The aviation and defence career path
• Advice for entering the industry
• Where Canadian aerospace and defence is heading
• KF Aerospace contract with the Future Aircrew Training Program
• The KF Aerospace role on Team Poseidon
• And more!

In this Vanguard Radio, CAF to deploy team for NATO Air Policing, Lockheed Martin completes its Industrial Regional Benefits commitments and Thales has been awarded the AJISS contact for up to 35 years.

Show Notes

Four CF-18 Hornets and over 130 Canadian Armed Forces personnel will participate in NATO Air Policing in Romania from September to December 2017.

NATO Air Policing is part of Operation REASSURANCE.

The CAF team is made up of members from the 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron of 4 Wing Cold Lake, 2 Air Expeditionary Wing and 17 Wing Winnipeg.

The new Air Task Force that is being to Romania will augment the Romanian Air Force’s capability to preserve the integrity of its airspace.

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin announced recently, the completion of its Industrial Regional Benefits (IRB) commitments, valued at $1.4 billion for the Aircraft Capability Project – Tactical (ACP-T) program.

Lockheed Martin met its IRB requirements one year ahead of schedule, for SMEs, aerospace and defence, for specific regional projects in the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and Western regions,” according to a press release.

As part of its fulfillment, Lockheed Martin engaged many Canadian companies and universities by funding research and development for innovative technology products and services to “ignite a culture of innovation,” according to Charles Bouchard, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Canada.

Since 1960, the CC-130J Super Hercules have served the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in many missions in the Arctic, search and rescue and humanitarian efforts. 

Thales

Thales has been awarded, potentially the largest In-Service Support (ISS) contract in Canadian history. This contact includes the refit, repair, maintenance and training of both the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) and Joint Support Ships (JSS), commonly known as AJISS.

The contract covers an initial service period of eight years for up to $800 Million CAD, with options to extend services up to 35 years, for a total value of $5.2 Billion CAD.

To fulfill this contract, Thales will work closely with the RCN's support facilities and personnel.

This contract will generate economic benefit of more than $250 Million CAD in Research & Development for Canada over its 35-year duration. 

The company has also provided ISS to navies in Singapore, New Zealand, USA, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Papua and New Guinea, and Tonga.

I this issue of the Vanguard Podcast, we talk about the government’s sudden shift in strategy in its battle against ISIS.
Prime Minister Trudeau is putting an end to airstrikes against the terrorist group and pulling the Air Force’s CF-18s out of Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, the Canadian aerospace industry is very glad over the lifting of sanctions in Iran. This could mean more import opportunities for Canadian businesses in the industry.

Checkout our podcast to find out about these articles and other issues now.

Canada to pull out CF-18 fighter jets in Syria, Iraq
www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/08/ca…n-syria-iraq/

In this episode of the Vanguard Podcast we take a closer look at C4ISR.

The C4ISR market is estimated to grow to more than $133 billion dollars by the year 2020. This represents a huge opportunity for many Canadian companies in the defence industry primarily those that conduct research and development of advance technologies.

However, a top executive of an American consultancy firm that deals with U.S. defence and military departments, has identified serious gaps in the military’s C4ISR program.
What are these gaps? How is this relevant to the Canadian defence and military establishment? How can these gaps be addressed?

To find out, listen to this episode of the Vanguard Podcast.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely well aware that cybersecurity and state-sponsored hacking a really major nice topics these days.

One only needs to dial in on the social media chatter from U.S. about its intelligence community

and their recent briefing on Russian hacking operations in the U.S. to president elect Donald Trump and his strong reactions to what he had to say

To gauge the how much cybersecurity has entered the public discussion.

Here in Canada, we just found out that our government systems as not as secure as we would want to believe. Checkout the vanguard article: Government computer networks can’t standup to cyberattacks: Report Documents from Public Safety Canada indicate that the country is a prime target for cybercrime, state-sponsored cyberattacks, and lone wolf-type hackers. Consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers prepared for the federal public safety and emergency organization by which revealed that Canada’s federal information technology systems are ill-equipped to handle potential cyberattacks.

Today, we have with us French Caldwell, chief evangelist of governance, risk and compliance company Metric Stream to discuss with us what this could mean to the government and the military and defence establishment as well as companies doing business with them.

We hope you enjoyed and found a lot of useful information from our interview with French Caldwell.

This is your host Nestor Arellano

Saying see you again on the next episode of Vanguard Radio.

Vanguard Radio Oct 26 2016

Thanks Terri.

The battle rages on in northern Iraq as Iraqi troops and Kurdish fighters continue their push to root out ISIS terrorists who once held sway in Mosul.

That and just what is the nature of Canada’s involvement in the assault on Mosul is one of stories in this week’s episode of Vanguard Radio.

But first, an update on the latest issue of the Vanguard Magazine

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That’s right the digital format of the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of the Vanguard Magazine is out.

Our print issue will surely follow in the next few days.

This time around, Vanguard takes dives into the topic of underwater drones or Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.

The Navy is looking to procure AUVs for marine mine hunting operations.

Rick Gerbrecht of Atlas Elektronik Canada explains why underwater drones are perfect for such a task and also provides us a glimpse of the future of “drone swarms.”

While armed airbourne drones have been called the terror of the skies, unmanned aerial vehicles could be their life-saving counter-parts.

In the latest issue of Vanguard Magazine, Ken Chadder and Kevin Young of Hexagon Safety and Infrastructure, talk about the critical role that drones will play in the planning of real-time emergency response.

For this issue, our Game Changers are: Heather Pilot, president of business consulting firm Pilot Hill and lead organizer of the Best Defence Conference; 

Bodo Gospodnetic, president of Dominis Engineering Ltd., a pioneer in the design, machining and measurement of marine propellers, water jet impellers, and hydro turbine runners;

and George Palikaras, founder and CEO of Metamaterial Technologies.

Be sure to check out the latest Vanguard Magazine you’ll find  the link to it at the bottom or our web site.

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On Oct 17, Iraqi government troops and Kurdish Peshmerga forces moved in on Mosul to dislodge ISIS terrorists that have been holding the northern Iraqi city since last year.

The Iraqi troops and the Kurds are being backed by a US-led coalition which also includes Canadian forces.

You’ll find some of our earlier accounts of the battle in the stories Major Move Mosul and ISIS sleeper cells launch counterattack.

But what many Canadian would like to know is the nature of involvement of the Canadian Armed Forces personnel in the operation.

Are our soldiers involved in armed combat or not?

Last Week, photos surfaced on social media which gave the impression that they are in the front lines.

Pictures appearing on Twitter showed men in Canadian uniforms apparently setting up heavy weapons or manning armoured vehicles.

Accompanying reports said they were helping Kurdish fighters in an area east of Mosul.

In our recent story Are Canadian in the front lines in Mosul, the reaction of Defence Chief Harjit Sajjan has been cryptic.

While he did not question the photos, he also did not clearly say if Canadian troops were involved in combat.

Under Operation Impact, the Canadian Armed Forces provide training and assistance to the Iraqi security forces.

We support the Coalition with highly skilled personnel, and provide support to Coalition air and intelligence efforts.

Canada is at the forefront of international efforts to defeat Daesh and to address the significant security, humanitarian, and political challenges it poses.

But right from the start, the role of Canadian troops was stated by the Liberal government to be non-combative.

Has this role somehow changed to active battle involvement?

We think Canadians deserve to know.

The government needs to be more transparent

Canadians shouldn’t be kept in the dark about this and left to find out what’s happening really happening through Twitter.

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That’s it for this episode of Vanguard Radio.

We hope you enjoyed our recap of some of the developments we have been following this week.

Vanguard will continue to monitor the unfolding events in Mosul as well as the latest reports from the defence industry.

This is your host, Nestor Arellano

Saying see you again next week on the Vanguard Radio

The Maritimes become host to one of the worlds largest naval exercise,

the public safety minister shoots down a potentially troublesome firearms classification directive by his predecessor,
and CAE bags some $10 million in defence contracts.
This are the stories we’ll discuss on this episode of the Vanguard Podcast.
But first the latest from Operation Honour….

You’ll probably remember near the end of August that the CDS, provided an update on Operation Honour.
That’s the CAF’s campaign launch in 2015 in response to an investigation by Retired Justice Deschamp
On sexual misconduct in the military.
Justice Deschamp found “sexualized culture” within the armed forces
And an edemic sexual culture condoned by the military leadership
While Gen. Jonathan Vance reported last month, that 30 CAF members have been punished
and 97 more investigations were being carried out
He also warned people not to there would be no quick fixes.
It seems the armed forces is getting down to cleaning up its ranks.
Last week, it reported that two military personnel were facing sexual assault charges
One of them is a Master Seaman who is being charged for allegedly sexually assaulting
Another member of the HMCS Athabascan while the vessel in Nov of 20015.
The other, is a sergeant in the Military Police Unit based in Halifax.
The charged military personnel were identified in the released report although there were very little details accompanying the release.
But still, I think this is a step in the right direction and sends the signal that the CAF is serious about Operation Honour
and taking steps to be more transparent.
We look forward to learning from the military as well what is happening to these charges and cases
As they move along the military justice system

Simulation and training company CAE has several updates that they were happy to share as well.
The company, which has regional operations in Canada,
reported that it recently won in excess of $120 million in defence contracts.
Topping the list was an agreement to provide
aircrew training services and courseware development program
for the US the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Other notable contracts include:
Contract options on the MH-60 Tech Refresh and Procurement Simulators Program
And a contract to upgrade the Australian Armed Forces
Of their CAE GESI command and staff training system

The Royal Canadian Navy is leading a fleet of 11 ships
and approximately 25 aircraft from Canada, France, Spain, the United Kingdom,
and the United States in anti-submarine warfare drills
Cutlass Fury 16 takes place in and around the Maritime Operating Areas
off the coasts of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and St. John’s, Newfoundland, from September 12 to 26.
Cutlass Fury 16 brings together 3000 participants from five partner nations
and includes 11 surface ships, 3 submarines, and approximately 25 aircraft.

Former public safety minister Steven Blaney
Must have thought a directive he made to the RCMP was locked and loaded.
But Ralph Goodale, the current Liberal minister of public safety, stepped in to shoot it down.

In the waning days of the Conservative government, Blaney issued a directive
To RCMP Commissioner Bob Polson
Blaney gave the RCMP 180 days to evaluate, classify
and issue a Firearms Refernce Table (FRT)
for a certain firearm model so that that model could be imported into Canada.
Blaney then issued a press release
Announcing that he had overturned the RCMP’s earlier decision to classify as prohibited firearms.

The CEska Zbrojoyka CZ-858 rifle and some firearms from Swiss Arms.
Upon assuming office, earlier this year, Goodale discovered the directive and had them rescinded.

His reasons:
Bad time – the directive was issued just days before the federal elections
An arbitrary time line was imposed
And the directive could lead to misclassification of firearms
Which could put the public in danger, said Goodale.
This issue is important
Because it touches on the critical matter of gun control in Canada
And who can classify which firearms as restricted and non-restricted.

Serge Carignan, Superintendent, Quality Engineering Test Establishment at the Department of National Defence will be speaking at ShipTech Forum 2020. In this episode of Vanguard, Serge shares some of the highlights of what he will be speaking, his experience and his role at DND.

Serge joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1979 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1984. After completing initial training in Borden, he served in various maintenance organizations in Canada and Germany. He was also the Commanding Officer of 5 Service Battalion and deployed to Afghanistan in 2004. Serge Carignan has been the Superintendent of the Quality Engineering Test Establishment since 2012, responsible for failure investigations, and specialized test and evaluation for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Vanguard's ShipTech Forum will take place on Feb 25 at The Westin in Ottawa. As a one-day conference, ShipTech brings together members of industry, government, and military to share knowledge and lessons learned from a technological perspective to showcase successful investments in cutting-edge technologies for the shipbuilding and marine industries.

To learn more about ShipTech Forum 2020, visit vanguardcanada.com/shiptech2020. We have a few seats remaining, register today to hear more from Serge Carignan and other speakers.

In this week’s episode of the Vanguard Podcast, we talk about successful airstrikes against ISIS positions, NATO’s war against refugee smugglers in the Aegean Sea, and our video interview series beginning with an exclusive one-on-one with Pat Finn, assistant deputy minister, materiel at DND.

Find out about the latest Conference of Defence Association (CDA) Institute conference in Ottawa and the ConvergX conference recently held in Calgary.

Here are the links from today’s show:
CF-18s Hit ISIS Weapons Cache: www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/11/cf…eapons-cache/
Canadian Vessel Part of NATO Warships Sent to Combat Migrant Smuggling:www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/11/ca…nt-smuggling/
NSP Program Criticized Analysts Industry Insiders: www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/12/na…try-insiders/
National Security Strategies Tackled at CDA Event: www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/16/na…at-cda-event/
Defence Aerospace Energy Industry Lines Disappear at Convergx Event:www.vanguardcanada.com/2016/02/12/de…nvergx-event/

This week we interview Billie Flynn, a former Canadian Air Force Squadron Commander, with an impressive list of flight experience and combat experience throughout the globe.

Nestor Arellano discusses with him the pros and cons of the new F-35 and why it may just be a better "dog-fight" jet than most are making it out to be.

Wounded Warriors Canada, a leading mental health service provider for ill and injured Veterans, First Responders and their families and Vanguard, a leading security and defence publication in Canada are working together to raise awareness, education and funds to ensure those who serve our country at home and abroad receive the mental health support they deserve in their time of need.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, hear from Terri Pavelic, Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard and Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada as they explain how this program was conceived, the benefits that it will provide to our wounded heroes and how you can participate.

By taking a subscription to Vanguard magazine, you will be supporting wounded heroes. A portion of all subscriptions will be donated to Wounded Warriors Canada. To learn more about the program, go here and to start subscribing to Vanguard magazine, visit http://www.vanguardcanada.com/subscription.

The Government of Canada has tasked EY and WithYouWithMe, a company that helps jobseekers get tech jobs without having to invest years and money into training, to support Canada’s internal cyber capability, through its Cyber Workforce Enablement Program (CWEP).

As part of this, WithYouWithMe is providing Canadian Military Veterans with free transition, including training and support to start a career in technology, post military service. The program will validate the demand for Canadian military members to start technology careers and to roll them into government tech roles.

On the show today, hear from Caleb Walker who served 20 years in the Canadian Army, including three tours to Afghanistan. As a Task Force Commander, he received a Chief of Defence Staff Commendation. While deployed in Kandahar, he saw first-hand the potential of the Canadian veteran and their ability to operate and adapt to complex environments. After retiring from the Canadian Army, Caleb joined WithYouWithMe as the Country Manager and is seeking to solve underemployment across Canada for marginalized communities.

WithYouWithMe has a supply arrangement with Shared Services Canada to deliver technology talent from the veteran and military spouse communities. This summer WithYouWithMe will train 1,000 Indigenous people for free so that they can join this journey.

Hear more about the Cyber Workforce Enablement Program and how WithYouWithMe is working with Canada on this, Canada's digital talent accessibility problem, the government's skill gap, why does government talent need to be agile and skills over controls.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology has evolved significantly over the past decade, with innovative new drones hitting the enterprise and consumer market regularly. While the focus has been primarily on how drones can be used to enhance enterprise applications -- everything from Public Safety applications, to military deployments, hydro and telecom infrastructure inspections, and even to agriculture -- there are some security risks that are inherent with drone availability.

In this episode, J. Richard Jones talks with Marc Bouvrette, President of Gap Wireless, a stocking distributor of mobile broadband and wireless solutions including one of the most impressive suites of vendor partner UAV solutions in North America. Marc delves into the security aspects of the UAV market and how the latest technology is enabling protection from rogue drones and their pilots.

Interview with David Wiseman, Vice President, Secure Communications, BlackBerry

Check out this week’s episode of Vanguard Radio. Host, J. Richard Jones, sits down for an illuminating conversation with David Wiseman, Vice President, Secure Communications, BlackBerry. With over 25 years of experience, his expertise spans software, security, mobility, and communications, honed through roles at BlackBerry, IBM, SAP, Sybase, and the US Navy. David holds a bachelor’s in computer science from the University of Mary Washington and an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. Early in his career, he contributed to developing groundbreaking technologies, including the world's first large-scale environmental geo-spatial database for NASA and radar data fusion software for shipboard systems with the US Navy.

BlackBerry provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company’s high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management. The company is also a pioneer in leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to deliver advanced cybersecurity solutions to its customers.

In this episode:

• US telecom network hacks in the run up to the US election
• New and emerging hacking tactics
• What vulnerabilities have been exposed?
• What implications does this have for telecom service providers in other countries?
• What are the implications for national security?
• How does BlackBerry protect calls, texts, messages and files?
• And more!

In this episode of the Vanguard Podcast - A NATO report released before the military alliance's summit in Warsaw reveals that Canada lags behind other nation members in terms of defence expenditures.

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces the deployment of Canadian troops at the very doorstep of Russia to act as a buffer against Kremlins recent aggressive stance.

It's back to drawing board for Liberals on the CF-18 replacement program and the latest edition of Vanguard Magazine is now available.

In this exciting new episode of the Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones speaks exclusively with Steve SK Jeong, SEVP, Naval Ship International Business, Hanwha Ocean, and Ret. VADM of Republic of Korea Navy/ Former Submarine Force Commander. The two discuss a range of topics, including the importance of a proven submarine design, the heritage of the Republic of Korea’s Navy Submarine Force, and the history and submarine expertise of Hanwha Ocean.

Sungkyun Jeong is the Head of the international business division for naval ships in Hanwha Ocean. He joined in 2023, bringing with him a distinguished career as a former vice admiral of the ROK Navy. Throughout his tenure, he has demonstrated expertise in military strategy, naval capabilities, and requirements, as well as successful leadership in various projects. He chaired Submarine Force Commander, Director for Joint Military strategy and WMD Center of JCS, and DCNO for Naval Capabilities, Requirements and Strategy for ROKN Headquarters.

His educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Engineering from the USNA, a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Florida, a Master's degree in National Security and Strategy from the US National Defense University, and successful completion of the Royal British Navy International Senior Leadership Course.

Hanwha Ocean has made a remarkable impact on the global market since its foundation in 1973. Since its entry into the naval ship market, Hanwha Ocean has designed and built a wide range of advanced naval ships. It has established its solid position as a leading naval shipbuilder in Korea. Hanwha Ocean's KSS-III submarine design and construction aims to meet the requirements of Royal Canadian Navy.

In this episode:

• Insights into Hanwha Ocean and its submarines
• Submarine development history at Hanwha Ocean
• Why is a "sea proven" submarine so significant?
• What can Hanwha Ocean bring to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project
• And more!

In this episode of the Vanguard Podcast, we report on the Canadian Armed Forces' contributions to the multinational coalition efforts against ISIL which includes the deployment of three CH-146 Griffon helicopters and an intelligence centre in Iraq.

Bad news for the Navy, two Victoria-class submarines are grounded once more due to faulty welding.

How can digitization be used to provide a tactical edge? That’s the question we answer in the latest episode of the Vanguard Podcast. Host J. Richard Jones sits down with Rick Bowes, Vice-President Digitization & Counter-Threat Products, KWESST Inc. to discuss C4ISR and first contact. Rick had a distinguished career as a senior officer in the Canadian Army, retiring in 2003 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He is a graduate of Royal Military College of Canada and served in various operational and staff roles in the Canadian military and on secondment to the British Army. Since retiring from the military, Rick has held various senior roles with defence contractors such as General Dynamics Canada, DRS Technologies Canada (now Leonardo DRS), ATCO Frontec, and ADGA Group Inc. KWESST develops and commercializes proprietary next-generation technologies that deliver a tactical advantage for military, security forces, and personal defence.

In this episode:

• What are the key challenges affecting Land C4ISR development today?
• What is KWESST doing differently?
• What does modularity and flexibility mean for KWESST?
• What were the lessons learned for KWESST in developing a dynamic fires capability for the US Marins Corps?
• What does the Internet of Things mean for the battlefield?
• How does KWESST evolve its C4ISR offerings into the Public Safety and Critical Incident Management market?
• And more!

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, J. Richard Jones talks with MK Palmore, VP, Field CSO (Americas) for Palo Alto Networks about accelerating digital transformation with the use of cloud and security solutions.

MK is responsible for supporting initiatives headed up by the office of the global Chief Security Officer and to provide thought leadership in the cybersecurity arena through both writing and speaking engagements. Prior to joining Palo Alto Networks, MK served as the Head of the Cyber Security Branch for the FBI, San Francisco capping a career of public service spanning 32-years. His leadership and investigative experiences while in the FBI included: Cybersecurity, Crisis Response/Management, Risk-Management Advisory Services, and Counter-Terrorism Investigations. MK began his professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Palo Alto Networks has been instrumental in helping governments around the world accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. Hear about some examples of how their company is helping to accelerate digital transformation, the takedown of an international bad actor through collaborative efforts by the FBI, the RCMP, and Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, their recent commitment to the Canadian Federal Government to invest in Canada to address data residency and privacy needs, and how Palo Alto is helping governments worldwide.

To learn more about security in the cloud for federal organizations, download two free whitepapers from Palo Alto Networks.

In this episode of the Vanguard Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Terri Pavelic, and Editor Nestor Arellano interview Alain Tremblay, Vice-President of Business Development at Rheinmetall Canada Inc.

They discus the "Connected Soldier", and the future of technology that will help connect command and control with the soldier and vise versa.