RPAS (was JUSTAS): the project to buy armed Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs

[ytz]

Process and bureaucracy also play a part.

glares at PSPC and ISED

A smaller part. They are playing the hand they've been dealt. Just the same as any military officer of DND PS. We shouldn't expect them to somehow not do their jobs so that our projects advance.

 

[Good2Golf]

A smaller part. They are playing the hand they've been dealt. Just the same as any military officer of DND PS. We shouldn't expect them to somehow not do their jobs so that our projects advance.

Which is an important point not to forget - they are supporting their Minister in the accomplishment of that Minister’s assigned mandate. Definitely a case of don’t hate the players, hate the game.

 

[ytz]

Which is an important point not to forget - they are supporting their Minister in the accomplishment of that Minister’s assigned mandate. Definitely a case of don’t hate the players, hate the game.

It's amazing to me how many people have come to believe that it's "the procurement system", or "the process" or "the bureaucrats". And virtually nobody blames the politicians who could fix most of this with policy changes.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

It's amazing to me how many people have come to believe that it's "the procurement system", or "the process" or "the bureaucrats". And virtually nobody blames the politicians who could fix most of this with policy changes.

Assuming they care enough, understand enough of what is wrong and are willing to work hard, expend political capital on something that will only show results after they are gone. Most politicians work from 3 page briefing notes and all they know is on that note. Even if they really want to fix things, they have to do battle with the gatekeepers. Our system is designed to ensure slow moderate changes to avoid following the trend of the day. That is a good thing, until you really need to fix something, because it's been ignored for 15-20 years.

 

[calculus]

I wonder if our MQ-9Bs will be powered by Canadian engines:

GA-ASI Flies MQ-9B With Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6 E-Series Engine - Canadian Defence Review

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft on July 15, 2024, with a PT6 E-Series model turboprop engine supplied by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Representatives from GA-ASI and Pratt & Whitney witnessed the first flight of the...

canadiandefencereview.com

 

[dimsum]

I wonder if our MQ-9Bs will be powered by Canadian engines:

GA-ASI Flies MQ-9B With Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6 E-Series Engine - Canadian Defence Review

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft on July 15, 2024, with a PT6 E-Series model turboprop engine supplied by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Representatives from GA-ASI and Pratt & Whitney witnessed the first flight of the...

canadiandefencereview.com

The list of customers (or those with contracts) is larger than I thought. I thought that the USAF was definitely not going for the MQ-9B, but apparently AFSOC is.

Deliveries of MQ-9B have begun for the United Kingdom, with contracts in place with Belgium, Canada, Taiwan, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. The Japan Coast Guard is currently operating MQ-9B for maritime operations, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) selected MQ-9B for its Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Trial Operation Project. MQ-9B has also supported various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.

 

[GR66]

Good news on the RPAS front!

First MQ-9B drones for Canada enter production

Progress is being made on Canada's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) project as the first two MQ-9B drones have entered production at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) in San Diego. These aircraft will be critical for testing that is set to begin in 2026, marking an...

defence-blog.com

 

[GR66]

Hopefully this is a capability that we'll be getting for our MQ-9B's

GA-ASI Tests Sonobuoy Dispensing System pods aboard MQ-9B SeaGuardian - Naval News

GA-ASI continues to expand the role of unmanned aerial systems, demonstrating the first-ever ASW capability on an MQ-9B SeaGuardian.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Ping Monkey]

Hopefully this is a capability that we'll be getting for our MQ-9B's

A good article highlighting a few more details on SeaGuardian's growing maritime and ASW capability our team has been working on. Collaborating with GA-ASI has been one of my career highlights outside of the military.

General Atomics Enhances MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s Submarine Hunting Capability with New Air-Dropped Sensors

The Sonobuoy Dispensing System test has enhanced the MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s status as the only RPA that can carry, release and monitor sonobuoys, whose data

theaviationist.com

 

[calculus]

A good article highlighting a few more details on SeaGuardian's growing maritime and ASW capability our team has been working on. Collaborating with GA-ASI has been one of my career highlights outside of the military.

General Atomics Enhances MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s Submarine Hunting Capability with New Air-Dropped Sensors

The Sonobuoy Dispensing System test has enhanced the MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s status as the only RPA that can carry, release and monitor sonobuoys, whose data

theaviationist.com

To follow up on @GR66 question, with your experience having worked with GA-ASI, do you know if this capability is "bolt-on" to our MQ-9B?. It wasn't clear to me having read the article if the Sea Guardian was a substantially different variant, or just and MQ-9B with some extras bolted on.

 

[Ping Monkey]

To follow up on @GR66 question, with your experience having worked with GA-ASI, do you know if this capability is "bolt-on" to our MQ-9B?. It wasn't clear to me having read the article if the Sea Guardian was a substantially different variant, or just and MQ-9B with some extras bolted on.

I'm not closely connected to the Canadian MQ-9B SkyGuardian variant that RCAF is acquiring.
I do know the two airframes (Sky vs Sea Guardians) are very similar, but "bolt-on" may be oversimplifying the ASW capability. There's more to it than the BRU-mounted sonobuoy carrier pod.
I am certain that when the RFP for Canadian RPAS was first issued (eons ago), ASW via UAS was wasn't envisioned, and not certainly not a priority for RCAF.
Thankfully another allied user is already flying SeaGuardian with the sonobuoy processing module operationally, and as mentioned in those articles, USN is actively pursuing this capability through supported development with GA.
If RCAF is ever interested, the capability will be ready to them harness.