Baird and Poilievre Announce New Investment to
Canadian Armed Forces
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On October 24, 2014, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, together with Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre, MP for Nepean-Carleton, and Public Works Minister Diane Finley, announced the award of a $137.8 million contract to General Dynamics Canada located in Bells Corners in Ottawa for upgrades to the Canadian Armed Forces’ combat net radios and vehicle interface units. This contract will help more than 150 skilled workers keep their jobs, 65 in Calgary, 85 in Ottawa, with additional positions in Cornwall.
“Our Government remains focused on what matters to Canadians—jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Baird. “Investments like this one support our local economy and ensure that our men and women in uniform have the equipment they need to do the jobs we ask of them.”
The contract is for the upgrade of 11,060 combat net radios and 6,800 vehicle interface units, over a three year period ending in March 2017. The product design and development will be done in Calgary, while upgraded radios will be produced in Ottawa with some subcontracted work in Cornwall.
Combat net radios are used in armoured vehicles and personnel carriers for transmitting and receiving tactical voice and data communications on operations and training missions. Vehicle interface units act as amplifiers that boost the signal from the radio, thereby increasing their communication range.
“I am proud of the vital investments from our Conservative Government to help modernize and better equip the men and women who fight to protect our country,” said Minister Poilievre. “Not only will this contract benefit our troops, but it will also help support the local economy.”
The upgrades will include the replacement of older cryptographic and data transmission modules in each radio and modifications to the vehicle interface unit. This work will allow the radio to function securely at today’s needed data capacity. The data processing module within the combat net radio, initially purchased in 1991, lacks sufficient capacity to exchange the volume of data required today and in the future.
“Our Government is committed to ensuring that our men and women in uniform have the equipment that they need to protect Canadians at home and abroad,” said Minister Finley.
This contract is another example of the Harper Government’s commitment to increasing the capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces, while supporting Canadian manufacturing, skills and ingenuity and jobs.
Photo Caption: Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, and Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre, MP for Nepean-Carleton, examines a combat radio and listens to a presentation from a member of the Armed Forces.
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For local media inquiry, please contact:
Andy Wang
Office of Pierre Poilievre, MP for Nepean-Carleton
613 692 0093
pierre.poilievre.a2@parl.gc.ca