Latest news with #BillBlair
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Space rockets & hypersonic interceptors…Trump unveils half-a-trillion dollar Golden Dome air defence to be ready by 2029
DONALD Trump has unveiled plans for a high-tech "Golden Dome" missile defence system, which the president claims should be operational by the end of his term in office. The futuristic concept announced by Trump would see American weapons put in space for the first time ever. 6 6 6 6 Trump had already signalled his intent to set up a Golden Dome following his return to the White House, calling missile attacks the "most catastrophic threat facing the United States". The idea is modelled on Israel's Iron Dome defence system, which uses radar to detect incoming missiles and calculates which ones pose a threat to populated areas. But the Golden Dome would be an infinitely bigger project, not least because the United States is more than 400 times larger than Israel. During his announcement in the Oval Office yesterday, Trump said his new Golden Dome would be "capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the world". While an initial sum of $25 billion has been allocated for the project, officials believe it will cost far more over coming decades. Trump said it will cost around $175 billion in total during his announcement yesterday. But one estimate from the Congressional Budget Office has the space-based components alone costing $542 billion over the next 20 years. Trump also claimed that Canada "has called us and they want to be part of it". Then-Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair acknowledged his country's interest during a visit to Washington earlier this year, saying Ottawa's participation would "make sense". The Golden Dome would be designed to take on a wide range of missile threats to the United States, including lightning-fast hypersonic missiles that tear through the air faster than the speed of sound. Iron Dome Explained: Inside Israel's envy-of-the-world air defence downing 96% of terror rockets It also aims to protect America from fractional orbital bombardment systems, which deliver bombardments from space. "All of them will be knocked out of the air," Trump said, claiming the success rate is "very close to 100%". The missile defence system is intended to stop warheads at any stage in their deployment, from before launch to while they are in the air. Pentagon officials have long sounded the alarm that existing defence systems have not kept up with new missile tech being developed by Russia and China. China has around 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles and Russia has 350, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency assessment from last week. Trump signed an executive order shortly after returning to office ordering proposals for a "next-generation missile defense shield". He said: "There really is no current system. "We have certain areas of missiles and certain missile defence, but there is no system... there has never been anything like this." Trump wants the Golden Dome to be operational by the end of his term, which expires in January 2029. But US Air Force secretary Troy Meink has told senators the project is "still in the conceptual stage". Space Force General Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, has been earmarked to oversee its development. The Space Force's head General Chance Saltzman said on Tuesday that space weapons "represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organisations." The complex task of building the missile shield will need a network of government agencies and private contractors, multiple sources have told CNN. 6 6
Global News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Canada election 2025: Scarborough Southwest
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Scarborough Southwest is a federal riding located in Ontario. This riding is currently represented by Liberal MP Bill Blair who first took office in 2015. Blair collected 24,823 votes, winning 57.5 per cent of the vote in the 2021 federal election. Voters will decide who will represent Scarborough Southwest in Ontario during the upcoming Canadian election on April 28, 2025. Visit this page on election night for a complete breakdown of up to the minute results. Candidates Liberal: Bill Blair (Incumbent) Conservative: Asm Tarun NDP: Fatima Shaban Green: Amanda Cain Centrist Party: Imran Khan Marxist-Leninist: Christine Nugent People's Party: Michael Poulin
Reuters
17-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Canada reviews US fighter jet deal but alternatives look costly
OTTAWA, March 17 (Reuters) - Canada, locked in a trade war with the United States, is reviewing a C$19-billion ($13.29 billion) contract for 88 American-made F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab but switching planes could be costly and complex, experts say. Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney was sworn in on Friday and asked Defense Minister Bill Blair to probe whether there are better options. here. Canada's defense ministry says the contract remains in place and Ottawa had made a legal commitment of funds for the first 16 F-35 aircraft. "We are not cancelling the F-35 contract, but we need to do our homework given the changing environment," said Blair spokesperson Laurent de Casanove. He did not give a specific reason. U.S. President Donald Trump has slapped tariffs on Canada and mused about turning it into the 51st state. Philippe Lagasse, a professor at Ottawa's Carleton University who specializes in procurement, said buying 16 F-35s and then adding another jet would be expensive. "We'd also be looking at training pilots on two sets of fighters, which would add more complexity. It can all be done with enough time and money, but both are in short supply," he said. Canada, pressured by successive U.S. administrations to increase defense spending, last year pledged billions more for the armed forces and said military expenditures would be closer to the NATO target by 2030. In a statement, Lockheed Martin said it valued its ties with Canada and referred procurement questions to the government. The U.S. Defense Department was not immediately available for comment. Washington this month briefly cut off intelligence sharing and weapons shipments to Ukraine, raising questions about the potential perils of becoming too dependent on U.S. systems. Portugal could replace its aging American-made F-16 fighters with European jets, rather than F-35s, following Trump's policy shifts, the defense ministry said on Friday. FIRST DELIVERY NEXT YEAR Canada signed the F-35 deal in 2023 and said it expected the first plane to be delivered in 2026. Ottawa has repeatedly extended the lifespan of its fleet of Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab CF-18 fighters, some of which are more than 40 years old. They are due to fly to 2032, the point at which all 88 F-35s are supposed to be operational. In response to a 2017 Boeing complaint that Ottawa was unfairly subsidizing a Canadian-made passenger jet, followed by U.S. tariffs, Canada changed its procurement rules to allow it to look less favorably on a weapons bid from companies that had harmed national interests. It allowed Boeing to compete to replace the CF-18s but later eliminated the company's contender. "If you reread that economic harm clause, you certainly think the current U.S. administration would fit the bill for a party to a procurement that was trying to undermine the Canadian economy," said David Perry, a defense expert who serves as president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute think tank. Canada and other allies are largely dependent on the United States for other support, such as the ability to identify targets, process data and suppress enemy air defenses. "There are a lot of people rethinking right now, 'How reliable is access to American military technology going to be?'" said Perry. "All of the options, beyond sticking with our status quo plans, are much less good." Saab's ( opens new tab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, two alternatives, also include U.S. components. The Canadian review could be moot, since Carney is expected to call an election shortly. Opinion polls show the ruling Liberals tied with the opposition Conservatives. "If the U.S. administration continues to demonstrate that it is an unreliable partner and ally, then Canada will need to look for other options when it comes to defense purchases," said Conservative defense spokesperson James Bezan. ($1 = 1.4298 Canadian dollars)
Sharjah 24
17-03-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Canada to review F-35 fighter deal amid trade tensions with US
Minister Bill Blair tasked with reviewing the deal Defense Ministry press secretary Laurent de Casanove stated that Carney had instructed Minister Bill Blair to assess whether the F-35 deal with the US is in Canada's best interest. Blair will explore all viable options while consulting with the army's Chief of Staff, Ministry of Defense, and the air force. Details of the F-35 purchase agreement Canada previously agreed to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets from the US at a cost of USD 85 million each. The contract included a mandatory purchase of 16 jets, while the remaining part of the deal was non-binding. Replacement of aging CF-18 jets The F-35 jets are intended to replace Canada's aging McDonnell Douglas CF-18 fleet. According to the deal, the first of the 88 fighter jets is scheduled for delivery in 2026, with the final 18 jets expected to be delivered by 2032.
The Independent
16-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Trump trade war leads Canada to pause purchase of F-35 fighter jets
Canada has ordered a review of its planned purchase of United States F-35 fighter jets, casting doubt on the future of the multi-billion dollar deal amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney has instructed Defense Minister Bill Blair to reassess the acquisition in light of the "changing environment", a spokesperson for the minister confirmed on Saturday. While the contract with Lockheed Martin for 88 F-35s remains active, and funds for the initial 16 aircraft are committed, the review signals potential hesitation on the part of the new administration. Carney has requested a thorough examination of whether the existing contract represents the optimal investment for Canada, and whether alternative options could better address the country's defense needs. "The F-35 contract has not been canceled," Blair's press secretary, Laurent de Casanove, said. "But we need to do our homework given the changing environment, and make sure that the contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces." This development comes amidst escalating trade tensions between Canada and the US, with President Donald Trump 's aggressive rhetoric and policies stoking resentment north of the border. The increasingly strained relationship adds another layer of complexity to the F-35 decision, raising questions about Canada's long-term defense strategy in the face of an unpredictable geopolitical landscape. The government had budgeted about $19 billion Canadian (US$13 billion) for the purchase in what is the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years. The full life cycle of the program is expected to cost $70 billion (US$49 billion). The agreement to buy 88 came in 2023 as former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was set to meet with former US President Joe Biden. The Canadian government said in 2022 that Lockheed Martin 's F-35 was deemed to be the top-ranked bidder for a new fighter jet to replace aging F-18s, deciding against Boeing's Super Hornet and the Swedish-built Saab Gripen. That ended years of deliberations over its aging fleet. The purchase would fulfill Canada's obligations to defend North America's air space. The Swedish Saab proposal promised that assembly and maintenance would take place in Canada. Portugal's outgoing defense minister said in an interview with a Portuguese newspaper published Thursday that 'recent positions' taken by the US compelled a rethink about the purchase of F-35s because the US had become unpredictable. Defense Minister Nuno Melo said the US could in the future impose limits on the planes' use, their maintenance or their components. Portugal is considering various options to replace F-16s.
