Latest news with #DepartmentOfNationalDefence
National Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Why Canadian military's Cyclone helicopters were grounded for 27 days in May
The Canadian military's Cyclone helicopters weren't flying for 27 days in May due to a lack of spare parts, and only one of them is now able to take to the skies. Article content Article content Canada has 26 of the ship-borne maritime helicopters, with a final one slated for delivery this year. The $5.8-billion fleet is normally used to provide air support for the Royal Canadian Navy. Their missions include surface and subsurface surveillance, search and rescue, and anti-submarine warfare. Article content 'On May 1, the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division ordered a temporary pause to flying operations for the CH-148 Cyclone fleet, after questions emerged in late April about whether various spare parts for the aircraft were potentially in use beyond their service life. The temporary pause to flying operations was lifted as of May 27,' Kened Sadiku, who speaks for the Department of National Defence (DND), said in an email. Article content Article content 'Certain aircraft components have a defined service life to ensure continued safety and airworthiness. Because using parts beyond their defined service life would pose risks to the safety of personnel and equipment, the decision was made to temporarily pause flight operations until certainty is regained.' Article content DND, the military and Sikorsky, which manufactured the helicopters, 'have been working together to identify potential parts of concern. This includes components of the Cyclone's landing gear, tail rotor driveshaft flange and auxiliary power unit, as well as engine parts,' Sadiku said. Article content Article content As of this past Wednesday, one Cyclone, now on deployment, returned to flying operations, he said. 'The team works to do the same for the rest of the fleet.' Article content Article content The Cyclone 'fleet is currently facing some challenges, such as aging datalink systems as well as sensor and other capabilities that are overdue for important upgrades,' he said. 'Specific details, however, cannot be provided for reasons of operational security.' Article content Military and government officials 'are working together with industry partners to determine a way forward for the aircraft and the capabilities it supports,' Sadiku said. Article content 'The Cyclone remains capable of supporting Royal Canadian Navy operations and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.' Article content Sadiku wouldn't confirm Sikorsky has put a hefty price tag on replacing the Cyclones' ageing datalinks — used to communicate digital information such as radar images to other aircraft, warships and shore bases. 'The datalink upgrade project is still under evaluation, as such, schedule and costs are still being negotiated.'
CTV News
7 days ago
- Science
- CTV News
Dalhousie University using 3D printing technology to make replacement parts for navy vessels
Halifax's Dalhousie University is partnering with the Department of National Defence to extend the life of Canada's aging naval fleet. The project uses an industrial-grade form of 3D printing to produce critical parts for vessels, like submarines. HMCS Windsor HMCS Windsor, one of Canada's Victoria-class long range patrol submarines, returns to port in Halifax on June 20, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan (Andrew Vaughan/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Paul Bishop, a materials engineer at Dalhousie and lead researcher on the project, says the process is much faster than typical repairs or replacement. 'Which means to get a replacement part it costs many, many dollars and can take months just to get a singular part,' he says. 'Whereas with 3D printing, once you have the acquired approach nailed down, which is what we do at Dalhousie, you can print a part in a matter of hours or days.' A gas atomizer is among the pieces of equipment Bishop and his team uses. '(It) is where we convert solid metallic materials into a powder form that we need as the feed stock for the 3D printing process,' he says. The powder is a copper-based alloy. Bishop says it comes from pieces of decommissioned naval vessels that his team is essentially recycling into powder, to then recycle into new vessel parts. The next step in the process is done at the university's Advanced Manufacturing Hub where the metal 3D printing research is done. 'The level of detail and resolution is pretty amazing. We have three different technologies here that we're using,' says Bishop. Metal 3D printing An example of metal 3D printing research done at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Directed energy deposition is among them. 'The navy's interest in this technology is that we can use it to repair worn or damaged components so they can be put back into service in a fraction of the time and a fraction of the cost,' Bishop says. 'This is a gamechanger for the navy and a lot of different circumstances and we can really get that vessel back in service in a very short period of time.' The team then designs and develops parts, like impellers, from the metal powder from the gas atomizer. Impeller Examples of an navy impeller (left) and repaired pipe. They also use different technology to repair existing parts, like pipes. 'With this technology you can overlay different materials that have different properties, better corrosion resistance, or rebuild a worn surface, so that part can be put back into service,' explains Bishop. He says one the main benefits of this technology for the navy is to keep everything in Canada. 'To keep everything secure and hopefully to grow an ecosystem within the defense sector where they'll be many, many companies doing this sort of work for the Canadian navy,' Bishop says. 'It's been a great development for the university and with our proximity to the Canadian armed forces and the naval base of course it's been a real win-win situation for everybody.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
