GlobalEye surveillance plane under the microscope as Conservatives call for twin probes

GlobalEye surveillance plane under the microscope as Conservatives call for twin probes

Opposition wants auditor general, budget watchdog to investigate procurement

Federal Conservatives have called on both the auditor general and the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to examine whether the proper process was followed in the Liberal government's plan to acquire airborne early warning planes from Swedish aircraft-maker Saab.

Sources told CBC News earlier this month that the GlobalEye, the government's choice for the air force, met only a handful of the military's requirements and will need important modifications.

The Defence Investment Agency (DIA), in a statement responding to the initial CBC News story, said it knew that none of the three planes under consideration met the air force's requirements and that the GlobalEye was the best choice.

How that determination was made is unclear because none of the competitors had been shown the air force requirements before Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement at the country's largest arms expo — CANSEC — at the end of May.

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In a statement late Friday, the Conservatives said the public needs reassurances that the DIA did its homework before embarking on the process.

"Canadians deserve to know if politicians, Liberal staffers and bureaucrats were putting political decisions ahead of national security, defence and operational readiness," said Conservative defence critic James Bezan.

"The auditor general and PBO must determine whether due consideration was given and protocols were observed."

"Supporting Canadian industry is neither favouritism nor politics. It is how we build a strong country. Our government will continue to build Canada's defence capabilities and prioritise Canadian companies," said Sofiya Sapeha, spokesperson for the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement.

"The GlobalEye is the best choice for the CAF, Canada’s growing defence industry, and Canadian taxpayers. Militarizing Bombardier’s Global 6500 in Canada will create thousands of good paying jobs while strengthening Canadian sovereignty by ensuring that the CAF have the equipment they need."

The request to examine the plan falls squarely with the auditor general's remit to investigate whether protocols and appropriate controls were followed. The PBO is better positioned to examine the cost, financial assumptions and fiscal risks of the GlobalEye decision once an agreement with Saab is reached.

Sources have told CBC News the military is concerned that the plane, under its current design and configuration, doesn't have 360-degree radar coverage. There are also concerns about the range and frequency of the radar.

Saab has proposed modifications, putting additional radar sets in the nose and tail.

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There are also concerns about the number of crew stations and connectivity equipment to plug the plane into the NORAD network, which would limit the GlobalEye's ability to offer a "control" function during operations that involve a series of military assets.

The military is also seeking a radar plane that can be refuelled in flight to cover the vast expanses of the Arctic, a feature that is not currently included on the GlobalEye.

In a series of previous interviews, Saab has said it's prepared to meet customer demands and that the company is aware of the Canadian military's expectations and has been actively working through the engineering issues.

Responding to the initial CBC News report, Sapeha made the distinction between the "government's requirements" and "military requirements."

Sapeha said the agency is convinced that the GlobalEye meets the "government's requirements."

She said over the past few months, the government has been negotiating the details of a term sheet for the planned procurement. A term sheet is a non-binding preliminary document that outlines the core terms and conditions for a proposed deal.

"There have been conversations about which additional capabilities beyond the Saab baseline could be added to the aircraft, the level of technical and financial risk, operational utility and whether to proceed now, later or not at all," Sapeha said.

"These are normal discussions, and do not indicate Saab's aircraft had shortcomings or failed to meet the government's requirements. The aircraft meets the government's requirements."

Senior reporter, defence and security

Murray Brewster is the senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press. Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.