Features Military
Boeing outlines $61B in Future Fighter benefits

Boeing on October 27 stated its bid in the Government of Canada’s ongoing Future Fighter Capability Project procurement competition, if successful, would provide $61 billion and nearly 250,000 jobs to the Canadian economy. Required by the competition’s RFP, the economic benefits outlined by Boeing are largely based on five new agreements with its Canadian aerospace partners involved in the bid.

Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) aims to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s ageing fleet of CF-188 Hornet’s with 88 new-generation fighters. The competition centres around three fighter jets in the Saab Gripen E, Boeing F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

Saab partners for Canada’s FFCP bid

“Canada is one of Boeing’s most enduring partners and has continuously demonstrated that they have a robust and capable industry supporting both our commercial and defence businesses,” said Charles “Duff” Sullivan, managing director, Boeing Canada. “The large scale and scope of these Canadian projects reinforces Boeing’s commitment to Canada and gives us an opportunity to build on our motto of promises made, promises kept.”

Boeing explains that, based on new data and projections from economists at Ottawa-based Doyletech Corp., the total economic benefits to Canada and its workforce for the acquisition of the F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet will last for at least 40 years and benefit all regions based of the country.

Fifth-generation build of the F-35 Lightning II

“Boeing and its Super Hornet industry partners have a long track record of delivering economic growth to Canada, which gave us the confidence that our data and detailed projections are extremely accurate,” Rick Clayton, economist at Doyletech Corp.

The $61 billion in economic benefits outlined by Boeing with a Block III Super Hornet selection in the FFCP are largely based on partnerships with five Canadian-based aerospace operations, including:

CAE (Montreal, Quebec)
Boeing and CAE’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlines the implementation of a training solution for the Block III Super Hornet based in Canada and under full control of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This includes full mission simulators and part task training devices for pilot training and maintenance technician training, courseware, as well as Contractor Logistics Support, Training Support Services, and Facilities Services to support RCAF training.

L3Harris Technologies (Mirabel, Quebec)
Boeing and L3Harris’ MOU includes a range of sustainment services, including depot and base maintenance, engineering and publications support for the Canadian Super Hornet fleet; potential for other Super Hornet depot work; and maintenance scope for Canada’s CH-147 Chinook fleet.

Peraton Canada (Calgary, Alberta)
Boeing and Peraton currently work closely together on CF-18 upgrades. This work will expand to include a full range of Super Hornet avionic repair and overhaul work in Canada.

Raytheon Canada Limited (Calgary, Alberta)
Boeing and Raytheon Canada’s MOU outlines the implementation of large-scale supply chain and warehousing services at Cold Lake and Bagotville to support the new Super Hornet fleet, as well as potential depot avionics radar support.

GE Canada Aviation (Mississauga, Ontario)
In cooperation with its parent organization, GE Canada will continue to provide both onsite maintenance, repair and overhaul support services for the F414 engines used on the Super Hornet, as well as technical services and engineering within Canada in support of RCAF operations and aircraft engine sustainment.

With its past partners, Boeing notes it has delivered on billions of dollars in industrial and technological benefits obligations dating back more than 25 years. The work started with the sale of the F/A-18s in the mid-1980s and progressed through more recent obligations including acquisition of and sustainment work on the C-17 Globemaster and the CH-47F Chinooks to meet Canada’s domestic and international missions.

Boeing states its direct spending in Canada in 2019 rose to $2.3 billion, a 15 per cent increase in four years. When the indirect and induced effects are calculated, Doyletech states this amount more than doubles to $5.3 billion, with 20,700 jobs.

Boeing notes its partnership with Canada dates back to 1919, when Bill Boeing made the first international airmail delivery from Vancouver to Seattle. Today, Canada is among Boeing’s largest international supply bases, with more than 500 major suppliers spanning across country. With nearly 1,500 employees, Boeing Canada supplies composite parts for all current Boeing commercial airplane models and supports Canadian airlines and the Canadian Armed Forces with products and services.