Government Operations Committee on Sept. 29th, 2022

[Francesco Norante]

We were talking about efficiency in procurement and streamlining the process a bit. I was thinking, for example, that we are bidding for FAcT, for the future right to training. We are a manufacturer, but we also offer services for the entire fleet.

With our jets, for example, for all the phases of the training from FAcT to fleet to Snowbird replacement, whenever that happens, we can offer everything. Logistics are going to be shared and all these types of activities—the services, support and maintenance—could be shared across all three of these programs. This, for example, could be an efficiency for the procurement process.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Your timing was perfect. Thank you very much.

I'm impressed at how you finished almost right on the button. I really appreciate that.

We have one last questioner.

Mr. Housefather, please go ahead for four minutes.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much, to both companies, for coming in today. It's very much appreciated. I definitely appreciate your role as suppliers and potential suppliers to the government.

I want to thank Saab for providing the Carl-Gustaf that we sent to Ukraine. I also want to note the F-35 versus the Gripen issue. In the last four years, six European countries have also chosen the F-35, Finland being the latest earlier this year. We don't have Lockheed here to talk about the functionality of their offering. This isn't meant to be a competition between the two. It's still an open contract process in which, theoretically, no contract has been signed yet, so I'd rather stay away from that and move to another area.

You talked about the ground defence and the MSHORAD, which I think is mobile short-range air defence, as you said. I understand the first live system firing took place in Sweden a couple of weeks ago. Could you talk to me about how new that product is and whether any other countries have already purchased it?

[Simon Carroll]

As I mentioned in my previous response, the MSHORAD is made up of a number of different components. Some of those components are fully operational and at what we call technical readiness level nine. Other components are parts of that demonstration that you correctly mentioned, and we're looking at how we can put that system into many markets into the future, Canada being one of them.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I understand that. I understand that there are different parts of the new solution, some of which are already proven in other capacities and some not. I was just wondering if any other country had actually acquired prototypes or alpha versions of the new system and was actively engaged with you in testing.

[Simon Carroll]

I would have to speak to our team in Sweden, who at the moment are controlling the marketing and the proposal side of activities related to that product.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

No worries.

I wanted to also ask you about another new facility that Saab is setting up in India to make weapons systems. Can you talk to us about the expansion of your manufacturing outside of Sweden and what new weapons systems are going to be built in India, for example?

[Simon Carroll]

Saab has recently engaged with what we call a “multidomestic policy”, where we look to set up certain countries in the world as operational countries. The ones we have at the moment are in the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and Germany. With regard to India, I do know that facility has been established to manufacture the Carl-Gustaf weapon. Outside of that, I'm unaware and would again have to refer to my colleagues in Sweden.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I just want to end with one other question to you, if I have time. On the MSHORAD, you mentioned that as a possibility. What other products...? I don't like to use the word “products” because what you're manufacturing is a product but it's obviously something far more to the armed forces. What other solutions do you have that you recommend that this committee think about in terms of our study that may be beneficial to the Canadian Armed Forces, leaving aside the jets, please?

[Simon Carroll]

Is that for air defence in particular?

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Yes, it's for air defence.

[Simon Carroll]

Previously, we would have referred to the RBS 70 ground-based missile system. That is a component of the MSHORAD system that you would have seen as part of the information that was given. For us, the main focus for ground-based air defence and air defence procurement outside of the fighters is that capability, which is why I wanted to bring it to your attention today.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I appreciate that.

Mr. Chair, those are all my questions. I see we're over time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, and thank you, Mr. Housefather.

With that, I would like to thank our witnesses for coming today and presenting. It's nice to have you here in person, as opposed to doing things virtually, as we've done for the last two years or so. We do want to thank you for that.

If there is any other information that you feel might answer a question, which as you leave you think “I should have said that”, please by all means put that down in writing. If you would submit it to the clerk, the clerk will spread that amongst the members so that they're aware of that information.

With that, I would like to thank Mr. Carroll and Mr. Palmer from Saab and Mr. Norante from Leonardo for coming. As well, I would like to thank the technicians, staff and interpreters for being here, as well as our analysts and our clerk.

With that, I declare the meeting adjourned.