National Defence committee  Mr. Chair, at this point the ground-based air defence is in a phase where we're developing the request for proposal—so it's essentially salaries. We see the release of a draft invitation to qualify to industry being released later this year.

National Defence committee  I wouldn't do that, Deputy. Mr. Chair, in the estimates this year for the Canadian surface combatant, there's approximately $1.1 billion earmarked for the ongoing acquisition of long-lead items, a continuation of the design, and work on associated infrastructure.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chair, it's recognized, as the question alludes to, that we're going to see inflation certainly higher than the consumer price index, which is typical for defence procurement, and higher than we would have forecasted a year ago. Our allies are also seeing the same sorts of t

National Defence committee  Thank you for the question. The remotely piloted aircraft system project competition is under way. Bids are due in mid-August. The resulting remotely piloted aircraft capability will largely be focused on providing intelligence surveillance reconnaissance. It's basically awarene

National Defence committee  Mr. Chair, that is not my understanding either. We do have Lockheed Martin Canada involved in the program, as well as a number of other Canadian suppliers that will provide equipment to the combat system. There is integration work and involvement of the U.S. Navy for certain aspe

National Defence committee  Thank you for the question. We have expressed an expectation that the training that's currently conducted in Moose Jaw, Southport and Winnipeg will continue in those locations.

National Defence committee  As the deputy minister has expressed, the competitive process is under way right now and will determine who provides the services in the future.

National Defence committee  The qualified suppliers in the competitive process include Babcock Canada and Leonardo Canada.

National Defence committee  No, I'm not.

National Defence committee  Thank you for the question. Thank you, Deputy Minister. You're correct. In the current year, there are no expenditures expected with training devices, but training devices will be part of the solution for the future fighter capability.

National Defence committee  The training solution will be established at the bases in Cold Lake and Bagotville ultimately. The initial transition training for our aircrew will have to take place in the U.S., where those capabilities already exist, and that will give us time to set up our long-term solution

National Defence committee  Actually, Deputy, 2026 would be more—

Government Operations committee  Just quickly, in a more general sense for defence procurement, should the opportunity arise, we would turn to the services who are the sponsors of the requirements. Once those requirements are determined and we know where the investments need to be made to meet future requirement

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, at this point, we're forecasting the delivery of the first Canadian surface combatant in the early 2030s. To come back to the question of cost and the situation of where we are right now with the procurement, we aren't actually on contracts for the construction of an

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, the contract structure we have right now is, as the question suggested, that Irving Shipbuilding is the prime contractor and they have subcontracted work through Lockheed Martin for the design of the combat system. While the parent design of the Type 26, which originat