Vanguard Magazine

A AIR FORCE www.vanguardcanada.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015 27 B U I LD I N G S H I PS F O R C A N A D A B Y C A N A D I A N S www.seaspan.com Non-Combat Supplier for the Canadian Government's National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). modern and more capacious helicopter to fly off of its cruiser and other smaller-deck warships. The flexible internal configura- tion of the H-92 allows it to supplement existing navy-marine transport capabili- ties, making it valuable in a wide range of combat and non-combat missions. Sikorsky is working hard to get its new helicopter into Canadian hands so that it can earn its spurs with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The Canadian military was once widely recognized as an expert in the operation of medium helicopters from relatively small warships. Despite all of the threats of litigation by the Government of Canada over delivery delays, Sikorsky re- fused to rush a full capability aircraft into production and run the risk of the kind of fatal crashes and low serviceability rates that have plagued the VU-22 program. They have taken a very prudent and de- liberate approach toward all of the design and equipment changes insisted upon with the Canadian order and are now very close to producing a world-class aircraft. How the final version of the aircraft will perform, with more powerful engines and completed mission software, will only be known once the RCAF's Operational Test and Evaluation group is able to put the Cyclone through rigorous testing. In the meantime, the air force will begin to save some effort and expense from maintaining the worst of the old Sea Kings. The scepticism about the entire procure- ment process of the Cyclone will diminish with time. It is important to remember, all of this happened before with the Sea King program, although it is probably beyond the memory of any but the most senior formal naval aviators. For those interested in such things, Aaron Plamondon's book, The Politics of Procurement: Military Ac- quisition in Canada and the Sea King He- licopter (UBC Press, 2010), explains it all. What does not help the generally nega- tive climate surrounding military procure- ment is the manipulative way that the gov- ernment exploits events like the so-called acceptance ceremony at Shearwater. De- spite Minister Finley's assurances, the Cy- clone's mission software is in such a basic form that only the most simple of tasks can be undertaken. In addition, the run- dry provision for a 30-minute safety factor is being met by a simple shut-off valve that stops the lubricating fluids from circulat- ing outside of the gearbox. This is clearly an emergency expedient that is designed to conserve whatever fluids remain in the most vital location. Without lubrication, any mechanical device will fail in minutes, or less. Any pilot that assumes 30-minutes of normal flight operation remains after such a measure would be taking an enor- mous risk. The standard practice — send a Mayday signal, reduce altitude, reduce speed to the minimum acceptable (to re- duce heat generation), and wait for the nearest warship — is still the most ratio- nal and reasonable course of action. Bland statements that confuse and mislead about the real state of affairs are the crassest of political moves made for only blatantly partisan purposes.

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