Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Bids Are In (Again) For The Canadian Forces Close Combat Vehicle

The bids are in for the Close Combat Vehicle (CCV). At least one company, Nexter Systems, has confirmed it has submitted a bid in response to the government’s Request for Proposals.

Nexter will offer the VBCI 25 – a platform currently in service with the French Army in both Afghanistan and Lebanon, according to the company.

“The VBCI is a state of the art platform with an excellent combination of protection, mobility and firepower” Patrick Lier, Nexter’s Vice President, Sales & Business Development, North America, noted in a statement released Tuesday. “Perhaps its most significant feature is its thick aluminum alloy hull which provides unparalleled protection against mines and IEDs.”

The company points out that the vehicle is capable of speeds over 100 km per hour. The VBCI has a one man turret with a 25 mm NATO standard gun, a 7.62 co-axial machine gun and grenade launchers. With a range of 750 km, it can sustain an infantry section on operations for three days, the firm adds. Nexter has already delivered over 400 of a total of 630 vehicles ordered by the French Army.

DND wants to buy 108 of the Close Combat Vehicles. There would be an option for the purchase of up to 30 additional vehicles. The army has argued that the Close Combat Vehicles, which would accompany its Leopard tanks into battle, are a priority for future missions.

BAE officials told Defence Watch during CANSEC 2012 they would bid. This morning the company released this statement:

“BAE Systems has submitted its best value bid for the Canadian Close Combat Vehicle procurement. Our offer is based upon the successful CV90, which provides class-leading crew survivability, mobility and firepower for the six current user nations around the world. In all six nations, the CV90 is in service alongside the Leopard 2 main battle tank and is currently on operations in Afghanistan with Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Our offer also includes a comprehensive Canada-based in-service support package, which will provide demonstrated cost-effective fleet usage and availability throughout CV90’s service life. The third part of the bid is a well-developed Industrial and Regional Benefits proposal which includes extensive work packages such as the manufacture, assembly and integration of the turrets. The industrial program provides significant long-term benefits to our Canadian partners, including DEW Engineering & Development, through the creation of high-quality jobs, exploitation of Canadian technologies and an entry into BAE Systems’ global supply chain for Canadian companies of all sizes across all regions of Canada.”

A couple of months ago General Dynamics Land Systems Canada noted it was still reviewing the RFP material provided by government. GD’s Ken Yamashita just sent this to Defence Watch: “I can confirm that we have bid the Piranha 5 fitted with the Rheinmetall Lance 30 mm Modular Turret System.”

As you know, the CCV program has run into a number of problems. It went off the rails earlier this year and companies vying for the $2 billion program were told that their bids had been rejected and they would have to submit new proposals. It was the second time that candidate vehicles, some of which are in service with allied nations in Afghanistan, had been rejected by the Defence Department.

The Close Combat Vehicle program, announced with great fanfare by the government in the summer of 2009, has already fallen two years behind schedule, according to industry officials.

Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: David Pugliese

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