This Week in Defence (02/09/26): Rumored Issues With The American, CHER Updates, Ottawa, DIS Releasing This Week, Bridge and Gap Crossing Modernization Updated

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Happy Monday Everyone!

It's been a busy day, and looks to be a very busy week upcoming. I'm feeling good though, back from Ottawa, and ready to tackle it head on! We've got a spicy week this week, and hopefully in a few more I'll be able to confirm some more things.

Until then!

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News

• Read up on the latest edition of CanadaxEurope!

• Also CanadaxIndo-Pacific, which is a thing! How cool is that!

• The latest edition of Steffan Watkins RCN Media and Public Awareness Update is up!

• Let's Talk with Noah (02/03/26): P8, Merchant Marine? How Quickly Are Projects Moving?

• TNSR now available on Gander!

• Davie and Algoma Steel Celebrate the Rolling of Canadian Steel for the Construction of the Canadian Coast Guard’s Polar Max Icebreaker

• Defence Industrial Strategy coming next week and other fun stuff from Ottawa

• Canada’s Major Shipyards Visit Hanwha Ocean to Discuss CPSP Collaboration, Sustainment, and MRO Opportunities

• Home Safe and the Ottawa Aftermath

• British Columbia releases it's own Bid Book for Vancouver to host the Defense, Security, Resilience Bank

• Where Was Mr. Fuhr Today? (02/03/2026)

• TKMS and EllisDon Sign Strategic Teaming Agreement to Support the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project

• Allen-Vanguard breaks into South America with a multi-million dollar order for their EQUINOX NG and SCORPION 2 ECM systems

• Niagara College launches unique Defence Systems Engineering Technology programs

• Minister Anand meets with Denmark’s Minister for Foreign Affairs

• Strengthening Atlantic Canada’s defence capabilities in New Brunswick through Vimy Forge accelerator program

• INTURAI VENTURES ANNOUNCE FIRST ORDER SECURED WITH NORTH AMERICAN DEFENCE CONTRACTOR

• Bombardier Acquires Velocity Maintenance Solutions and Expands its Top-Ranked Service Network

• Volatus Secures Drone Training Contract with NATO Defence Partner

• What DND says its $10-billion procurement notice is about

• Canada’s diplomatic tightrope act in Asia

• Canada sends AIM missiles for Ukraine air defences, Ukrainian minister says

• Ottawa competing with Montreal and Toronto to host proposed international defence bank

• Lapointe: Study to explore how critical minerals, national defence intersect

• Canada's NATO pledge to swell budgetary deficit by nearly $63- billion by 2035-36, budget watchdog says

• Defence department warns of increasing climate risks to bases and infrastructure

• What message does Canada's consulate in Greenland send on Arctic defence and security?

• Inflection Point - LGen Michael Wright

• A night of gratitude: Celebrating the heart of our community

• HERO Grappling Club celebrates milestones with first-ever promotions

• HMCS Yellowknife departs for Op CARIBBE

• 3rd Canadian Division’s drone fleet set to balloon

• Insider risk — Security starts with you

• See It, Hear It, Suspect It – Reporting security incidents

• CAFCYBERCOM delivers cyber security training to the Armed Forces of the Philippines

• Message from your new Deputy Minister

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Project Updates

• The RFI for the Bridge and Gap Crossing Modernization Project has been updated with new documentation. Less than fifty days to go until close gang!

• The RFP for Bundle 1 of the Common Heavy Equipment Replacement (CHER) Project has been updated with new Q&A. For reference this bundle includes Armoured Dozers, Graders, Excavators, Compactors, and Loaders. About two weeks left to go here to submit y'all

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Lobbying Updates

• Zighra Inc has filed a new record with PAA Advisory looking to engage the Federal Government on it's products and capabilities, specifically in Explainable AI (XAI) for Actionable Intelligence, Multi-Sensor Fusion & Electronic Threat Detection, On-Device AI for Autonomous Defense, and Adaptive Security

• Canada Rocket Company has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage the Federal Government on export opportunities, Talent Retention and Acquisition, launch licences, and potential financial support

• Gastops has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to engage the Federal Government on potential contract opportunities.

• Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH has fuled a new record with PAA Advisory looking to engage the Federal Government on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project

• Colt Canada has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to engage the Federal Government on it's role in the Munition Supply Program (they would like that CMAR contract now please)

• EllisDon has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Sandra Rezansoff, Paola Zurro, Peter Hammerschmidt, Andrew Green, Darcy Molstad, Hilary Hendriks, Matthew Hall, and Michael Wright

• IMT Group has filed new communications detailing meetings with Andrew Green, Darcy Molstad, Hilary Hendriks, Matthew Hall, and Michael Wright

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Rumors & Speculation

• After a few weeks of investigating and talking around Ottawa, I can say with some confidence that there is ongoing issues with the procurement of American equipment. More specifically, several projects have apparently seen some delays in moving ahead with RFI/RFP due to waiting on the Yanks to provide approvals so to provide American companies with documentation.

Now, I am still working on where exactly these bottlenecks are. There are several known ones that are out there when discussing TAA and FSA, however there is a concern that some of the slow-walking and dragging out is being done deliberately. To this note, at least one project is prepared to move ahead in spite of this. Not as easy other places but can be done in certain cases.

Several others are in similar debates, and there is some concern these delays are also complicating the finalization of existing agreements like HIMARS, however I can't confirm if that's the case here. I shall work to try and dig deeper into this topic, but want to throw it out there that there are aome ongoing, worsening issues that quite a few people are very annoyed at.

• CHER, which we often see here, is the latest project to recieve approval for additional funding, along with a numbers increase. It joins LUV and ERC is getting a recent increase in numbers.

• On trucks there is some discussions of a Zetros increase, however nothing confirmed. There have reportedly been some concerns and issues coming out of the initial pre-production batch. Working on getting more info and confirming more. There were some obvious concerns with height and such, however this is apparently not just people concerns.

Of course with any pre-production there is bound to be some issues, and usually they're weeded out as the process is designed to do. I shall continue to dig more here as well. I wouldn't be overly concerned at this at this time but good to acknowledge.

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