Transport Canada fleet moving to DND?

Papa Brewster is providing a new update on the status of the Transport Canada aircraft fleet today. It seems now all but confirmed that a large chunk, if not the entire, Transport Canada fleet will be moved under the DND.

I had a few people question me on this, and I would like to remind that we reported on this on the October 20th Edition of This Week in Defence. Here is my full quote:

“There is talks of transferring the responsibility of the Transport Canada Dash-8 fleet and the National Aerial Surveillance Program fully to the Canadian Coast Guard. This is apparently still only an idea, but has been proposed. This would bring the program, and the aircraft under the DND banner.

This has apparently been a want from some for a while. Theres still a lot in the air about the Coast Guard move and how far its expansion will go, however its recognized that this may present the wider opportunity to do a mass restructuring of assets and capabilities, consolidating a number of platforms and assets currently scattered around the government under the DND.

There are also talks of renewing or expanding the Dash fleet as part of this, providing another layer of Maritime surveillance caoability to complement platforms like the P8 and MQ-9. I imagine there is still a lot being debated, and fought over.

However it seems that this simple move is slowly morphing into something bigger.”

Of course that bigger seems to be the idea of moving the entire Transport Canada fleet under the DND, a major shift that would consolidate the vast majority of the Canadian governments civilian surveillance capabilities under the DND.

That isnt just the Dash fleet but also the numerous Bell helicopters amd the King Airs. As Murray also points out this would include the Hermes 900 Starliner as well.

The Hermes 900 was acquired by Transport Canada to supplement the Dash fleet in the National Aerial Surveillance Program, primarily in the Arctic. The Dash fleet is old, and showing its age. They do play a very important role in environmental monitoring amd wildlife tracking. Both tasks that one has to wonder how they'll fit into the DND banner.

Its also why I wasnt surprised to hear of preliminary plans to replace the current fleet, though with what and how I don't think has been determined. This is part of a wider consolidation of surveillance assets under the DND.

To what extent that is? I don't know. The fact is that everyone has been fairly secretive and closed off when it comes to plans. Decisions are coming from the top, and often times before there are plans fully in place. The Coast Guard move is a prime example of this.

So it's still early to tell whats gonna happen, and to ehat extent this move will take place. Its also yet to be seen how the DND, and potentially the Coast Guard (assuming these assets fall to them) will handle the civilian nature of these tasks. Theres still a lot in the air regarding administration, the transfer of personnel, and the readiness of someone like the CCG to quickly take over these tasks. Its not as simple as switching departments.

And sadly we don't know what that will look like, or how that will work. I guess we'll have to see (though I am working to try and figure this out) what comes of this. These are not insignificant assets either way. I get the drsire to have lower end assets below the P8 and MQ-9 fleets. I dont think this is the best path though.

If it does lead to a renewal than I can't complain there. The Dash fleet is old, and will need replaaced. Somwthing like the P-4 MSA from PAL could be a respectable option for renewing thr fleet. However it should not come with shifting this fleet to a primary security mandate. That needs to be avoided.