Part II: Fixed-wing search and rescue, and Greg Weston of the Sun papers

A letter in the Ottawa Sun, Feb. 7:

Re: "Plane and simple" (Feb. 5). In his trashing of the federal government's anticipated procurement process for the Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft, Greg Weston missed several key elements.

For operational and cost effectiveness, Canada needs to purchase a single airframe to replace the two now providing domestic SAR services. As a basic premise, the service provided to Canadians must be at least as good as that which is currently available.

In accordance with current Canadian procurement practice, the government will release internationally the requirements matrix with the invitation for any aircraft manufacturer meeting these requirements to respond. As part of the eligibility process, each potential applicant will be required to demonstrate its capabilities in a real-time flight test. All respondents demonstrating the capability to meet these requirements will be eligible to bid on the program.

This process is open and transparent. No matter who wins, Canadian industry will benefit enormously through the implementation of industrial and regional benefit obligations, which require a minimum of 100% of the contract value to be placed in industrial offsets in Canada.

The capability of the current fixed-wing SAR fleet continues to deteriorate at an alarming pace. The real issue with this program, therefore, is to get it started. Canadian lives are at stake.

Alain Pellerin, Colonel (Retired)

Executive director, Conference of Defence Associations