# Red Air: "Canada Weighs Competing Bids For Airborne Training Services"



## MarkOttawa (17 Nov 2016)

US competitor for Top Aces:



> Canada Weighs Competing Bids For Airborne Training Services
> 
> Canada is on the cusp of awarding a 10-year contract for airborne training services worth as much as $1.5 billion. Since 2005, the Canadian Armed Forces have employed Montreal-based Discovery Air Defence as the primary provider of aggressor support for their Boeing CF-18 Hornet squadrons, as well as for electronic warfare practice and target towing. That contract is now up for renewal, with Discovery hoping to retain its position against a rival bid from Draken International, which has teamed up with Canadian training and simulation shop CAE. The Canadian government says it will pick a winner for the Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) program by year-end.
> 
> ...


Mark
Ottawa


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## Retired AF Guy (19 Nov 2016)

Types of aircraft  Draken Int'l has in its inventory.


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## SupersonicMax (19 Nov 2016)

IMO, what we need in term of Red Air, on top of what we already have, is an airplane capable of sustained supersonic flight and equipped with a Fire Control Radar.  

Having said that, in my experience, Top Aces has provided outstanding, personalised support and most of its pilots are FWIC graduates and some are still flying the Hornet in the reserves.  This is conductive to some excellent training (being current on current tactics and knowing individual pilots certainly helps exploit weak areas).

I am curious to see the outcome of the competition.


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## Spencer100 (22 May 2018)

Has this been awarded?


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## DonaldMcL (22 May 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> IMO, what we need in term of Red Air, on top of what we already have, is an airplane capable of sustained supersonic flight and equipped with a Fire Control Radar.
> 
> Having said that, in my experience, Top Aces has provided outstanding, personalised support and most of its pilots are FWIC graduates and some are still flying the Hornet in the reserves.  This is conductive to some excellent training (being current on current tactics and knowing individual pilots certainly helps exploit weak areas).
> 
> I am curious to see the outcome of the competition.



Although I dunno if they're flying them yet, Top Aces/Discovery Air purchased some F16s.


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## SupersonicMax (22 May 2018)

Spencer100 said:
			
		

> Has this been awarded?



Yes, Discovery Air Defense Services (now Top Aces) was awarded the contract.

BobSlob: acutely aware.


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## MarkOttawa (22 Oct 2019)

Top Aces one of several companies winning USAF competition (lots of photos at link):



> > Air Force Hires Seven Companies In Long-Awaited Mega Adversary Air Support Contract
> > _Years in the making, the deal is a long-awaited moment for the contractor aggressor services industry and it will be a game-changer._
> >
> > The Air Force has quietly hired not one, but seven different companies to provide "red air" adversary support to help U.S. military combat jet pilots train at various bases across the United States. This massive multi-billion dollar contract is the culmination of a major effort within the service that has been years in the making to increasingly rely on contractors to provide these services in order to improve flexibility for training requirements and to save money.
> > ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## MarkOttawa (26 Mar 2020)

More on USAF Red Air:


> ACC to Award ‘Red Air’ Contracts for Six Bases
> 
> Air Combat Command plans to award multiple contracts for adversary air support at six bases as early as April. But the scope of the project, once anticipated to be worth up to $6 billion, will be much smaller than hoped.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## Spencer100 (26 Mar 2020)

You can vote on pick!

F-5
F-16
F-18
F-1 Mirage

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/z/which-company-selected-usaf-november-do-you-think-will-make-best-adversary?utm_rid=CPEN1000003360689&utm_campaign=23567&utm_medium=email&elq2=23900da6c55e45a6816ab1c119fd5e0c

The F-18 came from Australia and Top Aces is a Canadian company


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## PuckChaser (26 Mar 2020)

No option for Planey McPlaneFace?


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## MarkOttawa (8 Jul 2020)

Top Aces buys a whole lot of Alpha Jets from Belgium:



> Top Aces buys Belgian Air Force Alpha Jets
> 
> The Belgische Luchtmacht (Belgian Air Force) succeeded in selling 25 surplus Alpha Jets. The aircraft were already offered for sale in October 2018 *).
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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