Airlift Capability Project (Strategic)

The strategic airlift capability fulfills a top NATO requirement and shows that Canada is taking a leadership role among its allies. Today's changing and uncertain global environment demands Canada's military have its own reliable and independent access to strategic airlift to move heavy equipment quickly, over long distances and deliver it to where it is needed in Canada, in support of humanitarian relief, or to a theatre of operations. To this end, the Airlift Capability Project (Strategic) (ACP-S) procured a fleet of four strategic airlift aircraft that fully met the requirements as detailed in the Statement of Requirements (SOR).

Minimum Mandatory Capabilities:

Range and payload: The aircraft must have sufficient un-refueled range and payload capacity (6,482 kilometres with 39,000 kilograms) to support domestic and international deployed operations.
Global remote operations: The aircraft must be capable of supporting Canadian Forces operations in Canada and potentially hostile theatres of operations overseas. The aircraft must be able to provide the required flexibility in a theatre of operations, capable of take off and landing from unpaved, short runways (1,219 metres by 27.4 metres) and airdrop personnel and/or equipment.
Cargo compartment: The aircraft must have an adequate cargo compartment size to transport wheeled and NATO standard palletized equipment (2.235 metres by 2.743 metres), wheeled equipment in a combat-ready configuration and Canadian Forces helicopter assets. The aircraft must have the ability to load and unload palletized cargo at austere operating locations without the use of specialized loading equipment.
Aircraft certification: The aircraft must be certified to aviation certification standards recognized by Canada by the contract award date.
Fleet size: There must be a minimum fleet of four aircraft sufficient to provide requisite strategic airlift and maintenance, and to enable the operational flexibility to permit the conduct of multiple tasks in 1ae7 supporting domestic and international deployed operations.
Delivery: The delivery of the first aircraft must be as soon as possible, but no later than 18 months after contract award, and the final aircraft delivery must be no later than 48 months after contract award.

DND Equipment Procurement Web Page