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Top Aces awarded $100 million combat support deal

MONTREAL — A unique combination of in-depth experience and innovative strategic thinking has helped a young dynamic consulting firm to prevail in a Department of National Defence combat support competition worth almost $100 million.

On Monday, DND announced the award of the Interim Contracted Airborne Training Services (ICATS) Standing Offer to Top Aces Consulting Inc., in three of four service areas worth up to $93 million over three years. Top Aces was founded in December 2000 by three former Canadian Forces ‘Top Guns’ to provide aerospace consulting and engineering support, corporate training, consulting and strategy.

The ICATS agreement is a unique partnership between the Canadian Forces and the private sector. The program provides exclusive fighter jet combat support services to the Canadian Government worth up to $30 million annually over a three to five year period.

ICATS is the first contract of its kind to identify the full scope of all Combat Support required by the Canadian military. “We believe this agreement will establish trends in defence contracting globally,” Didier Toussaint, President of Top Aces said. “It positions us as the leading combat support provider in North America.”

“Our mission here is to help Canadian Forces personnel achieve state of the art combat readiness in a timely and cost effective manner,” Mr. Toussaint said.

While this is the first comprehensive outsourcing of combat support services by DND, Top Aces believes it won’t be the last. “We have been able to put together a combat support training package which meets the demanding needs of Canadian Forces and is significantly less expensive than it was in the past,” Mr. Toussaint said.

The ICATS program is a significant win for the 100 percent Canadian-owned Top Aces Consulting. Founded in 2000, the company will experience dynamic growth over the duration of the agreement and beyond. “Our challenges now are going to be those of any fast growth company – financing the growth, and maintaining quality control. While we are small we are highly experienced and qualified in this specialised field and we are well structured to accommodate dramatic growth.”

“Top Aces possesses the unique skill-set of being highly qualified and experienced fighter pilots, and proven businessmen. We know and understand our customer’s needs, and have a strategic plan in place to rapidly and efficiently deliver the combat support needs within DND.”

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