F-35 issues

[gworg]

I wonder if these will be in the mix assuming a re-evaluation of alternatives

[stampeder]

I doubt the originating country would piece out local work to buyer countries on a bird like that!

[stampeder]

As its value for the buck plummets I hope the F-35 doesn't crash into the lid that just blew off the government's case for buying it:

The federal government didn't follow normal procurement procedures to buy the F-35 fighter jets and the plane fails to meet at least one critical feature the government stipulated must be met, documents viewed by CBC News suggest.

CBC Power & Politics host Evan Solomon reported Monday that the exclusive new evidence reveals for the first time the Canadian military's requirements for the aircraft that are to replace the aging fleet of CF-18s.

Solomon said the statement of operational requirements, a document that has never been made public, outlines what the plane must be able to do in order to be purchased.

It describes specific mandatory characteristics without which the overall operational capability would be "unacceptably diminished."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stor...hter-jets.html

As a side show it'd be interesting to know who might have leaked the report.

[stampeder]

Canada's auditor general has both National Defence and Public Works in his sights when it comes to the troubled F-35 stealth fighter program, say senior government sources.

A draft copy of the scathing review, circulating in Ottawa for weeks, suggests the air force didn't do its pricing homework and government officials failed to follow procurement rules, say those who've read it.

It's not clear whether the language will be toned down in the final report, Michael Ferguson's first as auditor general, when it's released April 3.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stor...ag-report.html

[travisc]

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/p...h-figures?bn=1

Clearly, the Auditor General doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. cr927, I am eagerly anticipating your response to this.

[stampeder]

He's been gone for one month now, and his input here was just as welcome as yours or mine regardless of our differing conclusions so I hope we can go easy on him. Discussion is good.

For all Canadians this is proving to be an extremely dismaying course of events. The government has clearly gotten itself into a terribly messy hole, so my hope for any sort of positive outcome is that a completely honest, open, and proper competition is held to determine a replacement for the CF-18. My hunch is that either the Super Hornet or the Rafale would win. I also have a hunch that if/when Obama is re-elected the entire F-35 program will be shut down, but that's just me.

[Spike4881]

I vote for su-35BM. What an aircraft and probably can be bought for a song.*


*Only half serious here.

[stampeder]

Spike4881, it bears repeating that India, a perennial customer of Russia/Soviets for military gear, tellingly went for the Dassault Rafale over any of the Russian or U.S. jets or the Eurofighter. Things are pretty bad when your regular customers dump you.

[jasonreg]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Fi...612/story.html

[Jake]

From that article ...

To be worthy allies and partners we have to be more than peacekeepers uttering platitudes — the bulwark of the Liberal defence strategy for years

That sounds balanced to you?

it is hardly a stretch to see how the Chinese or Russians might one day pose a military threat to Canada or Canadian interests.

Might one day? They have nukes we don't. He thinks a few jets will make things even?

[stampeder]

I don't see balance in that article at all. The questions and points he makes are confused and confusing when so much actual, factual information is out there. Savvy Canadian taxpayers see what this F-35 fiasco is all about and they do not like it, regardless of what Matthew Fisher says when he muddies the water.

[Nanuuk]

Fisher's article was a voice of reason amidst all the hysteria going on right now. And valid points were made.

[Spike4881]

Originally Posted by Nanuuk

Fisher's article was a voice of reason amidst all the hysteria going on right now. And valid points were made.

I fail to see any hysteria - justified outrage would be more apt.

[stampeder]

If you really, really WANT the F-35 deal to be seen as a good one then there is no stopping you from agreeing with fluff like Matthew Fisher's. In the name of fiscal conservatism it is imperative that we look past all that nonsense and especially the knee-jerk responses from Peter Mackay et al and keep focused on the utter folly of it. Keep focused on the dollars and cents, people!

[jasonreg]

Richard Shimooka is a research fellow at the Defence Management Studies Programme, Queen’s University.
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