Quote:
Originally Posted by worth
It is a punt, but there is a need for fighters immediately (from what the govt is saying). Even if we agreed to purchase F-35 tomorrow, when would we see them? 2020? 2025? The UK is scheduled to get their first 24 aircraft by 2023, so I highly doubt it would be any time before then.
We could be flying Super Hornets in 3-5 years, which buys time to select a fighter that will not be inservice until 2030 probably.
Don't see why this selection process needs to take 5 years. They've been going over this ####e for the past 6 or 7 years.
Ultimately I don't have a problem with the Super Hornet purchase. Get that going and then expedite the selection for the fighter that best meets our needs for the 2030's.
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And this is fine if you firmly believe that the Liberals will actually do anything on the long term procurement of Canada's next generation of fighters. But they'll do the typical federal government thing which is dither and delay and politicize the whole thing.
The most effective purchases by the government were when we replaced and upgraded our heavy lift capable aircraft and replaced our light armored and utility vehicles. Those purchases were decisive and happened quickly, mainly because the previous governments Conservatives included had allowed the forces to rust out to the point that when we deployed to Afghanistan we were not only embarrassed, but lives were put in danger.
Right now the Liberals are terrified of Justin's remarks about the F-35 and not allowing them to compete because it opens the way for a massive multi-billion dollar lawsuit, and the withdrawal of any contracts that could have gone to Canadian Aerospace which were estimated to add up to about 9 billion dollars worth or work.
And if the Superhornets were a 3 year stop gap to replace the worst of the Hornets, then fine, that's livable, but there are too many instances of meh lets stretch this to 10 or 20 years while we futz around on procuring the next plane.
At the end of the day, despite tales to the contrary, the Superhornet is a different plane from the hornet, parts wise and pilots wise, so we're basically going to do a very expensive transition to the Hornet and then do another very expensive transition to whatever is next.
Unless of course the Liberals just decide to replace our entire fleet with the Super Hornet which to me would be absolutely stupid.
I'm all for reopening the competition for Canada's next fighter because I sincerely believe that in a fair competition the F-35 will beat out the other planes (Gripen, Rafale etc) the costs between planes isn't going to be that different.
I also believe that this Super Hornet purchase is going to be a gong show of epi proportions. The Liberals promised a $61 million dollar fly away cost, but I'm betting after looking at some of the other Super Hornet purchases that have happened recently that its going to probably be 2 to 4 times that much per copy, especially if we push for an expedited delivery.