Quote:
Originally Posted by MarchHare
Our forces absolutely need replacement fighters in the next 5-10 years, but I'm not convinced buying the best and most expensive option available to us makes sense (on a single-sourced no-bid contract at that!). Harper seems hell-bent on buying the F-35 when our defense needs might be just as capably met with a more modest option (like the Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab Gripen, etc.). Unless we have an open competition with multiple bidders and evaluate all options on a combination of mission capabilities and price, we'll never know for sure that Canadian tax payers are getting the best value for their money on our new fighter purchase.
And does ANYONE still believe Harper's claim that the program will cost $75 million per plane?
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The Super Hornet is an excellent aircraft, however it does have a 55 million dollar per price tag, we would have to go through a similar retraining program, buy all new parts, its nowhere similar to the CF-18, and its not near capable to the F-36, which we have to look at since we're cutting our number of plans in half. If we do that then you have to maximize the kill ration of the planes and pilots. There would be no benefits to Canadian aviation
The Eurofighter has a cost of 90 million euro's per plane and is not as capable as the F-35. Its a completely different airframe again, there would be no economic benefits to the Canadian aviation industry.
The Giphen is an extremely poor comparison and sits at between 40 and 60 million euro's per unit. Again there would be a massive changover for pilots and technology and there would be no benefits to Canadian aerospace.
And while I'm not sure about the F-35's 75 million per unit price tag, I'm also not convinced that the figures out of the BPO are in any way accurate either. I still think that the F-35 is the plane to get, I'm still convinced that when you partner up on a project like this you'd damn sure better purchase the product.
I'll also say that I think in a bid situation, unless your going on sticker price alone, the F-35 is the best jet for us.