Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
The other question that the Liberals should be asking is why Boeing sold 24 Super Hornets to Kuwait for $4 billion dollars US, and we're getting 6 less fighters for 2 billion more?
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I think the Kuwait sale is for 40 aircraft (32xE and 8xF). Nonetheless, here is a comparison of specific equipment in each offer but not the other:
Canada
twenty (20) Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems–Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS);
- twenty-two (22) AN/AYK-29 Distributed Targeting System (DTS);
- twenty-two (22) AN/AYK-29 Distributed Targeting Processor (DTP);
- one hundred (100) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Tactical Missiles;
- thirty (30) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM);
- eight (AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Special Air Training Missiles (NATM);
- twenty (20) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Tactical Guidance Units;
- sixteen (16) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II CATM Guidance Units.
- AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems;
- KIV-78 Duel Channel Encryptor,
- AN/APX-111 Combined Interrogator Transponder;
- AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loader (SKL);
- Data Transfer Unit (DTU);
- CADS/PADS; Instrument Landing System (ILS);
- High Speed Video Network (HSVN) Digital Video Recorder (HDVR);
Kuwait
forty-eight (48) Link-16 Systems;
- eight (Conformal Fuel Tanks; and
- fourteen (14) AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR Systems.
- Command Launch Computer (CLC) for Air to Ground Missile 88 (AGM-88);
I am certainly no expert as to what all of those items cost, but I can tell you that the MIDS-JTRS is a Type 1 radio information system like Link-16, but a more modern standard. The NSA would never let Kuwait get its hands on that, and anything that is Type 1 is also not cheap.
Another question to ask is why would we buy 8 'F' variants? The 'F' variant is designed for a Weapons Officer in the back; it is not designed to be a trainer. I suspect that our government's intent would be to use them as trainers anyway. If so, that quantity is out of whack for 18 air frames. Unless, of course, the Liberals have decided that they will purchase 88 Super Hornets as the replacement. In that case, the eight dual-seaters makes more sense at this time.