Quote:
Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium
With respect to the fighter replacement project, the Government of Canada has kicked the can a bit farther down the road (albeit, at the request of Industry) as per the Public Services and Procurement Canada announcement. At the request of industry, the March 30 deadline for preliminary proposals for the Future Fighter Capability Project has been extended. Eligible suppliers now have until June 30, 2020 to complete and submit their proposals.
This extension supports our commitment to conduct an open, fair, and transparent competition. Procurements of this magnitude are complex, and submission of a good proposal is important for suppliers and for Canada. This extension allows eligible suppliers to address recent feedback on their security offers, ensuring that Canada receives competitive proposals that meet its technical, cost and economic benefits requirements. |
Yup...
My bet is that this is either on SAAB or Boeing.
Lock-Mart has already won and SAAB and Boeing are just being deliberate bitches and dragging it out to frustrate the system.
If we buy anything besides the F-35 then we have our heads up our ass and it will be the end of the RCAF as a viable offensive/defensive entity in the years to come.
Super Hornet is a dated platform and will be out of production by the mid 20's.
Yes, the USN has signed on for another couple of dozen for this year.
The reality of the matter is that the USN eats aircraft (in terms of fatigue life)
due to the nature of their operational environment. If they get 6K Hrs. out of a new build F-18E they are doing well in terms of ROI.
This is not what we are looking for. Full stop.
We need an aircraft that is still going to be relevant in 2050 (if this particular procurement process is any indication).
Figure that one out folks?
Who knows where the tech is going to be at that point?
I'll guarantee you one thing?
Nobody will be flying JAS-39 or F-18E/F/G (except third world nations) by 2050.
This is a one time buy, which should be expected to serve us to 2050.
Try to find spares for a Super Hornet in that timeline...
By this point the F-18E aircraft will be out of production for 25 years (I expect that Boeing will be forced to close the the line by 2025). By 2030, the last of the new build USN F-18E's will be entering their last LERP and it will be a dying platform.
If we were so stupid to buy this?
We are on the outside, looking in. This, as soon as 2035.
The JAS-39 is a "tinker-toy", much like the CF-5 was back in the early 1970's.
YMMV? But I am pretty confident about everything that I've posted in this thread.
We need to buy from Lock-Mart. Full Stop.