Bungling Canadian fighter jet development: A proud Conservative PM tradition for over 50 years. #AvroArrow #F35 #Dief #Harper
Canadian Military Journal (Vol. 10, Num. 4) (2010) (with bold added):
Debate over the F-35 may make the debate over the NFA/CF-18 pale by comparison. When the dust settled on the CF-18 decision, there was a strong collective sense, both inside and outside of government, both inside and outside of the Department, that the right aircraft had prevailed in the NFA competition. Such a prompt and strong consensus could prove elusive in the case of the F-35, although the Department is convinced that the F-35 is the right choice for myriad reasons. Some issues, such as the merits of one engine versus two, will till familiar territory, but others – most notably those related to price (which is effectively beyond Canada’s control), performance (i.e., a fifth-generation fighter versus 4.5-generation alternatives) and process (not strictly sole-sourcing, but certainly not NFA-style tendering) – could prove somewhat more controversial. The F-35 decision, for example, quickly drew strong endorsements from the National Post and the Globe and Mail, but also drew blistering attacks from Michael Byers and Jeffrey Simpson. From a governmental perspective, criticisms from former Associate Deputy Minister Alan S. Williams over process, and from internationally respected aviation journalist Bill Sweetman over price and performance, could prove somewhat more challenging to deflect.
Thank you National Post, and the Globe and Mail for your steadfast, and reliable defence of Canada’s democracy. You’re rivaled only by Stephen Harper and the fine men and women in charge of the DND.
If you’ve had your fill of mainstream reliability you could instead read the F-35 experts at The Disaffected Lib, and The Galloping Beaver. They’ve been right all along.
It’s good of [Andrew] Coyne to finally recognize the clear and present danger to this country’s parliamentary democracy. We have been filling these pages with warnings of such impending events for years.
Be careful, Andrew. Someone will accuse you of being “reactionary” or “hyperbolic”. And I might point out that the people who accused the writers here of those things have not returned to call us what we actually were: right all along.
Who else has been accused of hyperbole when describing the crimes and lies of the Harper government?
I wouldn’t be calling anybody an F-35 expert, especially not me. But thanks for the shout out.
Well, you’re more knowledgeable on the file than most average journalists, and have been right about the fiasco for much longer than most major media outlets, so I think you’d qualify. Humility isn’t a bad thing though.
saskboy says:
Who else has been accused of hyperbole when describing the crimes and lies of the Harper government?
Still sticking to your irrational fantasy that Jack Layton would have been elected Prime Minister if it wasn’t for a few robo-calls that Elections Canada says *didn’t* change any election outcomes?
(and I even spared you the embarrassment of quoting some relevant poll numbers from right before and right after the election. You know, the ones that showed almost exactly the predicted outcome: a Conservative majority? So, what…all the polling companies were in on this vast conspiracy, too? Seriously? That’s your story? wow…)
“Hyperbole” was being kind. There are better words to describe people with your kinds of beliefs, and they’re not flattering.
Fred, you’re in no position to lecture me on “irrational fantasy”. Besides, I mentioned in the first paragraph in the post you’re referencing that it was a history that never was, or a fantasy. So your claim that my fantasy was a hyperbole is utterly ridiculous.
You might as well say, “Stop dreaming big dreams, they’re too big! AGHHHH!”
saskboy says:
Fred, you’re in no position to lecture me on “irrational fantasy”. Besides, I mentioned in the first paragraph in the post you’re referencing that it was a history that never was, or a fantasy. So your claim that my fantasy was a hyperbole is utterly ridiculous
I see. So your *second* paragraph, then:
Jack Layton would have possibly been Prime Minister last year, had a sweeping campaign of election fraud with voter suppression not taken place across the country.
…that was , what? Not meant to be taken seriously? Not what you really
believe?Then why bother even posting such inanity?
Backpedal as fast as you can, Saskboy. NO WAY would Jack Layton have won, no matter how many robo-calls were made. Not a chance in hell, and you know it….
I don’t get why Canadians just announced they are for Chretein and NDP tax rates after electing Harper lots. They like S.Harper’s personality? He probably wouldn’t run terminally ill, but he also was childish in opposing global banking regulations and climate AGW treaties.
About the Jets…when do our current Jets become expensive to service and/or when do they become unsafe? A couple of mine ships and a few cheapy ports would give many targets for an archipalego adversary and the mines would be a tactical edge. If current Jets can be maintained for another decade, why not use that time to evaluate Jets and their costs available in a decade?
How sensitive is the real-world NORAD trigger? Technically Russian subs going through the NW Passage right now are an act of war but I doubt anyone cares beyond pollution or endangered marine life. When do we have USAF backup?
If it isn’t sensitive, we’d need to be able to take out sitting duck carriers in archipalego. Then we could rain depth charges.
That was Broadbent’s thinktank’s poll about people liking higher taxes, but election proves they must care about something else more…to my knowledge, the F-35 kills mid-power SAM missile sites. That is how it is different from same-airframe or whatever F-22 Raptor. The Raptor is better in a dogfight, designed to use fire-and-forget missiles and having a better stealth.
Only the Americans have F-22 and we’d be better off turning off Que hydro exports.
What kills or what will kill the newest Sukhoi? F-15? F-15 with more fire-and-forget missiles? Better pilots? That would suggest more training planes. Could we order a custom Sukhoi-killer F-15 model for up north?