Harper government accused of rigging F-35 purchase

[CHIMO]

Source: CBC News

Opposition MPs demanded answers from the government on the F-35 fighter jet purchase Tuesday following a CBC News story that raised questions about the process used to choose the aircraft and whether it meets the requirements stipulated by the military.

Evan Solomon, host of Power & Politics, reported Monday that CBC News had seen a copy of the department of national defence's statement of operational requirements, a document that has not been released publicly. It indicated that the mandatory requirements for the jet that would be chosen to replace the aging CF-18s was written in June 2010.

That is only one month before Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced that the government would buy 65 of Lockheed Martin's F-35 planes, through the Joint Strike Fighter program. It also revealed that at least one of the mandatory requirements given by national defence is not met by the F-35 model.

One of the 28 mandatory requirements listed is for the plane's sensor requirements. The document says the plane must be capable of providing the pilot with a helmet that allows 360-degree, out-of-cockpit visual situational awareness in a no-light environment.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/27/pol-fighter-jets.html

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Mar 27, 2012 6:21 PM ET

Some big dollars moving around and affecting others!
Big, big money from the arms business!

[Crowman1979]

1. I think we should break up NATO.

Especially due to the out of control debts incurred from various countries in order maintain a large military force. Not to mention the so-called war on terror.

[TrollBuster9090]

2. Absolutely.

NATO was formed in order to defend Western Europe from the Soviet Union. Well...not only does the Soviet Union no longer exist, but what's left of it has actually JOINED NATO! Now all it's ever used for is to bomb small countries with governments that are behaving badly. (ie-Libya, Serbia, etc.) It's no longer a defense organization, it's a HALL MONIOTOR.

[CHIMO]

3. I Would

Extend that to NORAD. Especially in this time of tight finances!

[cstanleytech]

5. I respecfully dont agree however

I do believe its time that the US closes most of the rest of our bases and leave 1 - 2 over there to assist them if they ever need it and yes, there could come a time when we might very well need to.

[TrollBuster9090]

4. They don't call Stephen Harper "George Bush's Mini-Me" for nothing.

This is silly. Even the U.S. government is re-thinking the purchase of those planes, and suddenly the Canadian government is going to buy them at all costs?

For the last half century, the Canadian govt's military philosophy has been characterized by two things:

1. Keeping the SEA KING HELICOPTERS in the air 40 years beyond their lifespan by holding them together with chewing gum and duct tape.

2. Kissing a contract with the French to build them a fleet of nuclear submarines goodbye, and instead buying a couple of Victoria Class deisel subs from the British that are, again, held together by chewing gum and duct tape.

And suddenly, with their healthcare system badly underfunded they're all fired up to buy 21st century fighter jets? I smell a rat.

[Canuckistanian]

6. I heard a defence consultant talk about the F-35 once

He said that the F-35 had three modes of operation (can't remember which ones) that the aircraft could do for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

And he said the F-35 did all of them. Badly. He said that other existing designs from around the world could do the jobs better.

Then he wondered why the GOVERNMENT was pushing this deal through while the RCAF was just endorsing the govt. view without much comment.

Gee, wonder why?

[Angleae]

7. They're going to be waiting a long time for those requirements to be met.

"a helmet that allows 360-degree, out-of-cockpit visual situational awareness in a no-light environment"

Sorry, only in science fiction right now.