Canada can save money not buying US F35 fighters

[westbankkid]

It seems Canada doesn't need to buy the F35 fighter after all. Sounds like it was the US pushing the F35 that got "IDIOT" Harper jumping to attention. Boeing has an equal or superior fighter for a much cheaper price.
According to the following article that the Government commissioned, the present F18s will last till at least 2025. It would cost about 700 million over that time for repairs and upgrades.

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#128657

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/boeing- ... -1.1320636

[rookie314]

And then what?

[westbankkid]

And then what?

Buy them in 10 years..

[Bsuds]

Then they'll be out of date and we can order something better and more expensive.

[bob vernon]

Whether the planes are any good or not is not the issue. That doesn't even enter into it. This deal is all about the Conservatives giving the contract to a friendly corporation. One that is outside the boundaries of Canada so a forensic audit can't be done. With the money leaving Canada, it can be spent to build an inferior product, meaning that there will be lots left over that might get sent to a numbered Swiss account. Kinda like Bri(t)an did. Remember him? This is a similar scam.

[maryjane48]

scam is right word, sad canada can't build its own jets for this role

[Captain Awesome]

This deal is all about the Conservatives giving the contract to a friendly corporation. One that is outside the boundaries of Canada so a forensic audit can't be done.

Yes, instead of giving our business to a big corporation, we should hire local mom and pop shop to build jet fighters for us.

[carguy_51]

Whether the planes are any good or not is not the issue. That doesn't even enter into it. This deal is all about the Conservatives giving the contract to a friendly corporation. One that is outside the boundaries of Canada so a forensic audit can't be done. With the money leaving Canada, it can be spent to build an inferior product, meaning that there will be lots left over that might get sent to a numbered Swiss account. Kinda like Bri(t)an did. Remember him? This is a similar scam.

Except it was the liberals that got into the program initially in 1997 with a $10M payment, then paid Lockheed another $150M to become tier three partners in 2002, which will help cement Canadian aerospace companies roles in manufacturing components for these aircraft. People need to real how much the country stands to lose if they don't buy these jets, we only get to manufacture the parts if we order the planes, just like every other country that wants to manufacture them, They have to order them. We're talking billions of dollars to the economy.

Why does everyone want to blame the Conservatives for this?

[westbankkid]

Except it was the liberals that got into the program initially in 1997 with a $10M payment, then paid Lockheed another $150M to become tier three partners in 2002, which will help cement Canadian aerospace companies roles in manufacturing components for these aircraft. People need to real how much the country stands to lose if they don't buy these jets, we only get to manufacture the parts if we order the planes, just like every other country that wants to manufacture them, They have to order them. We're talking billions of dollars to the economy.

Why does everyone want to blame the Conservatives for this?

You are forgetting one big flaw to your argument. Boeing has generated more jobs in Canada then Lockheed ever has and are still supplying employment to Canadians.

They have 3 large plants employing thousands in 3 cities in Canada, making parts for their aircraft. There are also 100s of spin off jobs. I know this as I made a good part of my earnings supplying service to the winnipeg plant. Most people don't realize that.

[hobbyguy]

The Liberals did indeed get us into the F35 program, but in a non-committal way. It is the Harper government that has us committed. As the Australians concluded, the F35 will be no match at all against the most likely class of opponent, the SU-35. The Australians concluded that staying in the program for the F35 was throwing good money after bad, and switched to the Super Hornet. The F35 was always designed to be poor cousin to the F22, which the Americans won't sell to anyone.

Many also argue that the SAAB offerings, even cheaper, are a better choice as they are designed for similar climatic conditions as Canada.

So there are options, but for whatever reason, and it defies logic, Harper chose to stick with the floundering F35 program. Depending on the option chosen, we could have up to twice as many fighters of equal or better quality for the same total costs, and with arguably better real world capabilities.

But when did logic and Harper ever appear in a sentence without being an oxymoron.

[logicalview]

You are forgetting one big flaw to your argument. Boeing has generated more jobs in Canada then Lockheed ever has and are still supplying employment to Canadians.

How is this a flaw in his argument? Boeing has nothing to do with this discussion at all. Ford generates a lot of jobs in Canada too but they have nothing to do with the F-35 either. F-150 - yes.

[logicalview]

scam is right word, sad canada can't build its own jets for this role

Perhaps you could build a time machine and go back to 1958 and convince Diefenbaker to keep the Avro Arrow program. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to just start up a jet manufacturer from scratch? Of course you don't. It's always a shame that Canada can't do this or can't do that with the leftist gang. When you don't take on the responsibility of worrying about the cost of anything, or where the money is supposed to come from, then anything is possible.

[jimmy4321]

8+ yrs and nothing to show but wasted money. Most importantly our military is aging, our planes haven't got much time left and what's remains of our boats are in hard shape.

[maryjane48]

Perhaps you could build a time machine and go back to 1958 and convince Diefenbaker to keep the Avro Arrow program. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to just start up a jet manufacturer from scratch? Of course you don't. It's always a shame that Canada can't do this or can't do that with the leftist gang. When you don't take on the responsibility of worrying about the cost of anything, or where the money is supposed to come from, then anything is possible.

lol instead of admitting harper made a poor choice , you decide to slam canadians

[slootman]

One word - superhornets. Way cheaper, established, DUAL ENGINE - a much more appropriate plane for Canada's big airspace, and at a much reduced cost. Not to say that the F35 isn't an awesome machine, but its not the best option for both our military or taxpayers.