Canada to purchase F-35 jets

[CitizenVectron]

Liberals launch negotiations to buy F-35 fighter jets

WWW.CTVNEWS.CA

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The Liberal government is entering into final negotiations on purchasing the F-35 fighter jet. Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defence Minister Anita Anand are announcing the decision at a news conference this afternoon.

 

Canada was about to do this under Harper, but then the Liberals pulled out (due to valid concerns about how it was chosen), and promised to do an open competition. But then they bungled that (it was really between the new F-18, F-35, and Saab). So, after two consecutive governments over 15 years bungled the file, Canada may be finally going with the F-35.

 

Procurement is one of Canada's biggest industries, in that it's never used to actually buy stuff, but instead to prop up consultant companies, manufacturers, etc. The product doesn't matter as much as skimming money off the top for decades.

[AbsolutSurgen]

 

 

[Jason]

2 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

 

 

 

What a tool. 

[Captain Pickle]

4 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

What a tool. 

Lol it’s almost like some mysterious world event caused him to change his mind. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

The F-35A was always going to be the choice.  It was the only realistic option.

2 minutes ago, Captain Pickle said:

Lol it’s almost like some mysterious world event caused him to change his mind. 

The timing of the announcement may be tied to that.  However, they've been working on this for years.

[Captain Pickle]

1 minute ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

The F-35A was always going to be the choice.  It was the only realistic option.

The timing of the announcement may be tied to that.  However, they've been working on this for years.

Oh. My mistake 

[Brick]

Is the F-35 good? I thought I heard somewhere years ago that they're kind of shit jets, but I may be confusing them with another. 

 

Also before someone else says it first, "YoU hAve yOuR oWn ThReAd!" 

[CitizenVectron]

Personally I think the cheaper, updated F-18 was the better choice, but I acknowledge the pros of the F-35. However, we haven't had a federal procure something in a useful way in...50+ years? 60+? Government shouldn't be making these decisions. Mind you, neither should the military. It should be arms-length bureaucracy/group that gets criteria from military and budget from government, then finds the right fit. If you trust government, you just get whatever choice will produce the most manufacturing jobs in Canada. If you trust military, you get the most expensive toy that probably isn't needed.

[Zaku3]

18 minutes ago, Brick said:

Is the F-35 good? I thought I heard somewhere years ago that they're kind of shit jets, but I may be confusing them with another. 

 

Also before someone else says it first, "YoU hAve yOuR oWn ThReAd!" 

 

I think it's a good plane but it's been hampered by trying to do too much at once. I'm a believer in specialization and the F35 is just trying to do too many roles under one airframe. 

[PaladinSolo]

15 minutes ago, Zaku3 said:

 

I think it's a good plane but it's been hampered by trying to do too much at once. I'm a believer in specialization and the F35 is just trying to do too many roles under one airframe. 

The only thing thats been bad about it is the procurement process, where they built early versions before systems were even ready so they couldn't be used, or attempting to have the 3 variants share almost all the same parts but in reality that never happened so its really 3 separate aircraft sharing the same F designation.

[Jwheel86]

1 hour ago, Brick said:

Is the F-35 good? I thought I heard somewhere years ago that they're kind of shit jets, but I may be confusing them with another. 

 

Also before someone else says it first, "YoU hAve yOuR oWn ThReAd!" 

 

Both the Super Hornet and F-35 would have served Canada fine. The issue is the Super Hornet is pushing it in terms upgradability down the road and the F-35 is propriataried to hell and back by Lockheed, making upgrades and new weapon integration a nightmare. Both the Navy and Air Force's new favorite word is "open architecture" with respect to their Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighters.