F-35

Wednesday January 11, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday January 11, 2023

Federal government inks deal to buy fleet of F-35 fighter jets

January 12, 2022

Canada has signed off on the final contract to buy F-35 jet fighters to replace the air force’s aging CF-18s, Defence Minister Anita Anand said Monday.

The final agreement for 88 warplanes — involving the Canadian and U.S. governments and the jet’s manufacturer — won’t see its first delivery until 2026 and the first F-35 squadrons will not be operational until 2029, senior defence officials said during a technical briefing before the minister’s announcement.

The project’s budget of $19 billion remains the same as originally forecast by the Liberal government when it signalled the purchase last year. Anand and other government officials are sticking to that projection despite the likely effect of inflation — which has caused budgets for other major programs to rise dramatically.

The deal represents a dramatic turnaround for the Liberal government, which promised not to buy the F-35 and to instead purchase a cheaper jet fighter and use the savings to bolster the navy.

July 19, 2010

The Conservative government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper first announced plans to go with the Lockheed-Martin-built jet in the summer of 2010.

The plan was shelved in the face of criticism from both the parliamentary budget officer and the auditor general, who questioned the cost and whether defence officials had done enough homework on other aircraft that might meet the air force’s needs.

The F-35 has experienced some high-profile glitches and mechanical problems over the years.

A second senior defence official, also speaking on background Monday, said that Canada will get the latest version of the F-35 — Lot 18, Block 4 — which has the most advanced technology. 

Anand said Monday that, because the government waited to purchase until now, Canada will be buying a proven aircraft that other allies are using now. She said the stealth fighter’s technology has evolved to the point where it no longer has issues, and Canadians can be confident the government did its due diligence.

October 7, 2014

Conservative defence critic James Bezan was scathing in his response to the announcement. He said it took the Liberals far too long to come to the conclusion that the F-35 is the appropriate aircraft and accused the government of engaging in “political games” to avoid embarrassing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“This is a situation where he originally said he would never buy the F-35 and did everything in his power to stop it from actually happening, but at the end of the day, this is the only modern fighter jet that can deliver the capabilities Canada so desperately needs,” Bezan said.

“And so here we are today, where Justin Trudeau has to eat crow and do what’s right for Canada, do what’s right for the Royal Canadian Air Force, and do it right for our NORAD and NATO allies.” (CBC News) 

 

Wednesday December 12, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday December 12, 2012

3 reports of fighter jet cost overruns are due this week

Wings are clipped on Peter MacKay ‘F-35’

A confidential report says Christmas break can’t come soon enough for the government, as it braces for up to three reports about the costs for the F-35 fighter jet before the House rises.

Expected as early as today is the accounting firm KPMG’s independent audit, which is reported to tally the total costs of the F-35 procurement project to anywhere from $40 billion to $46 billion, a figure almost three times the cost the government touted while shooting down anyone who disagreed, including its own parliamentary budget officer. Kevin Page estimated the cost was closer to $30 billion.

Although the KPMG report uses a longer life-cycle estimate for the jets (36 years) than the government did (20 years), the significantly higher cost will likely bring on a firestorm of outrage from opposition benches. That is, if it’s possible to ratchet up any further the outrage that emanated from the NDP and the Liberals Tuesday, as opposition members flung back at the government seemingly every claim it ever made about the F-35s.

To the government, it might have seemed like being confronted with their own ghosts of Christmas past, as the opposition chided them for underestimating the cost, for warning that if the F-35 project was cancelled taxpayers would be out a billion dollars, and for speculating that without the F-35s lives could possibly be lost.

The F-35 file is so contentious that it’s no longer handled by Defence Minister Peter MacKay, who had become a lightning rod for controversy over the fighter jets. After a scathing report from the auditor general in April, the file was transferred to Minister of Public Works Rona Ambrose. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Saturday April 14, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday April 14, 2012

F-35 Stooges

Directed by brothers Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, the 20th Century Fox movie brings back the beloved trio, this time starring Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso and Sean Hayes in the roles of Moe, Curly and Larry respectively.

In the comedy, the brothers are trying to save their childhood orphanage and inadvertently stumble into a murder plot and wind up starring in a reality TV show. The cast also includes Jane Lynch, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Hudson and Larry David.

The Three Stooges is projected to do well at the box office; it’s estimated that the film will earn $15 million on opening weekend. At the moment, the movie is averaging a 43 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. (Source: Hollywood Reporter) 

Meanwhile the F-35 controversy continues with a couple key figures: Defence Minister Peter MacKay — Canada’s defence minister since 2007, MacKay has positioned himself as a strong supporter of the military. MacKay announced the government’s plans to purchase 65 F-35s to much fanfare in July 2010, and he has continued to point out that the F-35 is the only stealth fighter available to Canada even after other ministers began softening their support for the plane. The project was taken out of his hands and given to Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino last May as cost overruns and delays mounted. Opposition parties have been demanding his resignation.

Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino — Prime Minister Stephen Harper charged Fantino with overseeing all military procurement following the federal election last May. After initially refusing to publicly admit concerns with the F-35’s development, Fantino admitted last month that the government had not closed the door on the possibility Canada will walk away from the stealth fighter. Internal documents show he has been quietly raising concerns about the project with Lockheed Martin and other partner nations. (Source: Vancouver Sun)

 

Wednesday April 4, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday April 4, 2012 Auditor general slams CanadaÕs plan to buy F-35 jets Opposition parties accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of dodging responsibility for the F-35 fiasco and said Defence Minister PeterÊMcKay should be fired for allowing Parliament to be misled about cost overruns and other problems with the trouble-plagued $25 billionÊfighter purchase. ÒItÕs absolutely scandalous that the Canadian government would intentionally provide information that they knew to be false,Ó NDPÊLeader Thomas Mulcair said after the federal auditor general released a report saying defence officials kept Canadians in the dark aboutÊcost overruns and production delays on the aircraft Ottawa plans to buy. ÒMinisters are accountable before Parliament and the Prime Minister is the first among them,Ó Mulcair told the media. ÒDid he (Harper)Êknow that the information was false that the Conservative government was giving? If so, itÕs unconscionable. And, if he didnÕt know,Êfrankly, itÕs a question of incompetence.Ó The criticism mounted even as the Conservative government moved quickly Tuesday to quell the fallout from Auditor General MichaelÊFergusonÕs scathing report, which includes the stunning conclusion that the fighters could cost $10 billion more than the defenceÊdepartment has publicly acknowledged. Harper responded by freezing the budget for the controversial fighter jet purchase and stripped the defence department of responsibilityÊfor the procurement process, handing it instead to a new secretariat within Public Works and Government Services. (Source: Toronto Star)Êhttp://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/04/03/auditor_general_slams_canadas_plan_to_buy_f35_jets.html Canada, Auditor General, Peter MacKay, Stephen Harper, F-35, fighter, jet, military, Defence, eject, controls, button

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday April 4, 2012

Auditor general slams Canada’s plan to buy F-35 jets

Opposition parties accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of dodging responsibility for the F-35 fiasco and said Defence Minister Peter McKay should be fired for allowing Parliament to be misled about cost overruns and other problems with the trouble-plagued $25 billion fighter purchase.

“It’s absolutely scandalous that the Canadian government would intentionally provide information that they knew to be false,” NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said after the federal auditor general released a report saying defence officials kept Canadians in the dark about cost overruns and production delays on the aircraft Ottawa plans to buy.

“Ministers are accountable before Parliament and the Prime Minister is the first among them,” Mulcair told the media. “Did he (Harper) know that the information was false that the Conservative government was giving? If so, it’s unconscionable. And, if he didn’t know, frankly, it’s a question of incompetence.”

The criticism mounted even as the Conservative government moved quickly Tuesday to quell the fallout from Auditor General Michael Ferguson’s scathing report, which includes the stunning conclusion that the fighters could cost $10 billion more than the defence department has publicly acknowledged.

Harper responded by freezing the budget for the controversial fighter jet purchase and stripped the defence department of responsibility for the procurement process, handing it instead to a new secretariat within Public Works and Government Services. (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Monday July 19, 2010

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday July 19, 2010

Peter MacKay Rejects Criticism of F-35 Jet

Canada’s defense minister rejected suggestions on Friday that the F-35 fighter jet was unnecessarily sophisticated and costly for the country’s relatively small air force.

After confirming that Canada will spend about 9 billion Canadian dollars, or $8.7 billion, to buy 65 F-35s from Lockheed Martin and to cover deployment costs, Peter MacKay said that the Conservative government would not compromise on military equipment.

“This aircraft is the best that we can provide our men and women in uniform and this government is committed to giving them the very best,” Mr. MacKay told a news conference while standing in front of a full-size model of the fighter jet.

The announcement of a multibillion-dollar commitment by the Canadian government should bolster a program that has been plagued with delays and substantial price increases.

Even before the announcement, the purchase had become the source of political controversy. Aside from its cost, which may reach 16 billion Canadian dollars once maintenance and parts contracts are signed, opposition politicians are angry about the lack of a competitive tender process.

On Thursday, the Liberal Party said that it would oppose the purchase. An alliance of opposition parties could stall or block the deal.

“I’m not suggesting that this may not be the best fighter aircraft for the Canadian forces,” said Ujjal Dosanjh, a Liberal member of Parliament responsible for military issues. “But we don’t know that without going through a process.” (The New York Times)