F-35 program could be on chopping block

[dumpthemonarchy]

What is it with our country and our propensity for buying things that either don't work or are the wrong choice at the outset.

Everything we purchase from submarines to helicopters ends up biting us on the hiney! You'd think they'd have learned something from previous fiascos.

Hate to say it; but the only things that seem to come in without having to basicly rebuild from the ground up are our ships we design and build ourselves.

Hopefully this boondoggle aircraft will get so delayed it will allow us to cancel without penalty then we can shop for another, better suited to Canada's northern role requirements.

The Canadian political establishement is confused, they dig the queen and want to be be British, but need to suck up the Yanks. So the military is totally confused. Having a reliable coast guard for three, count'em three oceans ought to be a start. Then domestic bases for the disasters that will occur. Vancouver has no significant military nearby in case a major earthquake hits. Why not?

We must look to domestic needs first, screw history and worldwide military adventurism.

But then Alberta does this too. Selling its oil at the lower WTI price rather than the higher Brent price. An NEP from the USA is fine, but not Canada. And the USA tries to hit us with the carbon cost.

 

[petros]

Vancouver has no significant military nearby in case a major earthquake hits. Why not?

What would they do? Shoot at the plates?

 

[DurkaDurka]

Vancouver has no significant military nearby in case a major earthquake hits. Why not?

I thought Victoria had a sizeable naval base? I realize it's a couple hour boat ride, but it's there nonetheless.

 

[petros]

I thought Victoria had a sizeable naval base? I realize it's a couple hour boat ride, but it's there nonetheless.

Shell the plates!

 

[DurkaDurka]

Shell the plates!

That would make a good story for The Onion "Canada declares war on tectonic plates"

 

[petros]

Bradford Exchange commemorative tectonic plates?

 

[Spade]

Bradford Exchange commemorative tectonic plates?

When I was a tad, my mother had hung a picture in the hall of faeries dancing in a ring, which I thought might have been somewhere in the woods near Cold Lake. Comforting...
All we Canadians need to feel safe is a similar picture of CF-35's circling Cold Lake. Be a hell of a lot cheaper and as realistic as faeries.

 

[coldstream]

The F35 can best be described as the fulcrum of the U.S. Order of Battle for the next 40 years. It will be the Air Force's strike and tactical complement to the Air Superiority F22, it will be the primary fighter weapon of the U.S. Carrier Fleet, it will be the Marine Corps close air support jet, using its VTOL to position itself as close as possible to the combat.

It is also the pivot of the U.S. defenses alliances. Many NATO and other allies have contributed $billions to its development. It is a one of the few remaining protected high technology manufacturing processes, which have increasingly abandoned the U.S. under the onslaught of Free Trade.

There is no way the F35 would ever be cancelled. They would have to mothball half the U.S. Defense establishment at the same time.

 

[PoliticalNick]

I thought Victoria had a sizeable naval base? I realize it's a couple hour boat ride, but it's there nonetheless.

CFB Esquimalt, in the suburbs of Victoria, is one of the largest naval bases in Canada. It is home of the pacific fleet and command center for all naval operations in the Pacific, Bering sea, and western Arctic ocean. It is the second largest employer in the area behind the provincial government (Victoria is the capital city).

What does a 2 hour boat ride matter to the navy? :lol:

 

[petros]

A grounded F-22 and F-35 lacking moolah things aren't looking so hot for the future.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

I thought Victoria had a sizeable naval base? I realize it's a couple hour boat ride, but it's there nonetheless.

It's two hours on the ferry. Big help is there's an earthquake. Even roads on the mainland may not be easily passable in an earthquake. Vancouver needs a military base in the Fraser Valley. Won't happen though.

 

[petros]

With Esquimalt, Comox, Everett and Whidbey Is all near by, those terrorist tectonic plates don't stand a chance. One Trident from Everet could turn Juan de Fuca into steam.

 

[mentalfloss]

MacKay and Panetta firm on F-35 purchase

Defence Minister Peter MacKay and U.S. Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta dismissed speculation that budget pressures will cause their countries to pull back from the F-35 jet purchase on Friday when they spoke at the Halifax International Security Forum.

"There is no fifth generation aircraft other than the F-35 available to Canada and the United States," MacKay told reporters at a joint press conference with Panetta following a bilateral meeting. "This program is going ahead."

"Clearly budgetary pressures are going to lead to speculation, we are dealing with our budgets as all countries are dealing with [their] budgets but we are not wavering on our commitment to this program," MacKay said.

Panetta called the F-35 the "fighter plane for the future." His department has been asked to slash more than $450 billion from its budget over the next 10 years, Panetta said. While it looks for savings it will also look for areas of investment and the F-35 program is one of those areas, he said.

Despite the budget pressures, Panetta said he is "very confident" that his department will get the funding for the procurement.

MacKay said he and Panetta discussed the F-35 program during their meeting, as well as their militaries roles in Libya and Afghanistan.

They are attending the 2011 Halifax International Security Forum on Friday along with 300 government and business leaders, academics, authors and media.

MacKay is opening the three-day meeting and Panetta is also one of the keynote speakers on Friday. One of the first topics of discussion is how the world has changed since the Sept.11 attacks.

A number of high-level politicians are scheduled to attend the conference, including Israel's deputy prime minister and defence minister, Ehud Barak, and U.S. Senator John McCain.

MacKay and Panetta firm on F-35 purchase - Politics - CBC News

 

[#juan]

Should Canada reconsider it's F-35 purchase?

Should Canada reconsider its F-35 purchase? | Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper

 

[relic]

a tory admitting he's wrong,never happen,meby change that to politition.

 

[mentalfloss]

Should Canada reconsider it's F-35 purchase?

Should Canada reconsider its F-35 purchase? | Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper

Of course it should.

It's a complete waste of money.

 

[#juan]

Of course it should.

It's a complete waste of money.

My problem with the F-35 that Canada is buying is that it is the stripped down version. I though it might have been a
good idea to have these short takeoff and vertical landing capable jets that could deploy to just about any small airport in the country at a moment's notice. The aircraft we are buying is a pretty ordinary airplane by any standards. It is not the high tech fighter that McKay keeps harping about.

 

[Locutus]

US, Canada reaffirm commitment to F-35 jet program

HALIFAX, Canada — Canadian and US defense chiefs Friday reaffirmed their commitment to fund the F-35 fighter program despite shrinking military budgets, saying it was crucial to safeguarding North America's air space.

Canada and the United States both face budget pressures "but we are not wavering on our commitment to this program," Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay said at a joint news conference with his American counterpart, Leon Panetta.

"This program is going ahead," MacKay added.


more


AFP: US, Canada reaffirm commitment to F-35 jet program

 

[mentalfloss]

This is terrible news.

We can't even use these jets to defend the arctic.

 

[Spade]

"This program is indeed going ahead," the Scarecrow said. Now, if only I coukd find a...
- From the "Wizard of Oz"