65 NEW JETS NEEDED TO 'MEET THREATS,' MACKAY SAYS
Laura Stone,
Jul. 17, 2010
Postmedia News
Http://www.nationalpost.com/news/jets+needed+meet+threats+MacKay+says/3288972/story.html
Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced yesterday a $9-billion plan to buy 65 advanced fighter aircraft, saying the military needs the F-35 joint strike fighter jets to
"meet the threats of the 21st century."
[100 Talibans sur des ânes!]
"We need an aircraft that can enable the men and women of the Canadian Forces to meet the increasingly complex demands of the missions that we ask of them,"
[Il ne faut pas oublier les ânes.]
Mr. MacKay said at an Ottawa news conference flanked by Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose and Industry Minister Tony Clement.
The purchase of the fleet, to be built by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, is one of the largest in Canadian history.
Ms. Ambrose said the government was pressed for time to acquire the single-engine jets, and long-term maintenance contracts would be negotiated at a later date.
"Of course we have some estimates,"
she said, but would not go into details.
"When the aircraft comes off the production line, we expect to negotiate the in-service support costs."
The government's decision to buy the aircraft means Canada can compete for contracts worth billions of dollars for the "global supply chain" of some 3,000 F-35 Lightning II jets, Ms. Ambrose said.
Ottawa has invested $168-million in the development of the Joint Strike Fighter Program, which has already produced a return of $350-million in contracts for 85 Canadian companies, research laboratories and universities, Mr. Clement said.
Canada joins eight other countries under the U. S-led partnership in the fighter program.
Opposition Liberals and the NDP have lashed out at the government for purchasing the aircraft through a process they call non-competitive.
Mr. MacKay said Lockheed was awarded the contract in a competitive, "rigorous process" that began under the Liberal government in the early 2000s.
He called the party hypocritical for criticizing the purchase.
Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh said the investment into the program under the Liberals was one of research and manufacturing.
"There is absolutely no rush to move on this ... in the dead of summer, with absolutely zero accountability,"
Mr. Dosanjh said.
Mr. MacKay also addressed questions about the cost of the individual jets Canada will purchase, which works out to about $140-million per plane, higher than estimated costs in the United States.
He said the planes are outfitted with onboard equipment, including sensors and weapons systems, which account for the cost.
[Pour les ânes.]
Ottawa also announced this week it has restarted the planning process to build two new navy ships, a $2.6-billion project that's also expected to take until at least 2017 to be completed.
The new ships would replace Canada's 40-year-old supply vessels HMCS Protecteur, based at CFB Esquimalt, and HMCS Preserver, based at CFB Halifax.
.
Laura Stone,
Jul. 17, 2010
Postmedia News
Http://www.nationalpost.com/news/jets+needed+meet+threats+MacKay+says/3288972/story.html
Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced yesterday a $9-billion plan to buy 65 advanced fighter aircraft, saying the military needs the F-35 joint strike fighter jets to
"meet the threats of the 21st century."
[100 Talibans sur des ânes!]
"We need an aircraft that can enable the men and women of the Canadian Forces to meet the increasingly complex demands of the missions that we ask of them,"
[Il ne faut pas oublier les ânes.]
Mr. MacKay said at an Ottawa news conference flanked by Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose and Industry Minister Tony Clement.
The purchase of the fleet, to be built by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, is one of the largest in Canadian history.
Ms. Ambrose said the government was pressed for time to acquire the single-engine jets, and long-term maintenance contracts would be negotiated at a later date.
"Of course we have some estimates,"
she said, but would not go into details.
"When the aircraft comes off the production line, we expect to negotiate the in-service support costs."
The government's decision to buy the aircraft means Canada can compete for contracts worth billions of dollars for the "global supply chain" of some 3,000 F-35 Lightning II jets, Ms. Ambrose said.
Ottawa has invested $168-million in the development of the Joint Strike Fighter Program, which has already produced a return of $350-million in contracts for 85 Canadian companies, research laboratories and universities, Mr. Clement said.
Canada joins eight other countries under the U. S-led partnership in the fighter program.
Opposition Liberals and the NDP have lashed out at the government for purchasing the aircraft through a process they call non-competitive.
Mr. MacKay said Lockheed was awarded the contract in a competitive, "rigorous process" that began under the Liberal government in the early 2000s.
He called the party hypocritical for criticizing the purchase.
Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh said the investment into the program under the Liberals was one of research and manufacturing.
"There is absolutely no rush to move on this ... in the dead of summer, with absolutely zero accountability,"
Mr. Dosanjh said.
Mr. MacKay also addressed questions about the cost of the individual jets Canada will purchase, which works out to about $140-million per plane, higher than estimated costs in the United States.
He said the planes are outfitted with onboard equipment, including sensors and weapons systems, which account for the cost.
[Pour les ânes.]
Ottawa also announced this week it has restarted the planning process to build two new navy ships, a $2.6-billion project that's also expected to take until at least 2017 to be completed.
The new ships would replace Canada's 40-year-old supply vessels HMCS Protecteur, based at CFB Esquimalt, and HMCS Preserver, based at CFB Halifax.
.
*
Photo. http://weburbanist.com/2008/07/28/creative-steampunk-art-and-fashion/
image via: Alex Holden. http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/brassgoggles/?p=703"
Basé sur la série Doctor Who