I have decided to add my voice to the ever-increasing volume of public noise surrounding Canada’s continuing consideration to replace its excellent CF-18 fighter jets with the Lockheed F-35 aircraft.
Although, obviously, a political decision, I have placed this post under an ‘Aerospace’ title because it is, or should be, of interest to all purchasers of the aircraft.
Rather than write an extended prose on the subject, I have decided to use a simple itemized format, with some text from Flight Global magazine, hoping that it will even better highlight my points of view ... and enable your discussion to take place. I had also discussed this subject before (13 October, 2011) which only increases my amazement of the lack of action.
1. Suddenly, a new Canadian government report suggests that other fighter jets are just as capable as the Lockheed Martin F-35A at fulfilling the nation’s most likely mission needs, potentially opening the door to a competitive acquisition process to replace a fleet of 77 Boeing CF-18s.
2. But, Canada still intends to buy 65 F-35s beginning in 2020. Its third annual report on the cost of potentially replacing its fleet of CF-18s with the jet, assumes an average per-unit cost of $ 88.9 million over the period of acquisition. That tallies up to a total $ 45.8 billion over the life cycle of the fleet, a $ 141 million increase over the estimate in the 2013 report, not to mention reports before that.
3. I've just read a report elsewhere describing a USAF purchase, that the cost does NOT include the engines, which are part of a separate deal with Pratt & Whitney!
4. An analysis assumes that Canada will lose eleven F-35As over the fleet’s expected 30-year service life due to normal attrition. "The cost to replace these lost aircraft could be about $ 1 billion," the report says.
5. At present, the Canadian government has only $ 76 million set aside for programme contingencies, far short of the $ 1 billion estimate for replacement aircraft. The report says that the contingency budget is “low for a project of this scope and size”.
6. That could force Canada to lower the number of F-35s it buys, the report suggests. That could affect the overall programme cost. Lockheed has promised to bring the per-aircraft cost for the conventional takeoff and landing variant of the jet below $ 100 million by 2019, but that will require a dramatic ramp-up in production after 2016 that relies heavily on non-US purchases.
7. Officials have also said (for example) that the essential Electrical Optical Targeting System, which is used to track a target, continues to fail. Just another example of a project plagued with problems.
8. The F-35 first flew nine (9) years ago, after many years of flight development with the X-35 research aircraft! Did I say development?
9. Each aircraft costs $ 90 million ± $ 20 million, and we could upgrade our CF-18's (all of them) to last until 2025 for $ 100 million! By which time we'll be flying drones.
10. If you have a wish for more information, go to Wikipedia, use keywords, 'Lockheed F-35'. Don't read the article (You just don't have time) scroll down to References, there are nearly 600 references. A historic number for Wikipedia, I believe.
Words, such as; immoral, discreditable, and outrageous behaviour, come to mind, you could probably add a few more ... couldn’t you?
