The phrase "...inherited a turd" suggests that the so called "senior official" is a political appointee, and not a person with any care in the world about what the current, actual needs of the RCN really might be.
Second, I highly, highly doubt that the actual cost of a ship with the capabilities of Resolve, even if made in South Korea, would come in at 175 million quoted for the UK/NL tankers. These are two different ships altogether. In any event, buying a brand new build foreign vessel seems to be off limits for the RCN anyway, no matter how desirable, affordable, practical etc. Just not going to happen with our ****ed up system.
I don't give a rats *** who is privately funding the ship and at what interest rate, as long as the cost to the RCN remains within the agreements of the leasing arrangements.
Of course this ship is expensive and overpriced, it's supposed to be. And I'm sure it will have it's deficiencies and faults plastered on every media outlet that enjoys that sort of thing. This is Canada, the land of scandal and graft, and I am resigned to the fact this is just the way things are done here, and it has been this way for more than 50 years.
However, this ship will be completed on time, and everybody knows that despite the huffing and puffing from Irving, they could not have delivered a ship like that last year, and certainly not for the cost they have supposedly quoted, (unless they were planning to steal a ship from somewhere else.) That claim from Irving is just total BS, and the G&M failed in their own "due diligence" on that one. If they could build or convert ships like that for the low price stated in the article, they would have more than just the RCN interested in what they have to offer.