Y
Yard Ape
Guest
Canada ponders deeper involvement in U.S. stealth fighter project: officials
By MURRAY BREWSTER
Sunday March 11 3:53 PM EST
HALIFAX (CP) - The Canadian military is considering investing as much as $500 million US over the next decade in an American project to develop a new stealth fighter jet. The so-called Joint Strike Fighter is seen as possible replacement for Canada‘s aging CF-18s, most of which are undergoing a major refit.
The new aircraft is intended to be economical and far more effective than any fighter jet yet designed.
"Once it‘s perfected, it will be twice as lethal as anything out there," said Mike Slack, the Defence Department‘s co-ordinator on the project.
When the final version of the aircraft begins rolling off the assembly line at the end of the decade, it is expected to cost about $30 million US for each plane. The closest competitor - the Eurofighter - currently sells for up to $70 million US each.
Ottawa has already invested $10 million US for the first phase of development over the last four years.
Defence officials are currently negotiating the price for participation in the next phase, which would give Canada options to purchase the jets as well as allow Canadian firms to participate in the industrial development and production of the aircraft.
The cost of involvement over the next 10 years could run between $250 million US and $500 million US, said Slack.
"No decision has been made," he said.
The debate over whether to stay involved comes as the air force is being forced to mothball part of its fighter fleet and cut flying time as cost-saving measures.
Over the next few years there will also be fewer coastal air patrols and pilots will have to rely on simulators to keep up with their training.
A defence analyst predicted the stealth project will be a tough sell, both inside the military and with the public.
"What do you do with a stealth fighter in peace?" said Fred Crickard, a retired rear admiral who teaches at Halifax‘s Dalhousie University.
"Where are you going to use a fighter? You‘re going to use it in strike operations against people overseas."
Crickard said people are going to ask themselves where the country gets a better investment, from a long-range patrol aircraft or from a stealth fighter.
Many people would choose the patrol plane "because it provides services in peace and war," he said.
There is also a potential stigma attached to the word "stealth" because the fighter would be perceived as an attack weapon when Canada portrays itself as a peacekeeper.
"There is a public opinion factor that must be taken into account before the military makes its decision," said Crickard.
The decision on whether to buy the new fighters is still years away. Production on the Joint Strike Fighter isn‘t expected to get fully under way until 2012.
The CF-18 modernization program will keep Canada‘s current fighters flying until 2015.
Other countries are contributing to the development of the new fighter, including the British, who recently signed their own deal with the Americans that will see them invest $2 billion US over the next 10 years.
Both Boeing and Lockheed-Martin are currently developing three prototype aircraft, one for land operations, a second meant for aircraft carriers and a third capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.
______________________________
Have they forgotten our only significant contribution to the Gulf War or our role in the Kosovo air campaign that they would realy question where we could use a strike fighter? They are also a large part of the new way of war fighting that the CF is currently envisioning; to support the gound forces or operate independantly.
Yard Ape
By MURRAY BREWSTER
Sunday March 11 3:53 PM EST
HALIFAX (CP) - The Canadian military is considering investing as much as $500 million US over the next decade in an American project to develop a new stealth fighter jet. The so-called Joint Strike Fighter is seen as possible replacement for Canada‘s aging CF-18s, most of which are undergoing a major refit.
The new aircraft is intended to be economical and far more effective than any fighter jet yet designed.
"Once it‘s perfected, it will be twice as lethal as anything out there," said Mike Slack, the Defence Department‘s co-ordinator on the project.
When the final version of the aircraft begins rolling off the assembly line at the end of the decade, it is expected to cost about $30 million US for each plane. The closest competitor - the Eurofighter - currently sells for up to $70 million US each.
Ottawa has already invested $10 million US for the first phase of development over the last four years.
Defence officials are currently negotiating the price for participation in the next phase, which would give Canada options to purchase the jets as well as allow Canadian firms to participate in the industrial development and production of the aircraft.
The cost of involvement over the next 10 years could run between $250 million US and $500 million US, said Slack.
"No decision has been made," he said.
The debate over whether to stay involved comes as the air force is being forced to mothball part of its fighter fleet and cut flying time as cost-saving measures.
Over the next few years there will also be fewer coastal air patrols and pilots will have to rely on simulators to keep up with their training.
A defence analyst predicted the stealth project will be a tough sell, both inside the military and with the public.
"What do you do with a stealth fighter in peace?" said Fred Crickard, a retired rear admiral who teaches at Halifax‘s Dalhousie University.
"Where are you going to use a fighter? You‘re going to use it in strike operations against people overseas."
Crickard said people are going to ask themselves where the country gets a better investment, from a long-range patrol aircraft or from a stealth fighter.
Many people would choose the patrol plane "because it provides services in peace and war," he said.
There is also a potential stigma attached to the word "stealth" because the fighter would be perceived as an attack weapon when Canada portrays itself as a peacekeeper.
"There is a public opinion factor that must be taken into account before the military makes its decision," said Crickard.
The decision on whether to buy the new fighters is still years away. Production on the Joint Strike Fighter isn‘t expected to get fully under way until 2012.
The CF-18 modernization program will keep Canada‘s current fighters flying until 2015.
Other countries are contributing to the development of the new fighter, including the British, who recently signed their own deal with the Americans that will see them invest $2 billion US over the next 10 years.
Both Boeing and Lockheed-Martin are currently developing three prototype aircraft, one for land operations, a second meant for aircraft carriers and a third capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.
______________________________
Have they forgotten our only significant contribution to the Gulf War or our role in the Kosovo air campaign that they would realy question where we could use a strike fighter? They are also a large part of the new way of war fighting that the CF is currently envisioning; to support the gound forces or operate independantly.
Yard Ape
