Defence Department gets approval to spend $7B on 16 F-35s: sources | 24CA News

The Department of National Defence just lately acquired quiet approval to spend $7 billion on 16 F-35 fighter jets and associated gear.

Two defence sources, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate issues not but made public, mentioned a funding request despatched to the Treasury Board bought the inexperienced mild earlier this month.

The Canadian Press additionally considered a doc summarizing this request to Treasury Board, which is the division that controls the federal purse strings, and independently verified its accuracy.

The funding approval got here after months of negotiations with the U.S. authorities and Lockheed Martin after the F-35 beat out Sweden’s Saab Gripen in a contest earlier this yr.

While the federal authorities has mentioned it plans to purchase 88 new fighter jets to interchange its getting older CF-18s between 2026 and 2032, the sources mentioned Canada can be buying F-35s in blocks over the following few years.

Canada wanted to make an preliminary order by the top of the calendar yr to make sure its deliberate supply schedule stays on observe, they added.

The Treasury Board approval covers an preliminary set of 16 F-35s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, in addition to spare components, weapons and numerous startup prices related to acquiring new jets, corresponding to constructing new amenities.

The Liberal authorities was anticipated to make an announcement two weeks in the past, in response to sources, however now the news shouldn’t be anticipated to be formally introduced earlier than January.

Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek’s workplace declined to remark particularly on the Treasury Board approval on Tuesday, referring as a substitute to the general determination to purchase 88 fighter jets.

“As outlined in Canada’s defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, Canada will be acquiring 88 advanced fighter aircraft,” spokesperson Olivier Pilon wrote in an e mail.

“We look forward to providing an update on this important project shortly.”

Lockheed Martin declined to remark. So did the U.S. Defence Department’s F-35 workplace, which is chargeable for the stealth fighter program. They as a substitute referred inquiries to the Canadian authorities.

Funding determination surprises competitor

News of the funding determination caught Saab unawares on Tuesday.

“Given that Saab remains eligible for selection in the formal procurement process, we are surprised by today’s media report,” Saab Canada spokesperson Sierra Fullerton mentioned in an announcement.

“Saab is committed to the offer we made to the government of Canada, which was significantly less than the $19 billion budgeted for the full 88 aircraft requested.”

Canada’s decade-long seek for a brand new fighter jet to interchange its getting older CF-18s got here full circle in March when the Liberal authorities introduced negotiations with U.S. defence large Lockheed Martin to buy the F-35.

Officials on the time anticipated talks would take about seven months and lead to a closing contract by the top of the yr.

Yet the Liberal authorities additionally emphasised on the time that the negotiations didn’t imply a deal for the F-35 was completed, with the federal government retaining the choice to speak with Saab about its Gripen fighter ought to discussions with Lockheed Martin stall.

The authorities had initially anticipated spending $19 billion on Canada’s subsequent fighter jet fleet, nevertheless it was not evident on the time what would — and wouldn’t — be included. Defence Minister Anita Anand mentioned in March that the price could be “further refined.”

The buy of F-35s in tranches shouldn’t be distinctive, says U.S.-based analyst Richard Aboulafia, one of many world’s main F-35 specialists.

For instance, whereas Britain beforehand dedicated to purchasing a complete of 138 F-35s, its preliminary order was for less than 48. Australia has taken an identical method by initially ordering solely 14 of the stealth fighters earlier than later confirming one other 58.

The causes for such a phased method fluctuate based mostly on every nation’s budgetary course of and their respective army’s capability to simply accept and assist the transition to a brand new plane. It can also be based mostly on Lockheed Martin’s manufacturing schedule and different orders.

Carleton University defence procurement professional Philippe Lagasse, who beforehand served on an impartial panel chargeable for monitoring army purchases, mentioned there may be quite a lot of work that must be completed earlier than Canada can settle for F-35s.

That consists of constructing new infrastructure to deal with and repair the state-of-the-art plane, in addition to numerous safety upgrades to the army’s info networks and different knowledge factors to guard the planes and preserve them from being compromised.

“The entire strategy around that aircraft involves significant kinds of maintenance, data processing and things of that nature,” he mentioned. “That all has to be put in place as you begin to take possession of the aircraft. So this is why they’re sequencing it that way.”

Changing fighter plane can be difficult: professional

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute agreed that transitioning from CF-18s to F-35s can be an advanced endeavour for the Air Force — however that many of the work cannot begin till the federal government confirms a deal.

“So there’s an immense amount of work that will officially start once we actually make the official commitment to buy the plane,” he mentioned, including: “Our 40-year-old CF-18s aren’t getting any younger.”

Stephen Harper’s Conservative authorities first dedicated to purchasing 65 F-35s with no competitors in 2010, earlier than issues concerning the stealth fighter’s value and capabilities compelled it again to the drafting board.

The Liberals promised in 2015 to not purchase the F-35, however to as a substitute launch an open competitors to interchange the CF-18s.

They later deliberate to purchase 18 Super Hornets with no competitors as an “interim” measure till a full competitors may very well be launched.

Some on the time questioned that plan, suggesting the Liberals had been looking for a approach to lock Canada into the Super Hornet with out opening itself as much as a authorized problem from Lockheed Martin or every other jet makers.

But the federal government cancelled the plan after Boeing launched a commerce dispute with Montreal aerospace agency Bombardier. Ottawa initiated the present bidding course of in July 2019, at which level the Super Hornet and F-35 had been allowed to compete.

In the meantime, the federal government has been compelled to speculate lots of of hundreds of thousands of extra {dollars} into the CF-18 fleet to maintain it flying till a alternative may be delivered. By 2032, the CF-18s may have been round for 50 years.

The Canadian Press reported final week that Canada won’t ship fighter jets to patrol NATO airspace for Russian incursions subsequent yr, the primary time that Canadian CF-18s can be absent from the skies over Europe since 2017.

The determination was partly blamed on the necessity to improve the CF-18s to make sure they will proceed to struggle and defend themselves from adversaries till they are often changed by F-35s.