bobdina
07-16-2010, 12:18 PM
The Canadian government said Friday it plans to spend $9 billion to purchase a new generation of fighter jets, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay told a news conference in Ottawa that the jets would be purchased from Lockheed Martin, with the first one expected for delivery by 2016
The contract, one of the biggest military equipment purchases in Canadian history, is worth $9 billion, but the full cost could rise to as much $18 billion once the government signs a maintenance contract. MacKay said the government would make further announcements on additional costs at a later date.
The new jets would replace an aging fleet of CF-18s that recently underwent a $2.6-billion upgrade.
"It's yet another shining example that our government will always ensure that the Canadian Forces have the best," MacKay told a news conference.
But the government is fending off complaints that making one of the biggest military purchases in Canadian history without a single competing bid is a waste of taxpayer money.
The Liberals and a former public servant who once headed the purchase project say the massive purchase of 65 jets should have been subjected to competitive bids.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is calling on the House of Commons defence committee to reconvene as soon as possible to examine what he calls the Tory government's "secretive, unaccountable decision to proceed with this contract."
The Liberals want the committee to question other potential bidders and procurement experts, to determine whether a sole-sourced contract gives maximum value to the government and taxpayers.
A previous Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to develop the Joint Strike Fighter, but that did not commit Canada to buy the air cra
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/07/16/canada-jets.html#ixzz0trYccw2Z
Defence Minister Peter MacKay told a news conference in Ottawa that the jets would be purchased from Lockheed Martin, with the first one expected for delivery by 2016
The contract, one of the biggest military equipment purchases in Canadian history, is worth $9 billion, but the full cost could rise to as much $18 billion once the government signs a maintenance contract. MacKay said the government would make further announcements on additional costs at a later date.
The new jets would replace an aging fleet of CF-18s that recently underwent a $2.6-billion upgrade.
"It's yet another shining example that our government will always ensure that the Canadian Forces have the best," MacKay told a news conference.
But the government is fending off complaints that making one of the biggest military purchases in Canadian history without a single competing bid is a waste of taxpayer money.
The Liberals and a former public servant who once headed the purchase project say the massive purchase of 65 jets should have been subjected to competitive bids.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is calling on the House of Commons defence committee to reconvene as soon as possible to examine what he calls the Tory government's "secretive, unaccountable decision to proceed with this contract."
The Liberals want the committee to question other potential bidders and procurement experts, to determine whether a sole-sourced contract gives maximum value to the government and taxpayers.
A previous Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to develop the Joint Strike Fighter, but that did not commit Canada to buy the air cra
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/07/16/canada-jets.html#ixzz0trYccw2Z