Recent F-35 fighter backtracking now becoming clear: AG is about to hammer the government

[JBoy]

For months, the Harper government has been sticking to the story that the F-35 fighter was a done deal, and that the price wouldn't exceed $75 million each. This, despite expert opinions to the contrary in Canada and the US, and not even the back-of-an-envelope calculation from the government to show how they arrived at the figure.

Fast forward to about a week ago, and Harper and Mackay send out Fantino to start the backpedalling. I was happy, but curious, "why now"?

Well, it appears the new Auditor General has been interested in the program, and how the Defence department and Public Works have managed it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/auditor-has-defence-public-works-in-his-sights-on-f-35-jets-sources/article2375688/

The Auditor-General has both National Defence and Public Works in his sights when it comes to the troubled F-35 stealth fighter program, senior government sources say.

A draft copy of the scathing review, circulating in Ottawa for weeks, suggests the air force didn't do its pricing homework and government officials failed to follow procurement rules, those who've read it say.

Senior officials say the Auditor-General's harsh review is behind the Harper government's change in posture over the last few weeks, where a hard-line message of commitment has softened into skepticism about the international program, which is billions of dollars off target and years behind schedule.

Harper and Mackay need to start answering for this, and the media need to cue up the past clips.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

1. One of my friends is a US Navy test pilot and has nothing good to say about the F-35

His position is more or less that if this project was taking place in China most of the project management would have already been executed. He hasn't flown the F-35 and would retire if he was assigned to the program.

Basically he says if this monstrosity ever enters service and actually displaces the F-18 in US Navy service they will have rolled back their carrier based strike capacity to the days predating the F-4 Phantom.

[RedSock]

2. $75 million does not include engines (which are sorta important for a plane)

if i recall, actually having an engine in the plane would cost many millions on top of the initial $75 million.

so in review, eff you, cons.