F-35, An Expensive Mistake for Canadian Forces

F-35, An Expensive Mistake for Canadian Forces

During the 2011 Canadian federal election, there was an intense focus on Conservative party Prime Minister Stephan Harper’s decision to purchase 65 new F-35 Lightning II fighter planes. The story around the F-35 is filled with controversy over the cost and appropriateness of the aircraft. Both the Liberals and the New Democratic Party (NDP) promised to halt the purchase of the aircraft and re-examine its suitability in relation to the military’s budget. The F-35 contract is a key cornerstone of the Conservatives’ plan to revitalize the Canadian armed forces. One of the crucial issues has been the disagreement over the already high price of the F-35, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) and the Department of National Defense (DND) calculated two different figures. The PBO estimated the total cost of the F-35 is USD 29.3 billion or USD 148 million per unit, while the DND assessed the total program would cost USD 14.7 billion or USD 75 million per unit.

The discrepancy between the two departments is attributed to the fact that both the DND and the Conservative Party are committed to increasing the size of the armed forces and replacing Canada’s current aircraft with the F-35. On the other hand, the PBO is an independent organization that provides analysis to the Senate and House of Commons “on the state of the nation’s finances.” In this fashion, the Conservatives lacked the ability to provide transparency by not disclosing the actual cost of the F-35 and giving a lower estimate to the public. This begs the question: Is the glamour of the F-35 worth the expense? Its critics say that Canada has no need for this incredibly expensive and versatile 5th generation aircraft in their arsenal. The F-35 is unsuitable for Canadian military operations and marks an unfortunate shift in Canadian foreign policy towards single-mindedly backing the U.S. military.

For full article click here.

This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Ivan Ho.

© Scoop Media