The message is clear that Lockheed Martin’s F-35 will not fly! It must have been the Almighty or somebody who finally let Prime Minister Harper and his minions know that they were not on the list for F-35 stealth fighter plane delivery. It is just as well. Canada never needed that type of fighter aircraft.
Despite the repeated assurances of Defence Minister Peter Mackay and his junior minister, former cop Julian Fantino, Canada does not need any F-35s at this time or probably ever.
Why Canada’s military would even consider a short-range, single-engine, stealth fighter is a mystery. Those of us who have served in the military always understood Canada’s aircraft needs were determined by having the best way to patrol our borders and that is a lot of borders to patrol. It was not until the Harper government sent some of our F-18s to Libya that our pilots got a chance for live-fire experience in a ground support role. How often do we want to get involved in somebody else’s war?
Canadians have made it very clear over the years that they are proud of their military being peacekeepers. We are not mercenaries. There is nobody whom we wish to fight.
If the Harper government is serious about cost cutting, they can always consider the Swedish offer of some of their Saab JAS 39 Griffin multi-purpose fighters. The Swedes would cut us a very reasonable deal.
But if Canada could have its druthers, we should ask the Americans if they will sell us a couple squadrons of F-22 Raptors when they are in a deliverable condition. The F-22 will be far more expensive than the F-35 but, penny for penny, it is better suited for Canadian needs. And a dozen F-22s would still be less expensive than 65 F-35s.
The F-22 Raptor (also being developed by Lockheed Martin) is a twin engine fighter platform with the advanced electronics for patrol assignments. Capable of speeds in excess of Mach 2.2, the F-22 can fly higher and faster than virtually any other fighter.
While the airframe for the F-22 has been shown at air shows, much of the inner workings of the aircraft remain cloaked in secrecy. So far, the Americans have been reluctant to admit to discussing this fighter with any of its allies.
But we could always ask. If the Americans cannot trust Canadians, who can they trust?
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Copyright 2012 © Peter Lowry
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