Kip Powick Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Scrapping fighter jets risks grounding air force, MacKay warnsWhat a load of bovine excretement I guess it is just too hard to admit the government screwed up.Does he really think that all the Air Force flys is fighters!!!??http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/929270--scrapping-fighter-jets-risks-grounding-air-force-mackay-warns?bn=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 A reversal of Canada's decision to purchase F-35 joint strike fighter jets would put the Canadian Forces at risk, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said ThursdayAnd just what would that risk be ??? Does anyone know the last time the CF, (Air Element) fired a shot , or actually used "fighters" in any kind of conflict?? A few months old but tells it like it is... http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/blog/miles-howe/5256 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 No greater risk than they will be when the program is canceled by the US Congress, the JSF program is in chaos.The UK is axing fifty Eurofighters in their defence cuts, why not pick those up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Malcolm,Based on history and cold hard facts....we don't need these aircraft. One point "they" use is that they can be used for monitoring our claims to the Arctic.......really....? If the US can fly an armed drone from a cushy office in California, why can't we do the same with drones?.The CF has never bought an aircraft where the initial asking price is what we paid...it will always be more. Spin-offs??? Do we really need them with this aircraft. ...but the big question that can be debated by those living outside of the real world is........Why do we need these aircraft ? Of what benefit will they be to Canada.. and not just more toys for the boys.Canada excels at Global Transport, Humanitarian flights, and SAR,...... but fighters???? When the "Red", or any color you pick, threat comes over the poles, who do you think will be up there with their weapons fighting over our soil ...yes it will be the Yanks but then again it probably won't be manned aircraft anyhow.Decades ago, we as Canadians made history with the Avro Arrow and in those days that aircraft was needed and to scrap that plan was most unfortunate, however now we follow what the US wants us to do....with just a very few exceptions........crap on the Liberals all you want but who kept us out of Iraq?Would it surprise you to know that the only reason we are part of NORAD is because the US wanted the sites "up North" for early warning...it certainly wasn't because we had the men and equipment to stop an invasion. They let us have subordinate employment to appease the Feds, and the population, that we were part of the great Defence plan. If the balloon had gone up, does anyone really think our possible objections would sway the US not to launch retalitory strikes or attempt to neutralize the "enemy " over our country...................not a chance.I was there, I was privy to a lot of discussion between extremely high placed "brass hats" both the the CF,USAF, and Aerospace Command and it boils down to the cold fact that geographically we were an asset that the US could use and all they had to do was tell us how much we were appreciated and give us a few high ranking positions but NEVER one that had the ultimate authority over what would happen over our country.. It was a standard joke in the CF 101 days that we would pull up beside a Russian Bear and the Nav would hold up a sign that said "Give Up...or we'll blow up". No nukes for our guysTime for the CF and The Feds to have a reality check....or will the softwood industry be in peril if we don't agree with the US that we really do need these expensive toys.... .Since WW II the only two aircraft that the RCAF/CF ever got their moneys worth out of were the C-47 (DC-3) and the C-130, every other aircraft has cost us dearly and now we want to get "stealth" aircraft for what purpose? Can we not go to NATO and Allies and clearly state that we do not want to inventory aircraft that will be obsolete in 5 years with the "drone" technology that is out there and in the meantime we will be glad to help with Global airlift?Politics, that's all it is, pure and simple and no matter how Mackay couches the language, it is purely politics and not a shred of reality with respect to what we really need....so sad Another glass of Shiraz???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Kip, I agree with you. We don't need expensive new fighters to fly the sovereignty flag - a fleet of DHC-2s flying around the north would do just as well. I don't have the link in front of me but I read somewhere that an update to the F-18s could be done at a fraction of the price of the new fighters - so why is that not being persued as an option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Oh, I have no problem with your POV or explanation(s) with respect to the Star's headlines........you merely gave me a good excuse to flail away at what I see as a very bad expenditure by the Feds and I, for one, don't buy their BS.. nor do I support anyone in the CF who says "we need that aircraft".Just my opinion and probably contrary to others who have flown "whiz bangs in the CF......... but based on my experience............. this puchase is NOT required . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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