BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

We finally know what all the contenders to replace the venerable T-38 Talon will look like. After teasing us for months , Boeing finally unveiled its entry into the T-X competition with much pomp and fanfare.  This follows a less ceremonial unveiling of Northrop-Grumman's clean sheet design.  The two other contenders, proposed by Lockheed and Raytheon, are modifications to existing designs. The goal of the T-X program is to provide a "lead in" jet trainer for high performance aircraft found in the USAF.  This includes (but is not limited to) aircraft like the F-22, F-35, and B-21.  As military aircraft become more advanced, there has emerged a need for a trainer that mirrors these advances.  The venerable T-38 is no longer a suitable aircraft for this, being a 50-year-old design. The requirements for the T-X dictate an aerial refueling receptacle and give preference for high maneuverability .   The ability to make a sustained 6.5 g turn is ...

2015?  2016?  2017? It hasn't been a good month for the F-35. First, there was the revelation that some JSF parts were being outsourced to China .  Then came the arrest of a Pratt & Whitney engineer attempting to sell information to Iran .  Shortly after that, a non-profit group released a report questioning Lockheed Martin's overoptimistic job creation numbers .  There was also a former USAF Chief of Staff advocating for dropping the F-35's nuclear capability , but I don't see how less  nuclear proliferation is a bad thing. "Did you try turning it off and on again?" If all that wasn't enough, now we find out the F-35 is still having software issues that will keep it from meeting its initial operability capability (IOC) dates. Last May, the Pentagon announced the F-35's IOC dates .  First to come would be the USMC F-35B version, planned between July and December of 2015.  The USAF F-35A was to come the second half of 2016, whi...

I've been criticized for being a bit of a F-35 "basher", but I honestly do try to keep the JSF program in perspective.  It certainly isn't the first large scale military project to run off the rails a little bit.  My issues with the F-35 mainly center around its suitability for for Canada, what with it being better suited for attacking foreign ground targets than protecting a country's airspace. When the news came out a few days ago that the F-35 was being constructed with Chinese parts, I didn't think it was that big of a deal.  These were supposedly simple magnets , after all, worth little more than $2 a piece.  Perhaps these magnets required rare earth metals found predominantly in China, I thought.  It certainly wouldn't be the first time a western defense contractor needed to go elsewhere for rare metals, the SR-71 Blackbird was constructed from Soviet sourced titanium , unbeknownst to the Soviets at the time. It turns out that the Chinese sou...

Mixing it up.  RAF Tornado and Typhoon. Canada's only jet fighter at the moment is the Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) CF-188 "Hornet".  As far as jet fighters go, the CF-18 is pretty versatile, its equally adapt at both air-superiority missions and ground attack.  While it isn't the best in any one category, it can handle most duties given to it. Canada hasn't always used a "one size fits all" fighter strategy, however.  In fact, it's a relatively new development. Up until 1995, the CF-18 flew alongside the venerable CF-116 (CF-5) Freedom Fighter .  The CF-5 was smaller, cheaper and more economical.  The CF-5 was far from an advanced fighter, however.  It's original raison d'être  was as a cheap, almost disposable fighter for third world countries.  With a crude radar, small payload, and limited capability, many argued that the CF-5 had no place in the RCAF in the first place.  The CF-5 was able to fulfill a small role as ...

This was too funny not to share.  

Well...  That escalated quickly. South Korea's decision to sole-source the F-35 despite its costs and being "disqualified" has already met with criticism. From The Korea Times: “As the stealth fighter is being manufactured and simultaneously tested, the U.S. side cannot guarantee capabilities and a fixed price in accordance with the FMS and buyers will have to take responsibility for this,” an industrial source said on condition of anonymity. “What is worse, we cannot complain about it.” Ouch.

South Korea is expected to announce the F-35 Lightning II as the winner of its F-X competition in the very near future, despite the F-35 being at one time eliminated from consideration due to costs. The real question is :  Will S. Korea spend approximately 2.2 trillion won ($2.1 billion US) more than the 8.3 trillion ($7.2 billion US) originally budgeted in order to take possession of 60 jets, or will they substantially drop the order to 40 in order to stay in budget? Either way, the reality of the F-35 is clear.  If Canada wants 65 of them, its going to have to cough up substantially more than the $9 billion set aside for acquisition.

Pay to play? [WARNING:  THIS IS A RANT.  STRONG LANGUAGE TO FOLLOW.] One of the most predominant people in the Canadian F-35 saga is Lockheed Martin test pilot William (Billie) Flynn .   Flynn's resume certainly is impressive.  Before working for Lockheed Martin he was a CF-18 pilot and commanding officer for 441 Squadron at CFB Cold Lake.  He's flown combat missions over Kosovo, and has seat time with some of today's most impressive fighter jets, including the F-18, F-16, Typhoon, Tornado, and of course, the F-35.  He's even married to real-life astronaut . Without a doubt, Billie Flynn knows much more about the fighter jet business than I do. But why does he say so many stupid and ridiculous things? Flynn claimed that the F-35's kinematics were better than a Super Hornet or a Typhoon .  He was immediately called out by a fellow test pilot .  The F-35 has nowhere near the thrust-to-weight, nor the wing-loading of a Typhoon.   Do...

Right for South Korea, despite the cost? Much has been made about South Korea's confusing F-X III fighter acquisition project.  After considering the F-35, F-15SE, and Typhoon, all three options have been deemed unsuitable based on price or capability.  The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has made their desire for the F-35 quite clear, despite the fact that is was the first fighter eliminated due to its uncertain cost. Now, the contest has been restarted , and the JSF looks to be the leading contender, again. I've been plenty hard on the F-35 in the past, and I certainly don't agree with the way the F-X III competition is being done, but you know what?  I actually think the F-35 will be a pretty good fit for the ROKAF. Why? North Korea South Korea's rowdy northern neighbor has a comparatively large military force , but their equipment is old, outdated, and sometimes fake .  The F-35's stealth design will likely have little trouble slipping thro...

"Anybody know where I can find a job?" It's good to know a retired RCAF officer need not rely strictly on his or her modest pension after retirement.  There are plenty of other jobs in the private or public sector for those with the experience and credentials. Take Lt. General Charles Bouchard for instance, just slightly over a year (the mandatory "cooling off period) after his retirement from the RCAF, Bouchard has now been chosen as the new boss in charge of Lockheed Martin's operations in Canada.  Quite the prestigious, and no doubt well compensated position. Does the name sound familiar?  It should, Bouchard led NATO forces during the bombing runs over Libya a few years back.  While the actual benefits of that action are debatable , the operation itself went off rather smoothly.   But perhaps you heard the name somewhere else, maybe more recently? Back in December 2012, when the damning KPMG report prompted the Canadian federal govern...

The Canadian F-35 controversy never seems to stop. Amidst concerns about the JSF's price, availability, performance, and suitability for Canada; Lockheed Martin has giving its F-35 Lightning II an extra "push" by marketing the F-35's advanced features, stealth, and potential job creation for Canadians. Recently, Lockheed Martin has become a little more aggressive with its push, stating that Canada could lose out in approximately $10.5 billion worth of related contracts.  Given the estimated $9 billion procurement cost fixed to the CF-18 replacement, this certainly does appear to be "losing out" on a lucrative deal.  Looking closer, this is appears to be more fear-mongering than anything else. Everybody gets a piece of the pie...  But are the pieces the same size? As a Tier 3 partner in the JSF program, Canada has already invested into the F-35.  This has paid off already, with $500 million worth of F-35 related contracts awarded to Canadian f...