New planes for Air Force: Critics take aim at media and politicians

A Cannonball Press report:

OTTAWA (CBP): Critics of Canadian journalists and politicians are increasingly concerned about how these groups are dealing with the acquisition of a new tactical airlift airplane for the Canadian Forces.

Experts cited by these critics have pointed out that the Canadian Air Force must very soon replace a large part of its aging fleet of CC-130 Hercules transports. These experts say it is clear that within the replacement window only one airplane, the American Lockheed Martin C-130J, will be available to meet the Air Force's needs. The Conservative government now appears poised to order this newest version of the Hercules.

But for some time the European company Airbus has been promoting its A400M as a competitor to the C-130J. Experts respond that the A400M has not yet flown, and will not until some time in 2008 at the earliest. They note that Airbus has manufactured neither a military transport, nor a turboprop-powered plane, before and that the A400M's engines are new and unproven. According to experts these facts can only raise serious concerns about Airbus' ability to meet production, testing, and entry into service timelines for the A400M.

Experts go on to note that Airbus in now in turmoil as a company. Its two major civilian airliner projects are in trouble. The A380 superjumbo jet's introduction into airline service has been delayed two years. The mid-size A350 is undergoing a complete redesign that will push back its production several years.

These other massive challenges only make experts more doubtful that the company will be able to produce the A400M on schedule. They add that, if the A400M is not available as currently promised, by the time it is available much of the Canadian Hercules fleet will be out of service.

Experts also note that the C-130J is already in service in considerable numbers with the US military, and with several other countries' air forces. The US military has more on order. According to experts the C-130J--the tactical airlifter preferred by the Canadian Forces--can be procured in time to meet Canada's needs, while it is almost certain the A400M cannot.

Critics are wondering why the Canadian media are not presenting the facts of this matter. They complain that our media are more interested in sensational stories aimed at stirring up controversy than in dealing intelligently with the real issue--whether or not the Canadian Forces get the right equipment, on time, to do effectively the jobs Canadian governments demand of them.

Canadian politicians for their part, critics say, are utterly hypocritical in their approach to large military purchases. "Our politicians say one thing when in government and the exact opposite when in opposition," one critic remarked. "Why do our media not report that both the Conservatives and Liberals have flip-flopped over the C-130J buy?" this critic asked.

Critics also wonder why the opinion of any NDP MP--or of Liberal National Defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh--is sought about any issue related to military equipment.

When asked to comment, Jane Taber of Bell Globemedia asked "What's a journalist?"

Mark "Cannonball" C.

Posted by markc at October 28, 2006 09:18 PM