I'll believe it when I see it.
Elements of the RCAF learned the wrong lessons from C130J, C17 and Chinook acquisitions. There are material differences between having only one source of supply and competitive processes.
Herc J was an ACAN, so technically not sole source.I dunno....personally I think the RCAF made a mistake not stapling a FWSAR annex to the 130J sole source.....
Yup, actually ACP-T, ACP-S (initial) and MHLH were all considered single bidder compliant, IIRC…certainly ACP-T and MHLH were. As you note, ACAN is just the advanced award notification. That said, ACP-S Amdt was directed sole-source.Herc J was an ACAN, so technically not sole source.
Herc J was an ACAN, so technically not sole source.
The NGFC project tried and failed to make the case that only one platform met their needs, while the platform they were advocating for was still under development and did not in fact meet the SOR.I am curious what you mean by the RCAF learning the wrong lesson from that era. I think the takeaway is that the government isn't willing to entertain difficult and expensive procurement choices until wartime. And then all of a sudden, IRBs and offsets become less important.
No matter what platforms the CAF ever has for SAR, a MAJAID like an A380 in the Arctic will be an ad hoc response, taking anyone who can jump and anything that can be dropped.
The NGFC project tried and failed to make the case that only one platform met their needs, while the platform they were advocating for was still under development and did not in fact meet the SOR.
GoC can be convinced to do what's right. But too much of the senior leadership meekly accept what gets thrown at them and do not aggressively support their staff / requirements
No matter what platforms the CAF ever has for SAR, a MAJAID like an A380 in the Arctic will be an ad hoc response, taking anyone who can jump and anything that can be dropped.
CAS, ADM Mat, CDS and the DM should have better advocated and prepared MND to push back.
Except for something like, you know, and Airborne Regiment
I do think we have an executive class that isn't as outspoken as they should be. But far too often they wear the consequences of the poor choices of the political class.
To a point. I don't know how we can be sure that they didn't advocate hard and that MND got overruled by his cabinet colleagues.
MND isn’t part of The Four Corners, so even if they advocated for pure operational capability, that exigency is most often of secondary or even tertiary consideration.
Honestly, I wish we'd accept our political reality and work towards capabilities and a procurement plan that our industry will support. That's how we'd get real buy in.
Or maybe just buy a compliant A/C that has other NATO users, and is similar to the P-8A you just bought...Honestly, I wish we'd accept our political reality and work towards capabilities and a procurement plan that our industry will support. That's how we'd get real buy in.
The upcoming AEW buy is a good example. GlobalEye lacks two capabilities the Wedgetail has. AAR and 360° coverage. Instead of setting up a long fight, why not just work with Bombardier to build an airplane that has those two things.
Or maybe just buy a compliant A/C that has other NATO users, and is similar to the P-8A you just bought...
Or maybe just buy a compliant A/C that has other NATO users, and is similar to the P-8A you just bought...
My personal fantasy? We buy Wedgetails for AEW and give Bombardier a contract to develop a SIGINT platform on the Global, to be based in Ottawa, alongside a Global VVIP fleet. Sadly I'm a lowly peon.
Completely spitballing here, but the SOR arguments for the E-7 over the Bombardier would be range/endurance and interoperability, especially in the Arctic. I doubt that a business jet will have the range of a 737 airframe, and while Sweden is (now) a NATO ally, the E-7 is being used by 1 (soon to be 3) of the FVEY partners - currently Australia, but later the US and UK. There aren’t too many northern airfields in Canada or Alaska that could take a business jet, let alone a 737, so any missions will be pretty long.Going to be very hard for a whole bunch of Ontario and Quebec MPs to sell a Wedgetail purchase when there's a Canadian supplier that can actually provide a decent enough solution that is used by a (now) NATO ally. There's no shame on admitting reality. It's better than fighting reality causing a decade long delay because no politician wants the embarrassment and wrath that comes with buying foreign when a home option was available.