Not only is that 14 billion dollars, but it seems everyone except the conservatives are quite sure that number can't possibly be correct. It's too small by half. Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page thinks the number is more like 29 Billion Dollars.
29 Billion Dollars.
That's more than twice the cost. Someone thinks they are getting a two for one deal that doesn't exist! And Mr. Kevin Page isn't the only one who figures that number. Mike Sullivan, a man who works with the Government Accountability Office says the tag of 75 million per aircraft is too low, instead it will be more along the lines of 110 or 115 million each. In a link at the end of this article, CBC also posted a quick FAQ on the F-35, which directly state the cost of the F-35 as being 155 Million American per Jet.
American Defense Specialist Winslow Wheeler also weighed in.
- “If Canada’s government can get an F-35 for the mid-70 million dollars per airplane, well they should sign a contract right now and get it delivered. Because I can promise you nobody on this earth will ever get a flying F-35 for $75 million per copy. It’s pure fantasy."
Retired General Paul Manson, former Chief of Staff took umbrage at the comments, attacking Wheeler's credibility. However Mr. Wheeler has worked for 30 years on defense issues in the States for both Republican and Democrat members. And he spent 9 years as an analyst for Accountability pertaining specifically to military procurement, and aircraft.
I still have trouble wrapping my head around the sheer numbers. So let's look at it this way. 29 Billion dollars, translates for every single head in Canada to about 900 dollars of additional tax a person, going directly to the cost of purchasing or maintaining these pieces of aircraft. That 900 dollars by the way is assuming your children pay taxes that go to defence materials. I assume they don't, but you never know. 900 dollars each, to make 29 Billion dollars, for a plane that has no capability to do Search and Rescue, which is one of the primary functions of our own Canadian Air Force right now.
Oh and by the way? Montreal Gazette has pointed out that those numbers? They don't include the cost of an engine. That 75 million dollar price tag per aircraft? No Engines. NO ENGINES! I don't go out and buy an SUV without an Engine. Why IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING THAT?
This was mostly touched off today by a tweet Conservative MP Laurie Hawn posted today:
- votelauriehawn Laurie Hawn
- lesterleesm Lester Lee@votelauriehawn How do you account for the discrepancy of price, almost twice the cost than stated, RE:Kevin Page? #elxn41
- @votelauriehawn Defense specialist Wheeler also says the planes cost more like 150 million, twice PM Harper's estimate. #elxn41
Tony Dewar, a Student at Okanagan College also chipped in.
- MrTonyDewar Tony Dewar@lesterleesm @votelauriehawn Every single person asked except the Cons say that the F-35 costs are going to be at least 29 billion. #elxn41
- @lesterleesm Your welcome. I believe Kevin Page the parliamentary budget officer, numbers myself. He seems to be right on the money.#elxn41
Haven't gotten a response from Laurie Hawn yet, and am not sure one is coming. But there it all is, make an informed opinion! And what do you think, Canada, of our spending choices on government weaponry?
The Article from Montreal Gazette:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Canada+Engines+included/4629251/story.html
Article from The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/harper-says-f-35s-wont-cost-more/article1979046/
CBC Article on The Spiraling Costs of the F-35
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/04/05/pol-fighter-jet-cost.html
CBC Article, an FAQ on the F-35
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2010/07/16/f-f35-faq.html
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