The arrival of the first new C-130J Hercules tactical lift aircraft in Afghanistan over the weekend was a small glimmer of success in the wake of continued bungling of military procurements and purchases that have even attracted allegations of outright lying from the country’s auditor general. In its rush to try and bulk up the capabilities of the Canadian Forces, the Conservative government has accomplished little more than creating more problems.
The contract for the purchase of the 17 newer, bigger and flashier Hercules to replace Canada’s 50-year-old fleet came more than three years ago, delivered along with a raft of promises including thousands of new trucks, larger strategic lift aircraft, medium-lift helicopters and new resupply ships. To date, the only contracts filled have been those for the Hercules, though there are still 12 aircraft left to deliver, and the four strategic lift aircraft. Canada did buy six medium-lift Chinook helicopters, but did so directly from the United States. Delivery of the “Canadianized” CH-47Fs will not begin until 2013-14.
Procurement to this date, especially under the hands of a Conservative government that tried to invest substantially in the Forces, has been nothing short of a mess in every other department and it is our soldiers who are suffering as a result. While we do have five Chinook D helicopters in service (one was destroyed in combat), the contract for the remaining 15 F-series choppers has been beset by cost increases and setbacks. What was a $2-billion purchase in 2006 will now cost $5 billion. Auditor general Sheila Fraser also blasted the procurement in her October report because the government broke its own guidelines in that the “contract award process was not fair, open and transparent” and also stated that the Chinook’s operational costs had not yet been completely disclosed.
It was 35 years ago that the Department of National Defence first identified the need to replace the Forces’ Sea King maritime helicopters, but to date the government has not received a single deployable aircraft. Yes, Jean Chretien cost the country almost $500 million when he wrote in “zero helicopters” as promised after defeating Kim Campbell and the Conservatives in his first election win. More than a decade later Paul Martin awarded the contract to Sikorsky for its H-92 Cyclone, with the military brass stating the replacement would come with “off-the-shelf” technology. Yet it was Fraser again who discovered the $5.7-billion procurement — originally worth $3.7 billion when ordered —was a “helicopter that has never existed before,” effectively stating there is little or no “off-the-shelf” technology available. On top of that, the delivery schedule, originally slated to begin five years ago, has been pushed up to 2012.
The construction and purchase of two new Joint Support Ships to replace 40-year-old Protecteur-class was shelved and only re-announced over the summer, meaning delivery will not take place until 2017. The Conservatives have also taken on the contentious issue of purchasing Canada’s next-generation fighter in the F-35, opting to purchase the stealth fighter directly instead of holding an open competition. Critics have been feasting on the decision since it was announced last year and already the planes are going to cost more than originally announced. They too are several years away from delivery.
Now almost five years after the announcement, Canada has a grand total of 14 planes/helicopters, increased procurement costs and late deliveries. And there is more in the works as Canada’s destroyer fleet — the Iroquois-class — nears 40 years of age. The coast guard’s request for ships has been scuttled and there are still no signs of Stephen Harper’s armed icebreakers to patrol the north. To date the Conservatives procurement strategy has cost the Forces’ money and created not just a sense of frustration, but also one of false hope.
