Auditor slams helicopter purchase

[The_Squid]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/auditor-slams-ottawas-helicopter-purchase-and-warns-of-fighter-jet-risk/article1773452/

The price tag for two types of military helicopters has doubled to $11-billion because the Department of Defence low-balled estimates when seeking approval even when it knew that planned design changes would hike costs, Ms. Fraser’s office reported Tuesday.

She also faulted Defence and Public Works for sole-sourcing the Chinook helicopter without properly justifying a decision to skirt a normal competitive process.

“What we found in the audit is troubling,” Ms. Fraser said in her fall report Tuesday.

There are delays of 5 and seven years to purchase these helicoptors and massive cost over-runs. Whoever is making these decisions needs to be held accountable!

Not only do we have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for these helicoptors they are years and years behind schedule. This means our old equipment is being used well past its shelf life. This adds huge amounts to the maintenance costs.

And DND is saying that they will have to cut back on the operating hours of the new aircraft. This is how we give our military new equipment??? "Yes, you can have the new choppers in a few years.... No, you can't fly them very often...."

[Bugs]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/auditor-slams-ottawas-helicopter-purchase-and-warns-of-fighter-jet-risk/article1773452/

There are delays of 5 and seven years to purchase these helicoptors and massive cost over-runs. Whoever is making these decisions needs to be held accountable!

Not only do we have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for these helicoptors they are years and years behind schedule. This means our old equipment is being used well past its shelf life. This adds huge amounts to the maintenance costs.

And DND is saying that they will have to cut back on the operating hours of the new aircraft. This is how we give our military new equipment??? "Yes, you can have the new choppers in a few years.... No, you can't fly them very often...."

It looks to me as if the gold braid part of the military deceived the government, along with the supplying company. What do you do when there is only one supplier for the equipment you need?

Government aren't very effective purchasing agents. They even over-pay for paperclips.

I'll give the present government this much credit -- they have done a lot better job equipping our troops than has been the case over the preceding 20 years. Strangely enough, it was Paul Martin who started the acquisitions and took on the assignment in Afghanistan, but before that, the military were treated like crap. Remember, this helicopter story goes back to the Mulroney contract that Chretien spitefully cancelled, even though it cost him half a billion to get nothing.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Bugs

[wyly]

It looks to me as if the gold braid part of the military deceived the government, along with the supplying company. What do you do when there is only one supplier for the equipment you need?

Government aren't very effective purchasing agents. They even over-pay for paperclips.

military people are like spoiled kids demanding everything on the toy shelf, screw the cost mommy and daddy taxpayer are paying for it...how many people are so dumb not to know that when buying a car the the one that's advertised at the "super low low price" is a stripped model with a minimum of options...

either they're complete idiots or they pulled a fast one over all of us, deceiving us as to the real cost of the purchases...

[RNG]

This pre-dates my becoming a political junkie, but didn't Chretien cancel a helicopter order the Conservatives place with a massive contract cancellation penalty, and this is all part of that hole we are trying to dig our way out of?

[Guest TrueMetis]

This pre-dates my becoming a political junkie, but didn't Chretien cancel a helicopter order the Conservatives place with a massive contract cancellation penalty, and this is all part of that hole we are trying to dig our way out of?

Yep.

[The_Squid]

This pre-dates my becoming a political junkie, but didn't Chretien cancel a helicopter order the Conservatives place with a massive contract cancellation penalty, and this is all part of that hole we are trying to dig our way out of?

That doesn't excuse this massive screw-up. Chretien was an arrogant fool. Harper's bunch are no better.

from $5billion to $11 billion with 5 and 7 year delays to get them. Plus training and operation hours will be cut to compensate. How is that "good for the troops" or for the taxpayers?

[Wilber]

That doesn't excuse this massive screw-up. Chretien was an arrogant fool. Harper's bunch are no better.

from $5billion to $11 billion with 5 and 7 year delays to get them. Plus training and operation hours will be cut to compensate. How is that "good for the troops" or for the taxpayers?

It doesn't. Seems DND has screwed their own people, never mind the taxpayers and a government that was trying to get what they say they need. Incompetence or what? Answers needed.

[Saipan]

Auditor slams helicopter purchase, as well as long gun registration.

[Argus]

Not only do we have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for these helicoptors they are years and years behind schedule. This means our old equipment is being used well past its shelf life. This adds huge amounts to the maintenance costs.

DND major purchases are ALWAYS behind schedule and over budget. DND has the most complex and idiotic purchasing system in the world - next to Public Works, which has its own insane amount of red tape. You put the two together and you're bound to have delays and cost overruns.

[The_Squid]

DND major purchases are ALWAYS behind schedule and over budget. DND has the most complex and idiotic purchasing system in the world - next to Public Works, which has its own insane amount of red tape. You put the two together and you're bound to have delays and cost overruns.

This is no excuse for poor fiscal management. I prefer to hold my representatives accountable, regardless of political party. People like you would cry foul if the Libs handle government spending poorly.... but Cons get a free pass... cuz they're your guys...

The average Canadian is not a partisan hack and wants responsible governance regardless of the party in power.

Edited October 27, 2010 by The_Squid

[fellowtraveller]

That doesn't excuse this massive screw-up. Chretien was an arrogant fool. Harper's bunch are no better.

from $5billion to $11 billion with 5 and 7 year delays to get them. Plus training and operation hours will be cut to compensate. How is that "good for the troops" or for the taxpayers?

It is putrageous.

We should have a full forensic accounting, a nonpartisan Parliamentary committee, a public inquiry and a complete and full [rocurement process.

Then we can spend $800 billion on helicopters in 2082, in full confidence we have acted with prudence and foresight.

Edited October 27, 2010 by fellowtraveller

[The_Squid]

It is putrageous.

We should have a full forensic accounting, a nonpartisan Parliamentary committee, a public inquiry and a complete and full [rocurement process.

Then we can spend $800 billion on helicopters in 2082, in full confidence we have acted with prudence and foresight.

The fact that we need helicoptors does not negate the fact that this procurement was done irresponsibly and ineptly.

[Argus]

This is no excuse for poor fiscal management. I prefer to hold my representatives accountable, regardless of political party. People like you would cry foul if the Libs handle government spending poorly.... but Cons get a free pass... cuz they're your guys...

I feel perfectly free to criticize Harper and his party and have done so numerous times. But the red tape and bureaucracy at DND were legendary when I was a boy and apparently insoluble