F35 procurement now on CPAC

[Guest Derek L]

Please don't speak to me about numbers or amortization. I work with those sorts of numbers for a living and would dance circles around most people in that regard. Every piece of military equipment in service has a cost amortization. It really has nothing to do with our argument either.

So you understand then how a government will pay for these types of purchases then. So, we're down to a smaller figure then, (29 billion over 30 is now ~950 million)

This is what we call 'mental gymnastics'. You've presented a bunch of numbers to us that seem really interesting, but mean absolutely nothing. What does Canada's replacement cost of their navy have to do with what a Japanese fighter purchase will be? Japan has a navy 10x the size of ours, which will also need to be replaced, and takes up a large part of their military budget.

No, it's called providing the numbers you requested. On average, the Japenese navy is newer than ours, and when they replace a ship, it's on a per hull basis, not a large block purchase like we'll have to do with ours.....or our airforce.

I've used this also as an example to illistrate an expense that we will have, in addition to the JSF purchase, on our limited budget.

But I will ask you, if their navy is ten times the size of ours, on a budget only double ours, what makes you think they can't afford an airforce, six times the size of ours?

Maybe, you might want to start providing some numbers....just saying.

Again, the Japanese are going to buy more fighters. That's a given. Nowhere is there any indication of an intention to purchase 400 F-35's, or F-22's for that matter. You're making a case for the red herring award.

I provided a link a few pages back, and I'll gladly provide more once you start backing up your statements with more than a hunch.

[Roger Steele]

There is little doubt that the F35s will cost more than the original quote. I've never seen a similar program come in under budget!

I just have one thing to say. When are we going to quit arguing and get our forces some new equipment to take into battle? We have some of the best trained forces in the world but they are constantly being sent into combat situations with antiquated equipment or the wrong colored clothing on borrowed rides. We either need to spend some money to equip our armed forces properly or fold our tents and admit that we are at the mercy of our neighbors to the south.