Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question has to do with the National Defence departmental plan 2020‑21.
It states that the percentage of air fleets that should be serviceable to meet requirement and operational readiness criteria is 85%. The target for achieving this was March 31, 2021.
In 2018, it was 79%. In 2019‑20, it was at 60%, and currently, it's at 55%.
In 2018, we went around in circles. Canada wanted to buy 18 Super Hornets, but there were no pilots to fly them. It bought Australian planes knowing there were no pilots.
When you know there are no aircraft or pilots, and you buy the aircraft without pilots to fly them, there's a problem.
Mr. Hayes, is this a political issue or is it a Department of National Defence issue? Who makes the decisions?