Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is an honour to be in the presence of so many generals. We definitely feel very safe.
I am particularly pleased that you are with us today, gentlemen. Indeed, as the saying goes,
the devil is in the details
Although we may talk about major principles and concepts, I have always believed that requirements cannot really be determined on the basis of criteria. I think you really have to focus on the ultimate goal—in other words, what you're really trying to achieve—rather than on platforms.
As you know, we do not support the purchase of C-17s. But, what really concerns me is the enormous power you have. I am not questioning the integrity or transparency of the process, but the fact remains that you have the power to change the criteria as you go along—either the delivery date or the payload capacity available to transport the equipment. In that context, we could talk about strategic airlift capability. That must be taken into consideration.
General Ross, to begin with, I would like to talk about the C-17s and then the ITAR or International Traffic in Arms Regulation. You have produced a paper in which you make certain recommendations. I think it's important that we discuss this.
First of all, the Minister of Defence has talked much about transparency and openness. For the sake of transparency, can you confirm that the air force payload requirement for strategic airlift was 40,000 pounds until very recently?