I think it's fair to say that it has an impact on their morale. It also affects, in some cases, decisions for their families in terms of where they may be based in the future, and their future career plans. It also has an impact internationally with respect to confidence from our important allies, NORAD and NATO.
I want to come back to the question of the number of aircraft, the 65. Under the current MOU, which, to their credit, the previous Liberal government signed and we've continued, this will allow for the potential for other purchases at a preferred price. It will allow us maximum flexibility in terms of meeting the security environment that may exist in the future.
Certainty is important, and avoiding an operational gap, I stress again, is the most important thing from the air force's perspective. They want to be able to do the job and do it efficiently and effectively with an aircraft that they have confidence in.
We ask a lot of these pilots, and for them to go out over the Atlantic, fly at those altitudes, and meet those challenges, they need an aircraft of fifth-generation capability.