Evidence of meeting #27 for National Defence in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was competition.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
If Canada decided it had to replace the F-18s in 2017, 2018, or whatever, at what stage would a statement of requirements be prepared? What does that have to do with anything with participation in the Joint Strike Fighter development process?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
To answer your latter question, obviously we entered the program. Pierre Lagueux, my predecessor, was smart enough to get us into this, I think in 1997. We signed on for the second phase in 2002, none of which as far as I was concerned had anything to do with our buying the plane. So I think they are two independent sets of events.
Timing-wise, if you want something for 2017 or 2018 and you typically want three or four years worth of lead time from the time you sign the contract, you want to be able to sign a contract say three or four or five years before that, 2012. So you want to start the process in 2010-ish, get the requirements out in 2010 and 2011 so you can pick the winner in 2012 and 2013.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
Thank you very much.
We'll now give the floor to Mr. Hawn for seven minutes.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Mr. Williams.
You left ADM Materiel in 2005 after six years, correct?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
Correct. Five and a half.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
You made some interesting statements in your submission, and I'd like to go over some of them with you, if that's okay.
You say the JSF MOU had nothing to do with buying the aircraft--correct?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
Correct.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Are you aware that when the Trudeau Liberals bought the CF-18--and Mr. Jean-Jacques Blais is here, who was there at the time--it was intended to serve from phase-in period plus 15 years, bringing it to 2003 when we would be in the process of acquiring a new fighter? Were you aware of that?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
No.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
That is a fact. I was there. I wrote some of those plans.
Since there was no other fighter aircraft program under way at that time, 2003, would it not make sense that the signing of the JSF MOU in 1997 and again in 2002 were in fact logical steps toward acquiring the aircraft?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
No.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Okay. We'll explore that some more.
You rightly cite three principles behind the MOU designed to reduce cost. This is just a comment on the aerospace industry in general. Obviously, there has been a lot of consolidation in the aerospace industry around the world, in North America particularly. The resulting situation in North America is there are really only two companies that build high-tech fighters, and that's Boeing and Lockheed Martin. You said you were glued to your TV for the announcement of the winner of the JSF competition. How did you feel when it was announced that Lockheed Martin had won the contract or the right to build the F-35?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
I was sorry I didn't buy Lockheed Martin stock the day before.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
You said that replacing the CF-18 was not on the radar in 2002, but that is contradicted by the plans that have been in place since the CF-18 was implemented in 1982.
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
Can I comment on that?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
That's not it at all. I was there. I knew what our capital priorities were. I knew where the major programs were, and there was no work whatsoever being done internally at that time developing.... We had no capital program on the books at that time to replace the CF-18s.
Conservative
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
No, it isn't.
Conservative
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
Okay.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
As you said, the CF-18 modernization program would make the aircraft operationally effective until 2017-18. We may be talking 2020, but let's say 2017-18. When should a new fighter start to arrive if we're going to push the CF-18 over the side in 2018?
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
In advance of those dates.
former Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), Department of National Defence, As an Individual
I don't know. It's not up to me to say.