Evidence of meeting #38 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 aircraft.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
We have never received a formal request for information, not to mention a request for a quotation.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
So what I hear from that is that contrary to what the government has been saying, there was no formal competition, and the F-35 is not the only plane on the market that in fact could meet the requirements that this country needs. You have indicated very clearly today that you could meet those requirements.
Now, the F-35 has been rumoured to be around $92 million. We see the vice-chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States, Marine Corps General James Cartwright, indicating that in fact they're relooking at whether or not the Marine Corps can afford it. The prices are far too high. They have now said, because the British have decided to look at a different variant, that they may in fact do so as well. So that would seem to me to offer opportunities for your company and others to be out there. So whether the F-35 ever takes off the ground is questionable.
But the key thing we are looking at, as the official opposition, is whether or not there is an open, fair, transparent competition, whether anyone else is in the market. If there's only one in the market, so be it. But your testimony today seems to clearly underline, both in terms of the requirements and the needs of Canada, that you can meet all of those.
I guess the question is whether there any reason that, in your view, you were not approached, given the fact that you have a history and that you have, obviously, an aircraft out there that can meet these requirements.
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
Unfortunately, we are not the right party to respond to this question. You should raise the question with those who have not raised the issue with us. We are ready to respond to any RFI or RFQ we receive. We have responded to many of those, including countries where you may say we would have a very limited possibility of competing, and we are ready to support any clear and transparent acquisition process by any country.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
And are you prepared to offer guaranteed industrial benefits equal to the total value of any contract we would sign?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
That's in our DNA, I should say.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
It's a pretty good DNA.
All right, thank you.
I think Mr. Dryden has a question.
Liberal
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
When you were questioned before, Mr. Hawn asked a couple of questions and then offered answers. In terms of the greater appropriateness of this aircraft for more point to point as opposed to a broader scale, and also in terms of the significantly greater cost, I'd like to ask you this. Even if you're not able to offer exactly what that cost is, knowing what you know--what the cost is of the F-35--are you saying you can match that cost on the one side of it, and on the other side of it the appropriateness for Canadian needs, as Mr. Hawn outlined?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
As I've said, I can only comment on the cost figures for the F-35 that I have read in the literature. It's clear that we can match and significantly improve those figures with the Eurofighter platform.
Conservative
Conservative
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses and to Mr. Nappi for being here this afternoon.
Mr. Nappi, you described a scenario in which Canada could establish an assembly line for the Typhoon here in Canada. Have you offered that arrangement to any other countries, and if so, which ones?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
We have offered the final assembly line already in two competitive tenders that we are currently participating in, namely those with Japan and India. We were offering this to Greece in the early days, when this was an active campaign, before the difficult economic situation of Greece that now is putting this campaign aside a little bit. We were offering it to Turkey as well.
Conservative
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Have any of these countries taken you up on the offer?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
For Turkey, the offer has not been formally taken up by the country. We are still discussing and promoting the campaign, so there is no formal requirement from Turkey in that sense. But with Japan and India, where formal competitions are currently under way, we have put it in our proposal. It was actually a firm requirement from India and Japan to have this capability.
Conservative
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
With respect to India, then, India is currently in the midst of a competition, and they're considering the Typhoon. What other aircraft are they considering?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
We are competing for what is called the MMRCA; that's “medium multi-role combat aircraft”. Today there are six contenders.
Conservative
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
How many aircraft would India be interested in purchasing?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
The current requirement is for 126 aircraft plus an option for another 63.
Conservative
Peter Braid Conservative Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Okay.
What industrial benefits would India reap from an arrangement with Eurofighter?
Head of Eurofighter Export, Alenia Aeronautica
They have a very strong requirement for licensed production. The last tranche, of 62 aircraft, would reach a level of 60% of the total weapon system manufactured by local industry.
