National Defence committee  We are talking about a six-year period. With a five-year period, every vessel must go through a graving dock or a shipyard once every five years. That's typical. In a fleet of 12 frigates, for instance, it is normal for a quarter of them to be in a shipyard or at....

National Defence committee  Our system is based on the idea that surface vessels have a readiness period of five years. For submarines, the readiness period is....

National Defence committee  I can try to explain by telling you about the difference between individual competencies and the competencies of a navy crew, instead of explaining the full capacity of a marine fleet.

National Defence committee  The issues you described are based on the idea of fleet size and capacity. It is inevitable that frigates would make up over half of the fleet, but there is more to the fleet than just frigates. The smaller offshore patrol ships are very important to our current operations because they provide us with a capacity....

National Defence committee  Exactly. We have to find effective ways to deploy as many vessels as possible.

National Defence committee  I would suggest that what an NPS offers us is an opportunity for a long-term commitment and long-term planning. I think that's a key element of the strategy. Certainly, like any major decision of the complexity that we're talking about, it's never a seamless or perfect execution, but we're now where we need to be.

National Defence committee  Well, thank you for the question. I....

National Defence committee  What I can say is that the plan is to deliver three classes of ship over the next almost 25 or 30 years, and that those ships will then serve for upwards of 30 years. They're being designed for a 30-year life. That's what we're engineering into the designs of the ships. This is recognizing that decisions will have to be made, then, some decades down the track by future governments as to what they want to do, whether they replace the capability completely, or, as we've done—to your opening comment—decide to recapitalize the capability by modernizing it, because the platforms themselves are still viable platforms.

National Defence committee  I would have to go back and take that question—

National Defence committee  I would agree that the budget has gone up, and I would agree that more money will buy you more.

National Defence committee  I will be brief, Mr. Chair. I would say that there is no denying the degree to which there have been significant investments made in new capability over the last several years. I would also agree that the navy is very much looking forward to operationalizing—if I may use a military term—or bringing to life this shipbuilding program.

National Defence committee  I can't say that the ships themselves will last.

National Defence committee  The consequences are fairly easy to describe. The retirement of current refuellers and the delay in the construction of joint support ships have led to capacity issues, which have a ripple effect. Owing to the capacity issues, Canada is unable to support and maintain those ships at sea if it needs to deploy them elsewhere.

National Defence committee  Unfortunately, Ms. Michaud, it is not my place to offer an opinion on decisions related to acquisitions, operations and contracts in shipyards.

National Defence committee  If I understand correctly, you asked me two or three questions not only regarding the acquisition of new vessels, but also regarding decisions related to the retirement of refuellers. Is that right?