Public Accounts committee  The two contracts are signed. For the Cyclones, five are in production--

Public Accounts committee  No.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, perhaps I could give a broader context to how long it takes to produce and to do certification testing of a military helicopter. For a marine helicopter, after contract signing it typically takes between seven and 10 to 12 years to complete all of the design work,

National Defence committee  Sir, the Canada First defence strategy does reflect the Government of Canada on both defence and foreign policy in terms of our involvement in the defence of Canada, North America, and our involvement as a G-8 partner in international operations. That is government foreign policy

National Defence committee  All the partners have a different geopolitical environment. They all tend to be NATO—five of them are in Europe, and Australia, Canada, and the U.S. are not, obviously—but I think we've shared a similar apprehension about the uncertainty of the future development of weapons syste

National Defence committee  That's right.

National Defence committee  Exactly.

National Defence committee  Which is where we are now--

National Defence committee  --and with the opportunities for up to $12 billion over the lives of 5,000 planes.

National Defence committee  You can see what's out there, but the U.S. government would not participate in your competitive bidding process.

National Defence committee  I'll go back to the first point of my opening address. When you have a competition and you only have one player, one supplier, it's not a competition. It's about the available fifth-generation fighters, and there's only one that you could actually buy. It's not a competition, and

National Defence committee  Yes, sir.

National Defence committee  That's where I am. The world is an uncertain place. Perhaps in an ideal world we would have clarity, from a foreign policy point of view. I'd be delighted to have that. But if you don't have it and you have to replace your fighters because they are not going to be life-extended..

National Defence committee  Sir, we have a very good idea of the price--a very good idea--and the actuals are tracking below.... There was a very significant review done in the Pentagon by an independent budget office, and they predicted a certain cashflow as the production goes. They are actually performin

National Defence committee  I can't describe it in accurate detail. I'd have to get you more information. It has no specific disadvantage for Canada. We contributed somewhat less money than the British, but, frankly, the price to our aircraft is exactly the same price that any partner will pay at the year o