Pearson and the air force officer

You meet the most interesting people in airports. London MP Glen Pearson found that out and relates a conversation he had with an air force officer.

“Look, of course we want what’s supposedly the best out there; we wouldn’t be a good military if we didn’t.  But I’m not convinced that with the high price, the problems with maintenance, and the cost overruns in production qualifies it as the best for the Canadian forces.”

That is an absolutely true statement by any gauge. No military goes asking for second rate gear.

“For our purposes, I at least wish we had put out some bids for the F-18F Super Hornet,” he observed.  “That’s a pretty good piece of equipment.”  For the next 20 minutes a dedicated career military officer gave this MP a comprehensive education on aircraft and Canada’s future in military operations.

But what Pearson might have found surprising is something which has been swirling through the bazaars for some considerable time now. It just hasn't broken surface in the media.

Barring some cataclysmic event, he reasons that the Canadian forces will be looking for more “soft” missions, the kind that provide protection for peacekeeping operations or more limited forms of combat engagement than Afghanistan.  According to him, the Super Hornet is a better fit for the new role the Canadian forces are about to embrace.

Looking? Probably not too hard. Prepared to accept is more the emphasis. The problem, however goes to another issue: The Harper government has nothing close to a coherent defence policy.
Read more here. 

H/T Dale