Dks01 More that Canada will negotiate more Canadian participation in the F-35 program.
Makes a lovely soundbyte, with WHO and HOW will Canada get more participation? Genuine question, because again, from the materials I dug up way back, a country wanting to sign onto the F-35 program got a “Tier” of partnership commensurate with the amount contributed financially.
Whether there’s ways to increase or decrease that later on – and under what circumstances – ya got me.
ADDENDUM: I may have that bass-akwards, at least going by this REDDIT thread.
To refer to the source materials : https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48304
International participation in the F-35 program is divided into three levels, according to the amount of money a country contributes to the program—the higher the amount, the greater the nation’s influence on aircraft requirements, design, and access to technologies gained during development. Level 1 partner status requires approximately 10% contribution to aircraft development and allows for fully integrated office staff and a national deputy at the director level.
160. Ibid. Unlike the SDD phase, the Production, Sustainment and Follow-on Development (PSFD) phase does not make any distinction as to levels of participation. A single PSFD MOU covers all partner governments. In signing the PSFD MOU, partner governments state their intentions to purchase the F-35, including quantity and variant, and the JPO determines their delivery schedule. PSFD costs are divided on a “fair-share” basis according to the programmed purchase amount of the respective nation. F-35 officials decided to take a different approach, in line with the program’s goal to control costs, to avoid so-called “offset” arrangements, and promote competition as much as possible. Consequently, all partner nations have agreed to compete for work on a “best-value” basis. According to the Defense Acquisition University, about 80 countries require “offset” arrangements, which compensate the flow of money from the foreign country for the purchase of U.S. defense equipment.
So to my limited Joe Taxpayer mind, I want X car from Y company, but I want economic benefits from Y, versus everyone else in my neighborhood who just walks down to the dealership to buy X car with nothing but money changing hands.
Given the fact that very few other military aircraft programs have moved beyond the “vaporware” phase of things – eg. the aforementioned FCAS program, the UK Tempest program, the Japanese F-X program, the Russian Su-75 “Checkmate” program, – either Canada comes up with said “best-value” offer for the F-35 – the nuts and bolts of such, I don’t know what that is – or Canada pulls out of the PSFD MOU and goes all-in on the Gripen.
…or in shorter form, “Like It Or Lump It.”
We’ll Have To See….
Regards
