F-35 ett fiasko? Läckta Rand rapporten och annat kul

A highly-anticipated, government-commissioned report on
the F-35 and its competitors shows little difference between the
four warplanes when it comes to the vast majority of missions they
will be required to perform.

The only major exception is fighting against another country, though
the report says such an event is “highly unlikely” to occur in the future,
and even then, “the government is not obliged to undertake such a mission.”

The findings are expected to set off another round of bitter debate in
the House of Commons and defence circles over whether the government
should move ahead with purchasing the F-35.

In particular, critics will likely hold the report up as proof the F-35 isn’t
the only aircraft that can meet Canada’s needs, and that a fair and open
competition is the only way to ensure the best plane at the best price.

A new Defence Department report says the cost of the F-35 has continued
to rise, and suggests the Conservative government will face a tough choice
if it goes ahead with the controversial stealth fighter.

In particular, the government may be forced to pony up an extra $1 billion
or else cut back on the number of aircraft as a result of the weaker
Canadian dollar, inflationary changes, and other countries slashing their own orders.

The F-35 annual update obtained by the Citizen presents the most
up-to-date cost estimates for the stealth fighter. The reports are
part of a government promise to inject more transparency after the
auditor general blasted its handling of the project in 2012.