The military procurement mess/Politics and fixed-wing SAR

A nice piece by Barry Cooper, professor of political science at the University of Calgary and a Fellow of the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.

The potential horrors of military procurement: for some strange reason the current issue of Ottawa Life magazine (Vol. 9, Number 3) has a full page ad from Bombardier promoting a military version of the Dash-8 (actually now called the "Q series") for "Search and Rescue". "A Canadian made solution..." blah, blah, blah.

A Dash-8 derivative would not have a ramp, considered important for SAR mission, and does not have the fuselage configuration usefully to double as a light tactical transport. The only reasonable candidates for the fixed-wing SAR job (with the additional and most desirable transport capabilities) are the Alenia C-27J (lots of commonality with the C-130Js we are almost certain to buy) or the EADS CASA C-295 (long considered the only serious competitors).

Q Series aircraft and military derivatives are built in Toronto; Bombardier is considered a Quebec company. What will a minority government, seeking a majority through more seats in Ontario and Quebec, do? If honestly trying to get the best plane for the Air Force perhaps follow the policy of Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator--at least if the next federal election is not delayed too long. Otherwise a tough decision should be made.

Update: Thank goodness we're well clear of the Airbus A400M--Airbus head says its schedule is on the edge (h/t to Fred).

Streiff is also saying that the A400M – the military airlifter - could suffer cost overruns or delays. "The timetable is exactly on the edge. It is a tense situation with a number of suppliers and internally. We are exactly on track but without any reserves [of time]," Strieff says...

Streiff is also saying that the A400M – the military airlifter - could suffer cost overruns or delays. "The timetable is exactly on the edge. It is a tense situation with a number of suppliers and internally. We are exactly on track but without any reserves [of time]," Strieff says...

That there is a potential problem seems to be confirmed by the speed with which Francois Lureau, head of France's DGA procurement agency, came rushing to the defence of the project, declaring that, "the key milestones have been respected and that deliveries are on track for 2009." That, of course, is not the point – the question is whether cost over-runs will force Airbus to pull the plug or slow down production...