Why bother trying to get C-130Js soonest...

...when there are decisions to be made about larding out the pork (that's my inference from this story, could be wrong)?

The U.S. has offered Canada early delivery on new C-130J military transport aircraft, but the Defence Department has taken months to decide whether it will accept.

Just last year, a Defence Department official said Canada was hoping for early delivery of the planes, but now that the Pentagon has made the offer, Canada has yet to make a decision.

Canada signed a contract with Lockheed Martin in December 2007 for 17 C-130Js, with the first aircraft to be delivered by December 2010 [see: Backgrounder...1. Tactical Airlift (C-130J Hercules)...Schedule here].

But the U.S. air force has agreed to free up two of the C-130Js from an ongoing order of its own with the manufacturer. That would allow the aircraft to be delivered to Canada six months earlier than scheduled so the Canadian Forces could get a head start in introducing the planes into the system...

Lockheed Martin spokesman Peter Simmons said the firm is standing by to hear how Canada wants to proceed.

According to an e-mail from the Defence Department's procurement branch, the Canadian Forces is "currently investigating options to expedite the delivery of the first aircraft."

"Therefore a possible date for early delivery has not yet been determined," the e-mail added.

Just last year, Dan Ross, the head of the Defence Department's procurement branch, confirmed that Canada had asked the Pentagon if it could pave the way for early delivery...

The assembly of the first Canadian aircraft is expected to start in the middle of next year, according to Lockheed Martin. The last aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2012.

Mr. Simmons said Lockheed Martin is now >running a competition for Canadian firms to supply various segments of the C-130J's in-service support package. That package, to run over the next 20 years, includes the various services needed to keep the planes operational. That would involve everything from the handling of spare parts to providing the electronic manuals needed by mechanics to work on the aircraft.

Once it has its Canadian team together, Lockheed Martin will take its in-service support proposal to the Canadian government for approval [emphasis added]...

By the way, Mr Ross said this in June 2007 (see 2)):

Dan Ross, the Defence Department's assistant deputy minister for materiel, said..."Once you're at contract you can negotiate delivery slots with other customers that would be earlier than 2010, maybe significantly earlier [emphasis added]," Mr. Ross said of the C-130J.

Missing opportunities it would seem.

Meanwhile, I see nothing wrong with a good sole-source contract (and I'm sure since it's to a Canadian firm based in Quebec--though its website rather downplays its Canadian nature--that the politicians didn't have too much trouble swallowing it):

CAE set to land federal training contract

The Conservative government is getting set to approve a $500-million program that would see the creation of aerospace training facilities to teach Canadian Forces aircrews how to fly new transport planes and helicopters, as well as aircraft to be bought in the future for search and rescue [see here for supposed schedule]

A team of Canadian companies led by CAE of Montreal will be awarded the contract for what is known as the Operational Training Systems Provider or "OTSP."

Montreal-based CAE, one of the world's largest aviation simulation firms, had been deemed by the federal government as the only qualified bidder for the program. Awarding the contract, however, had been delayed by the federal election in October...