excerpt - [Two factors account for the decrease. First, Harper is focused on delivering a surplus in 2015 that will enable him to cut taxes before the election. Deep spending reductions are therefore needed and, with no significant missions underway or anticipated, the military is an easy target. Last year, reduced maintenance budgets forced the Army to park many of its trucks, while the Navy tied up half of its patrol vessels. The Air Force cut back on maintenance of its CF-18 fighter jets, with possible safety consequences for its pilots. This year, the PM clawed back an additional $3.1-billion in defence spending. Second, the Harper government has failed to complete a number of major defence procurement projects and, by so doing, kept them off the budget. For it is the year of spending, not the year of announcing or contracting, which determines when expenditures first show up on the balance sheet. The delayed procurements have left the military in a weakened state. In 2006, the Harper government announced the replacement of the Navy’s 45 year-old supply ships. Eight years later, no construction contract has been signed. The new ships are now expected in 2020, with the $2.6-billion expense postponed until then. In the same year, the government promised 1,300 armoured trucks to replace a fleet the Army warned was at risk of “catastrophic failure.” To date, no manufacturer has been selected and $800-million remains unspent. New search-and-rescue planes were also promised in 2006, to replace a half-century old fleet. This procurement, too, has suffered repeated delays, leaving $1.9-billion hanging. Also in 2006, the government launched a plan to sole-source unmanned aerial vehicles. No contract has been signed and $1-billion remains unspent. Under Harper, the Sea King delivery date has slipped to 2018, with nearly $1.8-billion still to be paid The following year, Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships were promised. Seven years later, no construction contract has been signed and $3.1-billion remains off the ledger. In 2010, the Harper government announced that F-35 fighter jets would be purchased to replace the CF-18s, at a cost of $9-billion. No contract was signed and the decision was later suspended, after the Auditor General estimated a life-cycle cost of $45-billion for the fleet. In 2011, the government announced that the Navy’s 44 year-old destroyers would be replaced. No contract has been signed, delivery has slipped to at least 2020, and another $5.2-billion has been deferred. Then, in 2013, the government cancelled a $2-billion purchase of Close Combat Vehicles for the Army. Finally, there is the never-ending effort to replace the Sea King helicopters. The Martin government signed a contract in 2004, with deliveries promised for 2009. Under Harper, the delivery date has slipped to 2018, with nearly $1.8-billion still to be paid. It is possible that Harper intends to carry through with these procurements, after pausing to create the temporary illusion of a surplus. If so, he is setting his successor up for a headache. For there is, in fact, a substantial deficit — resulting from over-$25 billion in deferred acquisition costs for military equipment.] fullcomment.nationalpost/2014/07/08/michael-byers-the-harper-plan-for-unilateral-canadian-disarmament/
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 10:19:14 +0000
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