EyeBrock wrote:
Its not an attack on him because he is/was a Dipper. He was blatantly wrong in so many areas I checked out his bio.
When people comment on things they know fuck-all about, I check why they are making the comments.
His article, besides being wrong and misleading, has an obvious political agenda.
This guy is a radical and is blatantly anti the Tory government. That's fine, but get your facts right Mr NDP Byers. Then you look credible. As it is, he's just another lefty trying to undermine ANYTHING the Tory's do.
So you say but you have your bias as well.
EyeBrock wrote:
I'm not going to debate the obvious partisan slant this article has because you are not really that open to input on these things.
And you are? We both know better. I say he makes a fair number of points and I think he is dead on that Canada was bullied into purchasing the F35 (and the Aussies). His article provides a very reasonable explanation and quite frankly I think its the truth. The US needed to sell that plane.
EyeBrock wrote:
The F18E/F is yesterdays aircraft. The Aussies know that. Whatever you say about the Aussies, they have managed to fund a very effective fighting machine with bits of kit we lack. For the same cash.
No it isn't yesterdays aircraft. Its todays and even the ones we would get would be an improvement on that and they further developing it to the F18X. I might be making Hypers arguement concerning the Typhoon or Rafele or Grippen but I don't think we could get them for the price.
As for the F35 I've been doing a little research and there are serious questions about its performance. In fact the Aussies have been grappling with this question for years which is why their purchase has been postphoned, cancelled, and then reinstated at a smaller number and is still under some threat.
EyeBrock wrote:
The F35 is like any other large procurement program, politically loaded. We don't want to be doing an EH101 on this. All our main defence partners are on board with this program, including the Aussies, Brits, Dutch and the Great Satan.
They are also on board with the F18E. Its certainly good enough to be the main aircraft of the US navy. Lets also not forget a few other facts, namely that our other allies are buying the Typhoon and Grippen, both much more cost effective fighters.
Funny you should mention the EH101 yet not mention the political porking we got over the C17s in term of additional cost and political problems. The same problem can certainly happen for an aircraft not yey fully proven unlike the other aircraft mentioned.
EyeBrock wrote:
I have said before that we should take a good look at the RAAF/RAN and Aussie Army as a 'best practices' role model.
Why? Just because you personally feel affection for them? I'd rather we look to our own needs since they are different. You should also be reminded of our different financial situations compared to them.
EyeBrock wrote:
I take a great interest in defence matters and you know I spent 10 years in the RAF. I have a good idea what I'm talking about. Mr 'I can't even get the Herk's number right' Byers doesn't. He calls the Herk a C135 on his blog too.
Oh? You spent 10 years in the Royal Air Force? Hyperion spent 10 years in the Canadian Navy and he has been insulted left and right on this thread.
EyeBrock wrote:
He has no clue what he's talking about. Do you?
I'll remind you of that the next time you post your opinion about the state of healthcare in Ontario since I am well aware that we have opened many new hospitals including a larger and better equipped one in my town. In addition we have hired more doctors and nurses and related workers. That doesn't prevent you from posting your opinion on the subject.
I know what I'm talking about when I say we can get 3X the aircraft for less then the price we are paying for the F35s. I can certainly read the criticisms by experts concerning the performance of the F35.
Again, we can purchase a comparable aircraft in the F18E for 1/3 the price. That means we either get many more aircraft or we have much more money to purchase other equipment.
CKA Super Elite 
