King
3 December 2000, 03:30
Just wondering if anyone had read or heard about this.
Canada cools on move to share C-17
ownership
SHARON HOBSON
JDW Correspondent
Ottawa
Canada does not want to share a strategic airlift fleet
with the USA but might be willing to help out the
superpower with its lift requirements.
The Department of National Defence (DND) had been
considering purchasing up to six Boeing C-17 aircraft
and making them available to the US when not needed
by the Canadian Forces.
In return, the USA would be willing to share operating
costs, and would ensure that at least six C-17s were
always available for Canadian military missions.
However, what looked like a feasible solution to both
countries' lift problems proved too difficult to implement.
Col Pat Dowsett, project manager for the Future
Strategic Airlift Project (FASP), told JDW that
"although nothing has been decided, the shared aircraft
theory is something that's not getting a lot of support
right now". He said military airlift is viewed as a
national asset and there are "complicating factors in
sharing aircraft" such as in which country's colours the
aircraft would be painted and whether they would be
crewed by Canadian or US personnel.
Further, "we may have political sensitivities involved in
that you might see American airplanes, with Canadian
crews doing Canadian jobs and the Americans might
not be too happy with that". For example, if Canada
was to use the aircraft to transport aid to Cuba.
Up to C$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) has been allocated for
the FASP. The DND is studying four options: an
arrangement with a commercial company to provide
airlift as required; the Airtruck
An-7X; the Airbus Military Company's A400M; or the
Boeing C-17. Col Dowsett says the options include
buying, leasing or some other financial arrangement.
The aircraft would likely be painted in Canadian colours
and operated from Canadian Force Base Trenton,
Ontario. The number being considered is up to six
C-17s or up to 13 A400Ms or An-7Xs.
The USAF is keen for the DND to acquire C-17s
because they would like to have access to them. Col
Dowsett says: "Should we acquire C-17s and should
we have an excess in capacity during peacetime, the
Americans are very interested in ... tapping into that
excess capacity."
Canada would not lend the USAF its aircraft but rather,
"on a case-by-case basis, we would satisfy an airlift
task."
The DND also has a C$2.2 billion project to replace the
19 Lockheed Martin C-130E models in its 32-strong
aircraft tactical transport fleet. Col Dowsett says this
project will be affected by the FASP because "the total
airlift we end up with will be more oriented toward
strategic capabilities than they are now".
He adds: "It is an option that we could reduce our
requirement on the C-130 side by buying aircraft that
do the same things that the C-130 can do." He
therefore expects the two projects ultimately to be
combined.
Canada cools on move to share C-17
ownership
SHARON HOBSON
JDW Correspondent
Ottawa
Canada does not want to share a strategic airlift fleet
with the USA but might be willing to help out the
superpower with its lift requirements.
The Department of National Defence (DND) had been
considering purchasing up to six Boeing C-17 aircraft
and making them available to the US when not needed
by the Canadian Forces.
In return, the USA would be willing to share operating
costs, and would ensure that at least six C-17s were
always available for Canadian military missions.
However, what looked like a feasible solution to both
countries' lift problems proved too difficult to implement.
Col Pat Dowsett, project manager for the Future
Strategic Airlift Project (FASP), told JDW that
"although nothing has been decided, the shared aircraft
theory is something that's not getting a lot of support
right now". He said military airlift is viewed as a
national asset and there are "complicating factors in
sharing aircraft" such as in which country's colours the
aircraft would be painted and whether they would be
crewed by Canadian or US personnel.
Further, "we may have political sensitivities involved in
that you might see American airplanes, with Canadian
crews doing Canadian jobs and the Americans might
not be too happy with that". For example, if Canada
was to use the aircraft to transport aid to Cuba.
Up to C$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) has been allocated for
the FASP. The DND is studying four options: an
arrangement with a commercial company to provide
airlift as required; the Airtruck
An-7X; the Airbus Military Company's A400M; or the
Boeing C-17. Col Dowsett says the options include
buying, leasing or some other financial arrangement.
The aircraft would likely be painted in Canadian colours
and operated from Canadian Force Base Trenton,
Ontario. The number being considered is up to six
C-17s or up to 13 A400Ms or An-7Xs.
The USAF is keen for the DND to acquire C-17s
because they would like to have access to them. Col
Dowsett says: "Should we acquire C-17s and should
we have an excess in capacity during peacetime, the
Americans are very interested in ... tapping into that
excess capacity."
Canada would not lend the USAF its aircraft but rather,
"on a case-by-case basis, we would satisfy an airlift
task."
The DND also has a C$2.2 billion project to replace the
19 Lockheed Martin C-130E models in its 32-strong
aircraft tactical transport fleet. Col Dowsett says this
project will be affected by the FASP because "the total
airlift we end up with will be more oriented toward
strategic capabilities than they are now".
He adds: "It is an option that we could reduce our
requirement on the C-130 side by buying aircraft that
do the same things that the C-130 can do." He
therefore expects the two projects ultimately to be
combined.