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Holy blast from the past Stephen.
There’s a new and historic twist to the federal Conservative government’s ongoing ordeal with the purchase of F-35 stealth fighter jets and it’s an idea straight out of last century.
A Canadian company has come forward with an updated version of the legendary CF-105 Avro Arrow an alternative purchase to the F-35, The Canadian Press reports.
Developed in the 1950s, the Arrow was an all-weather supersonic interceptor jet that garnered acclaim for the Canadian aviation industry due to its advanced technical and aerodynamic achievement. Although several prototypes were built and flight tests had been conducted, the project was abruptly and controversially shut down in 1959 by the Diefenbaker government.
But thanks in part to one of Canada’s top soldiers, retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie who is one of the project’s proponents, the design has been dusted off and updated.
MacKenzie told the Global News program “The West Block” that the Arrow’s basic design and platform still exceed any current fighter jet and that it would be perfect for Canada’s needs.
“It’s an attack aircraft. It’s designed for attacking ground targets and its stealth is most effective against short range radar, protecting ground targets,” MacKenzie said.
Apparently, the Arrow plan was first put before the Harper Conservatives in 2010 by Bourdeau Industries, an international company with offices in the U.K. and Canada.
There is a lot of romance to the notion of resurrecting the Avro Arrow. Creating a made-in-Canada solution would not only breathe new life into Canada’s aviation industry, but would also create new jobs and add billions of dollars to the Canadian economy.
But to serve modern Canadian needs there has to be more than nostalgia behind such an initiative. Yet proponents like MacKenzie are adamant the new Arrow could do the job. The proposal, which was updated this year, suggests the plane could fly 20,000 feet higher than the F-35 and soar twice as fast.
Thus far, the Harper Government has not bought into the romance. Last June the Tories rejected the plan, saying too much money and time would be required to execute the plane’s construction. Government officials also said the updated Arrow didn’t meet the required technical specifications, namely the stealth technology requirements.
However, Mr. MacKenzie told the Globe and Mail that the new CF-105 would look like its predecessor but comparisons would end there. The improved design would feature an updated Mark III engine and its range would be two to three times that of the F-35. He also said the Arrow’s ability to fly about 20,000 feet higher than the F-35 would make up for the lack of stealth.
And here’s the kicker — the total projected cost of the plane plan would be $11.73 billion, compared to the $16 billion the federal government says the F-35 program will cost. Although, keep in mind that Canada’s auditor general and the parliamentary budget officer suggest the true cost of the F-35 program will be closer to $25 billion.
In our opinion, it may be a little late in the game to switch plans — but at this point perhaps its still fair to ask if it’s not too late.
With the plans for the F-35s still on hold, and the government having hired an outside accounting firm to crunch the numbers on the program, it may be time to look back in history for a Canadian-made solution that could meet our future needs.
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition September 11, 2012
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Holy blast from the past Stephen.
There’s a new and historic twist to the federal Conservative government’s ongoing ordeal with the purchase of F-35 stealth fighter jets and it’s an idea straight out of last century.
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Holy blast from the past Stephen.
There’s a new and historic twist to the federal Conservative government’s ongoing ordeal with the purchase of F-35 stealth fighter jets and it’s an idea straight out of last century.
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