1

[FirstpublishedbytheCentreforResearchonGlobalization(27April2011),
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24519.]

[Index:Canadianpolitics,StephenHarper]
[Date:April2011]

StephenHarpersStealthCampaigntoPurchaseNot
SoStealthyF35FighterBombers

MichaelKeefer

StephenHarperscampaigntopersuadeCanadiansofthemeritsoftheLockheed
MartinF35AJointStrikeFighterhasbeenastealthyone.Harpersuccessfullyevadedthe
BSdetectorradardefencesofnearly40percentoftheCanadianelectorateonMay2,
2011.Willhebeabletorepeatthetrickwhenitcomestopushingthroughthepurchase
oftheradicallyoverpricedandunderperformingF35s?

1.Astealthyprice?

Mr. Harper has told usin that boredSundayschoolteacher tone of patient

exasperationthatseemstobehisnativeaccentthatthe65F35Ashebargainedforata

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costofjust$75millionCanadianeachareagooddealforthiscountry.
Butthereareproblemswiththatpricetagafigurewhich,asdefencejournalist
DavidPugliesenotes,isnowheretobefoundinofficialU.S.governmentreportsonthe
aircraft.1
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO)has warnedabout serious
ongoingproblemswiththeaircraftandrisingcosts,andestimatesthattheF35model
thatCanadaisbuyingwillcostbetween$110to$115millionperplane.2
US Vice Admiral David Venlet, who heads the F35 Joint Program Office,
testifiedtoaUScongressionalcommitteeinMarch2011thathisconfidentprocurement
costestimatefortheF35A,theconventionaltakeoffandlandingmodelthatStephen
Harperwants,is$126.6million(including$15millionfortheengine).3
Winslow Wheeler, a former defence procurement analyst with the GAO and
currentlyDirectoroftheStrausMilitaryReformProjectoftheWashington,DCCenter
for Defense Information, has warned that the F35As, including their engines, will
probablycostCanadaaround$148millioneach.4
FormerLiberalleaderMichaelIgnatieffproposedthatthepriceperunitwould
amounttosome$156millionUSwhenamaintenancecontractisincluded.5
DavidPugliese,CanadianPublicHasBeenProvidedWithF35Information,Says
Harper.ConservativeLeaderSaysStealthFighterPurchaseaGoodDealFor
Canadians,OttawaCitizen(11April2011),
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2011/04/11/ca
nadianpublichasbeenprovidedwithf35informationsaysharperconservativeleader
saysstealthfighteraquotgooddealquotforcanadians.aspx.
2
DavidPugliese,WillF35sincludeengines?DefenceDepartmentreportraises
questions,WinnipegFreePress(17April2011),
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/willf35sincludeengines119997399.html?
device=mobile.
3
QuotedfromastatementissuedbyAlanWilliams,formerAssistantDeputyMinister
(Materiel)oftheDefenceDepartment,inresponsetotheConservativePartysApril10,
2011mediarelease;reproducedbyPugliese,CanadianPublicHasBeenProvided.
4
DavidPugliese,CanadasF35s:Enginesnotincluded.Governmentwillberequiredto
providepowerplantforstealthfighters,documentsshow,OttawaCitizen(17April
2011),
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+Engines+included/4629251/story.html.
5
MaxMunsle,CanadianPolitiansLackProblemSolvingSkillsinF35Debate,
CanadianAffairsbySuite101(26April2011),
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Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute and founder of Ceasefire.ca,
notedinJanuary2011thatCanadiansarebeingaskedtospendbetween$16and$21
billion of public dollars in initial purchase and maintenance costs, according to
DepartmentofNationalDefenceestimates,[]withoutaclearexplanationofwhy[F
35s]areneededforourprotection.6YetaccordingtotheParliamentaryBudgetOfficer,
theseDNDestimatesaremisleading:theF35programsfullcosttoCanadawillbemore
like$29.3billion,or$450millionforeachplaneoveritsplannedlifetime.7
StephenHarperdoesindeed havesupporters inthis debate.Prominent among
themisretiredGeneralPaulManson,formerChiefoftheDefenceStaffwhoinJanuary
2011stealthilyneglectedtosay,whenhecoauthoredan OttawaCitizen opedpiece
pushingtheF35deal,thatheisalsoaformerChairmanofLockheedMartinCanada,and
aformermemberoftheBoardofthatsamecompany.8
Whenhesnotinstealthmode,GeneralMansonsdefaultpostureseemstobe
bluster:hisnotionofrefutingWinslowWheelerscritiqueoftheF35dealistodenounce
it as a lowcredibility rant by an American visitor from a leftwing Washington
organization renowned for its antidefence posture.9 (That would be the Center for
Defense Information, an organization founded by retired American generals and
admirals.10)

http://www.suite101.com/content/canadianpoliticianslackproblemsolvingskillsinf
35debatea367938.
6
StevenStaples,HarpersF35stealthfighterpurchaseconfirmsEisenhowers
warning,Rabble.ca(17January2011),http://rabble.ca/news/2011/01/harpersf35
stealthfighterpurchaseconfirmseisenhowerswarning.
7
Munsle,Canadianpoliticians;andMaryBourrieandZhangDacheng,F35purchase
continuestodominatedebateinCanadianelection,Xinhuanet.com(11April2011),
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world201104/11/c_13822831.htm.
8
OttawaCitizenArticlebyPaulMansonandAngusWatt,F35:CanadasNext
GenerationFighter(24January2011),http://f35.ca/2011/ottawacitizenarticlebypaul
mansonandanguswatt/.
9
PaulManson,Dontlectureusaboutdefence,OttawaCitizen(13April2011),
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/lecture+about+defence/4605568/story.html.
10
IderivethisinformationfromCeasefire.ca,whichislinkedtotheRideauInstitute
describedinMansonsletterasfarleft.SeeManson:Stopranting!!!Ceasefire.ca(17
April2011),http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=7775.

2.Stealthyengines?
TheremaybeproblemsnotjustwiththeF35Asprice,butwithitsengineas
well. The Pentagons original procurement plans called for the development of two
competingenginemodels,onebyPratt&Whitney,andtheotherbyGeneralElectricand
RollsRoyce.ShortlyafterthePentagoncancelledthesecondengineprograminMarch
2011,alltwelveoftheF35testplaneshadtobegroundeddueaninflightfailureofboth
electricalgeneratorsinoneofthePratt&Whitneyengines.11
Thatlittleglitchmayevokeunhappymemoriesamongretiredairforcepilotsof
anotherLockheedsingleenginefighter,theCF104Starfighter,whichenteredservice
withtheCanadianairforcein1962.Canadahadatotalof200CF104s,ofwhichfully
110werelostinaccidents,manyofthemengineflameouts.ThesurvivingLawnDarts,
orWidowmakers,aspilotscalledthem,werereplacedbytwoengineCF18sduringthe
1980s.12
Weshouldbeaskingwhetheritmakessenseforanairforcethatfliesfighter
planes,sometimesindifficultweatherconditions,outofbaseslikeColdLake,Alberta
andGooseBay,Labrador,tosenditspilotsupinsingleengineaircraft.
ButStephenHarperappearstohavefinessedtheenginequestionbyquotinga
pricefortheF35Athatincludesneithertheprogramsrapidlyescalatingdevelopment
costs over the past several years normore basicallythe cost of supplying these
aircraftwithengines.13
Isitpossible,onemightwonder,thatHarperactuallymeansitwhenhesitsdown
BobCox,F35enginedebaterages;planescostdeepenspoliticalflapinCanada,
FortWorthStarTelegram(24March2011),http://www.star
telegram.com/2011/03/24/2948479/f35enginedebaterages
planes.html#0_undefined,0_.
12
CanadairCF104Starfighter,Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CF
104_Starfighter.TheGermanLuftwaffemadelessintensiveuseofits916Starfighters,
butstilllost292planesand115pilotstoaccidents.SeeListofF104Starfighter
operators,Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F104_Starfighter_operators.
13
Pugliese,CanadasF35s:Enginesnotincluded.
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atthepianotowarbleoutJohnLennonspeaceanthem,Imagine? 14Ishewillingtobuy
fighterbombers,yes,butnottheenginesthatwouldgetthemintotheair,wherethey
mightharmotherhumanbeingsorevenotherfifthgenerationfighteraircraft,likethe
ChineseJ20andtheRussianSukhoi35SandT50PAKSA?OrareHarpersImagine
andhisfiddlingwithF35figuresjusttwomoreinstancesofstealthbehaviour?15

3.Anotsostealthyaircraft?
Actually,thelikelihoodoftheF35sdoingseriousharmtoothernewfangled
fighteraircraftasopposed,letssay,todefencelesscivilianpopulationsindedeveloped
countrieswhomMr.Harpermightwanttobombintoanunderstandingofappliedhuman
rightsseemsratherslender.
Forthereappear,finally,tobeproblemswiththeF35'sperformance.Perhaps
moststrikingly,theplanesgeometrymeansthatitissignificantlystealthy(thatis,ableto
avoidearlydetectionandlockonbyenemyradar)onlyfromdirectlyinfront.Together
withrecentandongoingimprovementsinairdefenceradarsystems,thissuggeststhatthe
F35willbeunabletoreliablycarryoutitsprimarygroundattackroleunlessairdefences
havealreadybeendisabledbymorecapablystealthyfightersliketheF22.16
StefanChristoff,Imaginethat,YokoOnonailsStephenHarperforcopyright
infringement,Rabble.ca(7April2011),http://rabble.ca/news/2011/04/imagineyoko
ononailsstephenharpercopyrightinfringement.
15
HarpersrepertoirealsoincludestheRollingStonesJumpingJackFlash;see
HarperrocksTorypartywithmusicalperformance,TorontoStar(8December2010),
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/904009harperrockstorypartywith
musicalperformance.Foronemusiciansresponse,seeDickOverdale,HeyStephen,
youcantplayinmyband,Rabble.ca(27April2011),
http://rabble.ca/rabbletv/programguide/2011/04/bestnet/heystephenyoucantplaymy
band1.ThebestavailabledissectionofHarpersbehaviourisbyMurrayDobbin,
HarpersHitlist:Power,ProcessandtheAssaultonDemocracy,TheCouncilof
Canadians(15April2011),http://www.canadians.org/democracy/index.html;seealso
ChristianNadeau,RogueinPower:WhyStephenHarperisRemakingCanadabyStealth,
trans.EricHamovitchandRobertChodos(Toronto:Lorimer,2011).
16
NoahShachtman,$337BillionStealthJetNotSoStealthy:Report,DangerRoom:
WhatsNextinNationalSecurity(7January2009),
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InotherrespectsaswelltheF35hasbeenharshlycriticized.WinslowWheeler
has called the aircraft a gigantic performance disappointment, with sluggish
aerodynamics and merely average performance as a bomber.17 Although it is being
marketedasamultiroleaircraft,theF35appearstobeovermatchedbyothercurrently
availablefighteraircraft,intermsbothoftheweaponryitcancarryanditspowersof
evasion.OneexperthasquotedMajorRichardKoch,chiefoftheUSAFAirCombat
Commandsadvancedairdominancebranch,assaying:Iwakeupinacoldsweatatthe
thoughtoftheF35goinginwithonlytwoairdominanceweapons. 18 Andinarecent
computersimulationwargameconductedbytheRANDcorporationwhichmatchedF
35s against newgeneration Russian fighters, the F35s were shown up as unable to
maneuver,climb,orrunaway19asonereportbrutallyputit,theywereclubbedlike
babyseals.20
AveryCanadianimage,that:butdowereallyneedtoplaceourselvesateither
endofthisparticularstickorclub?
****
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/01/reportjointst/.Thereporttowhich
ShachtmanrefersisbyDr.CarloKopp,AssessingJointStrikeFighterDefence
PenetrationCapabilities,AirPowerAustralia(10April2011),
http://www.ausairpower.net/APA200901.html#mozTocld927290.
17
GregMarkey,U.S.ExpertsaysF35purchaseiswrongdealforCanada,Ottawa
Citizen(13April2011),
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/expert+says+purchase+wrong+deal+Canada/4
564357/story.html.
18
QuotedbyBillSweetman,JSFLeadersBackintheFight,Ares:ADefense
TechnologyBlog,inAviationWeek(22September2008),
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?
pickController=Blog&pickScript=blogScript&pickElementid=blogDest&pickBlogPage=
BlogViewPost&pickPostid=Blog%3A27ec4a53dcc842d0bd3a01329aef79a7Post
%3Ab1c3536a8d96481faef5d6428ec6f9ca.
19
JeroenTrommelen,2016:RussenoverweldigenJSF,vk.nl(20September2008),
http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/923142/2008/09/20/2016
RussenoverweldigenJSF.dhtml.Volgensdeanalysezalhijookdirectegevechten
moetenleveren.Daarineshijdubbelinferieur,omdathijnietkandraaien,nietkan
klimmenennietkanrennen.
20
QuotedbySweetman,JSFLeadersBackintheFight.

Some of the basic facts about the F35s limitations have been usefully
summarizedbytheAustralianexpert,andF35opponent,CarloKopp:
The F35 is an aircraft which was defined as a battlefield
interdictor, intended toattack anddestroyhostile battlefield ground
forces,onceopposingairdefenceshavebeenstrippedawaybythe
muchmorecapable,andnowcheaperF22Raptor.TheJSFaircraft
wasdefinedforaverynarrownicherole,anditsintendedperformance
andcapabilitieswereconstrainedtoavoidoverlappingotherUSAir
Forcecapabilityniches,suchasdeepstrikeoccupiedbytheF15E
andF22A,andairdominance,occupiedbytheF22A.
TheactualF35aircraft,asithasdevolvedthroughaproblematic
andprotracteddevelopmentprocess,showsallthesignsoffallingwell
below the promised and mediocre performance targets set in the
originaldefinitiondocument.
[.]WhatisremarkableabouttheCanadiangovernmentdecision
topursuetheF35isthatitoccurredduringaperiodwherethefailure
oftheF35JointStrikeFighterispatentlyobvious,welldocumented
publicly,andprovablebyreadingamyriadofUSandnonUSpublic
documents.21
AlucidalternativetotheF35AprogramhasbeenadvancedbyStevenStaplesof
theRideauInstituteandpublishedbytheCanadianCentreforPolicyAlternatives.He
proposes,first,abandoningsocalledexpeditionaryrolesfortheCanadianairforce.
(And why not? Since the Cold War that justified Canada stationing interceptors and
fighterbombers in Western Europe is long past, of what conceivable use are F35s
abroad,unlesstoparticipateincrookedandillegalresourcewarsliketheonecurrently
underwayinLibya?)
Staples suggests extending thelife ofCanadas existingCF18s byrestricting
Dr.CarloKopp,F35JSF:CanItMeetCanadasNeeds?AirPowerAustralia(19
October2010),http://www.ausairpower.net/APANOTAM1910101.html.
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themtoadomesticairdefenceandairsurveillanceandcontrolrole,andconsideringless
expensive alternatives to the F35. (These might include modernized versions of the
currentCF18SuperHornet,orotheraircraftsuchastheSaabGripenortheDassault
Rafaleand,forotherpurposes,thecominggenerationoflongrange,longendurance
pilotlessaircraft.)
We might then, Staples says, use the money saved by these measures to
contributetoCanadianandglobalsecurityinmoreeffectiveways.22

StevenStaples,PilotError:WhytheF35stealthfighteriswrongforCanada,
CanadianCentreforPolicyAlternatives(14October2010),availableat
http://www.rideauinstitute.ca/2010/10/14/piloterrorwhythef35stealthfighteris
wrongforcanada.
22