If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
"Martin Sefzig, director of Canadian programs for the European aerospace firm EADS, questioned Boeing's claims, and said the firm has issued similar warnings to other nations considering the C-17."
Which is very much the case.
The USAF ordered some more C-17s some time ago after they realized the demand was there for them. A C-17 is in a niche market. The cost associated with ramping back up and building a small number of planes after the fact would significantly increase the per unit cost and it might not be "feasible" all together at that point. Of course, EADS would then try to push their alternative the A400. Therefore, Canada missing this opportunity is something EADS would hope for.
The C-17 is a spectacular plane having both strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. Capable of carrying an M1 or conducting a mass airborne drop, near global reach (I think over 16 hours fuel), short take off and landings, able to land on unimproved airfields and and and, lots of commonality/off the shelf in components, this plane was on schedule and is today “under” cost because of the greater than anticipated production. If Canada waits, the C-17 will eventually slip out from under them. EADS would then have the likely chance to sell an A400 if it is operational. EADS comments were predictable and are inline with their business objectives. They must contradict this statement as this fact directly puts pressure on Canada to act now if they want a C-17.
Maybe we'll just go with this.
Russia Tries to Sell Planes, Helicopters and Guns to Canada
Created: 01.06.2006
Russian trade delegation is visiting Ottawa this week to offer Canada “rather huge planes and helicopters and even guns,” as the Russian Ambassador to Canada Georgy Mamedov said on Wednesday, May 31.
Canadian government is poised to spend billions on new military hardware. Defense Minister Gordon O’Connor wants to acquire long-range cargo planes and heavy-lift helicopters, both for the Afghanistan mission. The planes would also enable the delivery of massive amounts of troops, their heavy equipment and humanitarian relief to world hotspots on short notice.
The Russians are trying to interest Canada in their Ilyushin Il-76 MD-90 four-engine long-range cargo plane and their Mi-17V heavy lift transport helicopter, and they’re offering the incentive of leasing instead of buying and delivering directly to Afghanistan where they’re needed most. The Russians also say they can beat the delivery time of the nearest competitors by almost half by getting them into the hands of the Canadian Forces by late next year.
Canadian government has committed to keeping at least 2,000 troops in Afghanistan until 2009 and has pledged to get them more aircraft.
The government headed by Stephen Harper appears to favor the American built C-17 Boeing Globemaster long-range cargo plane, and heavy Chinook transport helicopters, but Russia is already applying direct political pressure on Mr. Harper to eschew buying from NATO countries. Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a direct pitch to Mr. Harper earlier this year in Ottawa and President Vladimir Putin will keep the pressure on in their first meeting next month in St. Petersburg at the G8 summit. “He will have bilateral discussions with President Putin,” Ambassador Mamedov said, quoted by the Ottawa Citizen. “One of the major topics will of course be security ... be it the war on terrorism, or providing for critical security for our infrastructure in energy co-operation. It certainly means, also, arms sales.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay will face similar lobbying when he visits Moscow later this month.
Ambassador Mamedov hosted a nearly two-hour presentation by five Russian arms sellers for an exclusive industry audience at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa on Wednesday, offering a full screening of the presentation the officials are showing to Canadian officials this week. The team acknowledged trying to persuade Canada to buy Russian would not be easy, but the delegation went to the trouble of bringing a draft treaty on military-industrial co-operation just in case.
“We don’t have any illusions here,” said Alexander Skobeltsyn, the leader of the trade mission and director of Russia’s federal agency on military co-operation. “Wise people say that rather than depend on one person, you should be friends with two.”
Mamedov reminded his audience that Canada already leases long-range Russian-built cargo planes to deliver humanitarian aid and heavy equipment, while the civilian equivalent of the Russian helicopter is now used on Alberta oil rigs. U.S. officials admit some Russian helicopters can carry more weight in mountains than their American counterparts.
I'm just happy we have a government that is starting to take things seriously. We need to buy American made equipment. I want F-22s damn it!!!!
The 9th Boeing ABM interceptor has been installed at Greeley. The problem with the rusted hinge has been repaired. Although it had been announced that there would be no further installation announcements after the eighth installation last winter, the ninth was announced anyway because of the rusted hinge problem.
