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Originally Posted by Infiniti
The issue of hangars is being addressed as part of the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP).In fact, implementation phase has already begun at the locations (Cold Lake and Bagotville). The project includes operational headquarters for the squadrons that will fly the jets, as well as security, IT and maintenance and training facilities for the new fleet.
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Civilian contractors will of course get it all built eventually but the true issue is staffing it. That's what I mean by the CF will not have the people. All of this infrastructure should have at least been updated 20+ years ago, now it's an absolutely massive undertaking all at once. By the time it's all built and jets start flying it'll already be 10 years old...
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Originally Posted by mikemhg
That is an inconvenient truth, sir.
I have no stake in this but I'm curious, why does Canada even need all these F-35s? Do we really think we're going to fight and defend the northern passage from Russia or something?
Lack of military funding is a systematic issue by both parties, most Canadians aren't like our American counterparts -- they don't really care about shiny new jets and equipment, but rather how funded the healthcare system is and such. It's another reason why our recruitment is so laughably terrible.
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The situation in Ukraine and growing global instability should be really obvious reasons. The F35 is the only jet available to us that keeps up with the global level of capability both offensively and defensively. Canada will never be a first strike nation it's not who we are, but we need to keep up with external threats and influence. Eastern European air policing missions and the invasion of Ukraine are an exact demonstration of why. Free falling recruitment has NOTHING to do with people thinking money shouldn't be spent there, it's falling because there's no pride in the organization or the government.
The military is also the backbone of domestic emergency operations and they are failing in that too. It's easy to ask why we need a military until we do, and when it's not there it's too late. In the event of a major natural disaster or terror attack in Canada.... holy fuck. No one is coming to save you in any reasonable time given its current state. We can and should be better and have no excuse; it's partisan political bullshit that's led us here.
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Originally Posted by Great68
We need to maintain our NATO obligations for defense spending, which historically we haven't been keeping up. It's sad when Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and even fucking Romania are outspending Canada as a percentage of GDP.
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Like Australia those countries have direct threats on their doorstep so it makes sense. Even so, they have needed additional NATO help in the form of foreign boots on the ground and jets in the air to deter Putin from trying to annex them too. Canada is probably the most geographically blessed country on the planet, but as the world gets smaller we need to be able to protect ourselves.