Kirkhill said:
Flaming Nora. The "Grown Ups".
The ones that haven't bought an FWSAR craft, that haven't bought a CCV, that haven't bought a 3 tonne truck, or a 10 tonne truck, or a wrecker, that haven't bought an AOPS or a BHS and are on the verge of reversing the TAPV acquisition.
While the military enjoys playing the "woe is me" game, there is more than adequate blame to go to the military and not to PWGSC, Treasury Board, or anyone else. Inevitably, trying to game the system results in delays. Then the APS rolls around, new people come in with new ideas on how to game the system, further delays are realized... and the grownups (inside and outside DND) have even less trust in the products rolled out.
DAP - I get that there are costs involved but time, effort, PYs and money are and have been wasted generating absolutely zero capability. You have troops in the combat arms leaving because you can't keep them engaged with enough stimulating training. In the meantime you have an asset that is in constant demand that would still be working every day if you had three times as many of them.
Again, it requires a continued commitment of resources to do so. Don't say "we can stop things", say precisely what you will stop. Notice that with the purchase of tail #5 there was no mention of an increase in YFR for the fleet; that's why the lifecycle costs are so low. Much of the extra flyign being done this year is in support of operations, and therefore that YFR, and related increase in maintenance costs, is funded separately. There is no more money in the baseline to bring on more CC177s and fly them.
And on the costs side, as you note yourself with the simulator, a lot of the costs of standing up the initial capability are now sunk costs and will support additional numbers, even if it means the support base is a bit skinnier.
Variable costs include the number of flight crews, training for that number of crews on a replacement basis, O&M to support those additional personnel, fuel, maintenance and overhaul for the fleets... again, what are you going to stop doing to fund this. And don't engage in the perpetual armchair quarterback of "we'll find it somewhere" - I want you to say precisely what you will stop doing to fund this. Of course, to do so you need to do a detailed assessment of what you want to do - how many flight hours you're planning etc. That is, come up with a real plan. Which, again, is what the grownups insist upon - not a whining five year old's plea of "But it's shiny and I want it!"
