For immediate release
GATINEAU, Quebec, May 1, 2013 – The National Fighter Procurement Secretariat today announced that Canada will be making its annual payment under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This payment does not commit Canada to purchase the F-35. The funding for the purchase of a replacement for the CF-18 remains frozen. Canada remains in the Program to benefit from economic opportunities resulting from its partnership while it undertakes an evaluation of options.
Canada has been a partner in the JSF program since 1997 and will continue to do so until the Seven-Point Plan is complete. In keeping with this, Canada will make its annual payment under the Memorandum of Understanding on May 1st. The US$36.6 million payment covers the 2013 United States fiscal year (October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013).
The Secretariat continues its important work on the evaluation of options to replace Canada’s CF-18 fleet. An Independent Review Panel is meeting regularly to advance the work supporting the evaluation of options, ensuring it is both rigorous and impartial. The members of the Panel are Mr. Keith Coulter, Mr. Philippe Lagassé, Mr. James Mitchell and Mr. Rod Monette.
The evaluation of options to replace Canada’s CF-18 fleet is part of the Harper Government Seven-Point Plan launched in response to Chapter 2, Replacing Canada’s Fighter Jets, of the Auditor General’s 2012 Spring Report. The Plan was put in place to assist the Government in making the best possible decision on replacing Canada’s fleet of CF-18 fighter aircraft. Until the Seven-Point Plan is complete, the government will not make a decision on the replacement for the CF-18 fighter jets.
For additional information, visit the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat website at
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/stamgp-lamsmp/snac-nfps-eng.html.
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