Saturday 11 May 2019

After U.S. complaint, Canada to soften rules for jet competition to allow Lockheed Martin bid: source

Lockheed Martin


After U.S. complaint, Canada to soften rules for jet competition to allow Lockheed Martin bid: source - Reuters

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is softening the rules of its multibillion-dollar competition for 88 new fighter jets to allow Lockheed Martin Corp to submit a bid, following a complaint by Washington, a Canadian government source said on Thursday.

The source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, said Ottawa was acting after the United States told Canada the regulations would exclude Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter, the plane the Canadian air force wants.

The complaint was the latest challenge for a trouble-plagued process that has dragged on for more than a decade.

Canada initially said bidders for the contract - worth between C$15 billion and C$19 billion ($11.1 billion to $14.1 billion) - must commit to give Canadian businesses 100 percent of the value of the deal in economic benefits.

But that contradicts rules of the consortium that developed the F-35, a group to which Canada belongs. The U.S. military’s F-35 office wrote to Ottawa last December saying it would not bid unless changes were made.

“The U.S. government told us they were unable to offer contractual guarantees of economic benefits,” said the source.

Ottawa is therefore dropping the requirement that firms give a legally binding promise they would spend the value of the fighter contract in Canada.

“A bidder that is not willing and able to sign a contract and guarantee them (the benefits) can still bid and still be competitive but they will get less points in the economic benefits category” than firms that offer a watertight commitment, said the source.

The planes will be judged on capability, which makes up 60 percent of the points available, as well as price and benefits, which make up for 20 percent each. The final requirements for the jets are due out in July, said the source.

The policy change could prompt protests from Boeing Co, Airbus SE and Saab AB, the three other contenders. Industry sources have long predicted that Lockheed Martin’s rivals could pull out if they felt Ottawa was tilting the race in favor of the F-35.

The source added that Canada had made changes that benefited the other firms. For example, Ottawa initially insisted the European planes be fully compliant with strict U.S. rules on exchanging secure data.

The rules now say European bidders need only outline how they planned to meet the U.S. security requirements.

Airbus, Saab and Lockheed declined to comment. Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Peter Cooney


Canada’s auditor general takes aim at Liberals’ fighter-jet plan with new probe
Canada May Make It Much Harder For U.S. To Win Its Hornet Replacement Fighter Contract
F-35 and Super Hornet Back on the Table for Canada
Boeing is reportedly still planning to Compete In Canada's Fighter Contest
Canada to keep flying its F/A-18A Hornet fighters into the early 2030s
Boeing skips information session on Canada’s fighter-jet purchase
Boeing cancels fighter jet announcement amid spat with Ottawa over Bombardier
Canada Starts Fighter Competition Process, Aims for 2025 Delivery
Boeing ready to throw in towel on Canadian interim fighter purchase
Canada scraps plan to buy Boeing fighters amid trade dispute: sources
It's Official, Canada Pens Formal Letter Of Interest For Surplus Aussie F/A-18 Hornets
Canada takes first official step to buying used fighter jets from Australia
US approves Super Hornet sale ahead of Canadian decision
Canada quietly paid another $30 million toward development of the F-35

F-35 Lightning II: Details

No comments:

Post a Comment