(Canadian) National Defence to buy fewer bombs if F-35 selected as new air force fighter

[unhappycamper]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/national-defence-to-buy-fewer-bombs-if-f-35-selected-as-new-air-force-fighter/article8705866/

National Defence to buy fewer bombs if F-35 selected as new air force fighter
MURRAY BREWSTER
OTTAWA — The Canadian Press
Published Thursday, Feb. 14 2013, 6:46 PM EST
Last updated Thursday, Feb. 14 2013, 6:49 PM EST

If the Harper government proceeds with its controversial F-35 program, the stealth fighters might not drop as many bombs or fire as many missiles as previously estimated.

National Defence has drastically revised how much it would spend on weapons for the multi-role fighter, according to a Parliamentary Library research publication tabled this week.

~snip~

The amount National Defence has set aside for weapons has been cut to just $52-million for the estimated 30-year operational life of the jets, compared with estimates in two previous reports of $270-million and $300-million.

Modern bombs and missiles are expensive. Laser-guided munitions – known as JDAMS – cost an average of $24,000 each, while Hellfire air-to-ground missiles cost $58,000 apiece.



unhappycamper comment: $52 million worth of bombs over 30 years does not sound all that good. (BTW, Hellfire missiles cost $160 grand a pop, not $58 grand.)