$3M for a company with no products or engineers. Just some vague nonsense about “autonomous systems”.

The weird part is - outside the MND - it’s not unusual. Demand for defence tech startups has out stripped supply, leading to some silly decisions by investors.

Good decision. I did mine part-time in my 30s too, and can’t recommend the experience. Finishing means evenings and weekends for 6 years. I’m just glad you recognized it a year in, instead of 3 or 4.

Good luck on the book (I just made the questionable commitment to write one too).

Turkey is a good example here. They were part of the F-35 program/manufacturing base. When they acquired a Russian missile defence system the US booted them from the F-35 program.

Now I agreed with that decision, but it also sets a precedent for cutting out nations based on their foreign policy.

The penalty for delay clauses drive me a little nuts, as it’s implied here there’s only an upside! Stupid contractor gets punished for being terrible.

In reality, the finance/contracts people will require the bid to account for that risk as a cost. So it drives up the price.

Happened to me once, when I criticized their new EW system. He proceeded to explain how I clearly knew nothing about EW, while not responding to my critiques/questions.

Worth noting I have PhD in EW systems engineering and 15 years experience in the army doing EW.

Most the focus on procurement is on process or organization, but in my experience people are the weak link.

The CAF throws new majors into managing large projects with no relevant experience. This hasn’t worked for decades, and I’m doubtful modifying the cap on TB approval changes that.

This reminds of a study the US marines did during Afghanistan on what a galon of gas cost when it was delivered to a FOB. It was ~US$150.

The arctic has similar problems, driving sustainment to seasonal sea lift or aviation. That’s very expensive.

I mentioned earlier that they chew on Nile Crocodiles - I wasn't kidding, baby Hippos use them as teething rings since the texture of their scales is satisfying to gum.

Just this 12' long razor-toothed archosaur, sitting there going "stay calm, Clarence, you survived the asteroid, you can do this."

Canadianizing gets a bad rap from projects that involve an air worthiness certificate.

That’s where I’m skeptical of DE. The technology will mature, but lasers will always be short range weapons.

Knowing that, no DDG is waiting until an ASM is within < 10 km to engage. They’re firing SM-2s as soon as they can. So maybe some $$$ are saved on RIM-116s, but not overall.

I think it’s worse than that.

Trump threatened to blow up NAFTA, then negotiated USMCA, which he just violated. So how do we ever trust any new agreement?

If these trade agreements were meaningless, how can a new one be any better?

The quotes here remind me of My Lai in Vietnam.