Analysis: Military Platform Procurement Strategies and the Need for Political and Doctrinal Alignment in Type 4 Purchases

Abstract

AbstractEach procurement situation has different payoffs and costs for governments, both administratively and politically. Large-scale procurement, given its duration and size, has the possibility of highly uncertain benefits along with potentially high costs. The Type 26 frigate and F-35 aircraft cases in Canada and Australia show that for successful procurement/implementation to occur what is needed is a clear set of objectives and targets established by a government which can then be matched to specific tools and tool calibrations by delivery departments or agencies and for this congruence to be maintained over time and through changes in government. The Canadian case studies demonstrate how the beginning of the twenty-first century brought with it rapidly shifting strategic priorities that left the CAF in difficulty due to its inflexible forces’ doctrine within the context of changing government strategic goals and objectives in the post-Cold War period. In Australia, however, dealing with the same weapons systems at the same time, the alignment of government policy and forces’ doctrine was maintained, resulting in projects proceeding faster, and with all-party agreement, than was the case or existed in Canada.