National Defense acquisitions chief to resign

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The top National Defense acquisitions official who has overseen some of the most controversial military equipment purchases has announced that he is retiring from public service.

Troy Crosby, Deputy Deputy Minister of Materials, has told his staff that he will step down after almost five years in the role. A specific date for Crosby’s retirement was not released.

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But in his message to staff, Crosby said he “has committed to being available during the summer months to facilitate a smooth transition of responsibilities to my replacement.”

Crosby was appointed to the position in November 2019.

He has overseen major purchases of military equipment, including the acquisition of the F-35 stealth fighter jet and the Canadian Surface Combatant, or CSC, program.

The Canadian Surface Combatant project will involve the construction of 15 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy in Irving on the east coast. It is considered the largest single purchase in Canadian history.

Critics have called the CSC project a bottomless money pit with little accountability or oversight. Since the construction contract has not yet been signed, they have asked that the project be stopped or at least reviewed.

The program has already faced delays and significant cost increases from the original estimated price tag of $26 billion. Parliamentary budget manager Yves Giroux now estimates that the cost of the ships is around $84 billion. The proposed delivery date is a decade late.

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National Defense maintains the cost will be between $56 billion and $60 billion, and its officials have insisted the cost will not increase. In one of its latest reports, the department told the House of Commons that the CSC is a procurement success story.

Crosby has also been optimistic about the CSC. In a 2020 interview with this newspaper he denied that the project was in trouble. “I wouldn’t call it a problem,” he explained. “Is it difficult? Is it a challenging job? Absolutely. But I wouldn’t say we’re in trouble.”

But a review by this newspaper, which included compiling thousands of pages of documents through sources and the access to information law, showed not only that the CSC has been in trouble for years but that federal bureaucrats were well aware of these problems and the significant risks they represented. by the ship program.

National Defense issued a statement to this newspaper thanking Crosby for his 35 years of service, both originally as a member of the military and then as a public servant with Public Services and Procurement Canada and after that defence.

The statement noted that the equipment projects Crosby oversaw, including recent purchases of refueling aircraft and drones, “will provide the CAF with the equipment it needs to continue to effectively execute its missions.”

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The department said Crosby will continue to serve until the appointment of his successor and the completion of a transition period. No further details were provided.

Military procurement has faced constant problems over the years. In April 2023, Crosby called on defense companies supplying the Canadian Forces to honor the contracts they signed and provide equipment on time, as specified in those contracts.

But some members of the defense community, including those in industry, saw Crosby’s comments to The Canadian Press news service as an indication of how ineffective military procurement had become.

Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said at the time that instead of pleading with companies to honor their signed contracts, the federal government should take action against companies that did not comply.

McCauley rattled off a list of delinquent military equipment programs, including the much-delayed search-and-rescue plane ordered from Airbus and the problem-plagued Cyclone helicopter.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist who covers the Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive subscriber-only content, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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