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The top procurement official at National Defence who has overseen some of the most controversial military equipment purchases has announced he is retiring from the public service.

Troy Crosby, Assistant Deputy Minister for Materiel, has told his staff that he is stepping down after almost five years on the job. No specific date was released for Crosby’s retirement.

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But in his message to staff Crosby noted he has “committed to making myself available over the summer months to facilitate a smooth transition of responsibilities to my replacement.”

Crosby was appointed to the job in November 2019.

He has overseen major military equipment purchases, 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 at Irving on the east coast. It is considered the largest single purchase in Canadian history.

Critics have labelled the CSC project a bottomless money pit with little accountability or oversight. Since the construction contract has yet to be signed, they have called for the project to be halted or at least reviewed.

The program has already faced delays and significant increases in cost from the original estimated price tag of $26 billion. Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux now estimates the cost of the ships to be around $84 billion. The proposed delivery date is a decade behind schedule.

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National Defence maintains the cost will be between $56 billion and $60 billion, and its officials have insisted that cost will not go up. 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 upbeat about the CSC. In a 2020 interview with this newspaper he denied the project was in trouble. “I wouldn’t call it trouble,” he explained. “Is it hard? Is it challenging work? Absolutely. But I wouldn’t say we’re in trouble.”

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

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

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

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

Military procurement has faced ongoing problems over the years. In April 2023, Crosby issued a plea to defence firms supplying the Canadian Forces to follow the contracts they signed and to provide equipment on time as specified in those contracts.

But Crosby’s comments to The Canadian Press news service were seen by some in the defence community, including those in industry, as an indication of just how ineffective military procurement had become.

Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said at the time that instead of pleading with companies to follow their signed contracts, the federal government should take action against firms who failed to deliver.

McCauley rhymed off a list of delinquent military equipment programs including the much-delayed search-and-rescue aircraft on order from Airbus and the problem-plagued Cyclone helicopter.

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

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