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“Multiple iterations of reduction exercise has eliminated any low risk impacts and ensured that only med-high impacts on operations and material readiness are felt,” reads one report prepared by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

“It must be understood that decisions to reduce (maintenance) spending in-year will not simply defer purchases of spare parts to the following years,” reads another report from the Canadian Army, “but rather will result in parts that are never purchased.”

The documents were prepared last summer as the government was considering whether to reduce air force, army and navy maintenance by four, six or eight per cent as National Defence worked to find $2.5 billion in savings by 2015.

Only the navy said it could absorb a four per cent cut, while both the air force and army warned even that reduction would have dramatic impacts on their respective capabilities not just today, but for the next two or more years.

“The follow-on effects in the out-years will be felt longer than just the next consecutive year,” reads a briefing note prepared by the Royal Canadian Navy. “For example, the reductions that occurred in (fiscal year) 09/10 are still, and in some cases just, being felt today.”

The Defence Department confirmed this week that the army’s maintenance budget was cut by four per cent last year, while the navy saw a two per cent reduction. The air force was spared the axe.

While that appears to amount to good news, David Perry, an analyst with the Ottawa-based Conference of Defence Associations Institute, said the reality is that contracts had already been signed with industry when the decision to cut was made. As a result, further reductions are likely to come down this year.