Canada not replacing counterfeit parts

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OTTAWA, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The Canadian government has no intention of replacing counterfeit parts found in the cockpits of new Hercules military transport planes, officials said.

Documents show the Canadian military has known about the potentially dangerous parts being used since at least July 2012, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday.

The discovery in Canada came after a 14-month investigation by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee into counterfeit parts in the Hercules planes and other American-made military equipment.

In an interview this week, Conservative Parliament member Chris Alexander said the Canadian military "is satisfied the C-130Js are functioning properly, that any ... counterfeit parts that there may be in the displays of those aircraft are not affecting their performance."

"If they need to be replaced, if they're unsafe, if they're not functioning, they will be replaced," he said.

Meanwhile, experts say the counterfeit parts pose a danger to pilots.

"I would not feel comfortable flying that aircraft, knowing they have used parts of essentially unknown traceability," said Martine Simard-Normandin from the Ottawa-based laboratories, MuAnalysis, one of Canada's leading test facilities for suspect counterfeit parts. "And I certainly wouldn't be comfortable recommending our men and women in uniform do so."