Canada
Ponders CF-18 Fighter Replacement
by Reuben F.
Johnson
- January 4, 2017, 3:26 AM
The recent
decision by Canada to purchase 18 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft raises
questions about the future role of Washington’s neighbor to the north in the
Lockheed Martin F-35 program. Ottawa had originally signed up as Tier 3 partner
for the F-35, with a plan to purchase 65 of the F-35A Conventional Take-Off and
Landing (CTOL) version.
The F-35A was
intended to replace Canada’s fleet of CF-18C/Ds, which are the
earlier-generation “Classic Hornet” models. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
acquired 138 of these aircraft between 1982and 1988, and some of them were
based in Europe as part of Canada’s commitment to NATO during the Cold War.
Currently, Canada has a contingent of aircraft deployed to Europe and
patrolling NATO’s border zone, in response to the Russian invasion of the
Crimea and another part of Ukraine.
Due to losses
in day-to-day operations and some aircraft being withdrawn from service, the
current inventory consists of 79 aircraft. These have been modernized to the
CF-18AM/BM configuration, similar to the upgrades that have been made to the
Hornets flown by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The CF-18s were due to
be retired in phases starting this year, but delays with the F-35 program and
the political desire of the current Canadian government to exit the Lightning
II program call that planning into question as well.
The 18 Super
Hornets to be acquired by Canada are being billed as an “interim” measure to
bridge the gap between the phase-out of current CF-18 fleet and Canada’s
acquisition of something to replace them. The ultimate CF-18 replacement will
now be decided after a competition between various fighter aircraft options,
including the F-35.
Opting for
some other aircraft has its drawbacks for Canada, F-35 proponents believe. The F-35 “is the only
stealthy option available for the RCAF. Its [radar cross-section]
signature-reduction technology and other advanced features make it the ideal
‘first day of the war silver bullet,’” they say.
But
representatives from Boeing, Raytheon and other key members of the Super Hornet
group of major contractors call this a specious argument at best. “Just
who—besides the U.S.— actually does any first day of the war type of
operations?” asked one senior business development executive who has marketed
the Super Hornet in several countries.
Another
difficulty with the F-35 has been lingering questions about the procurement and
operating costs. Several Canadian news organizations and think tanks have
analyzed the numbers and say that the operating cost is at least twice that of
the Super Hornet. “The cost per flight hour is [still] an estimate because no
one really knows,” said one retired U.S. DoD official.
For the
moment, Canadian officials tell AIN that a further procurement of the Super
Hornet depends on what exactly will be offered to the country. The F/A-18E/F
models flown by the U.S. Navy are modified with some of the most extensive
radar cross-section reduction techniques ever applied to any conventionally
shaped U.S. aircraft. Whether or not that same level of radar cross-section
reduction technology would be sold to Canada is still not clear.
Original
post: ainonline.com
Related post:
CF-18 Hornet:
Details
F/A-18E/F
Super Hornet: Details
F-35 Lightning: Details
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