Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau is showing every sign of following through on his pledge to cancel Canada’s participation in the F-35 program and that will likely mean a three-way race for a less expensive and less capable aircraft to replace the CF-18.
The bonus is that the RCAF will probably end up with more airplanes.
Ruling out the F-35 (there may not be a legal way to keep it out of the bidding, however) effectively leaves the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale and the Eurofighter as contenders for the contract. However, without the F-35 in the mix, Saab might rethink entering the race with its updated Gripen NG.
None of those options has the combination of stealth, surveillance and weapons capabilities that the F-35 and some other fifth generation designs from Russia and China have but Trudeau has said he doesn’t think Canada needs a fifth generation fighter because Canada won’t need to attack anything.
As if to punctuate that premise, one of Trudeau’s first acts after the election was to tell U.S. President Barack Obama that Canada will cease participation in the bombing campaign against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria. That likely means the Aurora long-range patrol missions will also be halted.
There was no mention of the need to replace fixed wing search and rescue aircraft during the election but that will also be on the new PM’s plate.
New Cirrus Aircraft Models Get TC Certification
Cirrus Aircraft of Minnesota announced last week that their latest piston-engine airplane, the SR Series G7, together with its G2+ Vision Jet, have received Transport Canada – Civil Aviation (TCCA) certification, meaning they are cleared […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
The Grey Cup arrived in Vancouver on board an RCAF CH-149 Cormorant helicopter ahead of Sunday’s CFL football game. “In 1942, during the height of World War II, with the war in Europe raging and […]
Remembrance Day 2024
We at Canadian Aviator Magazine honour not only the sacrifices made by members of the Royal Canadian Air Force since its inception, but also all service members from the Canadian Armed Forces, and its predecessors, […]
Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Inductees
The 2025 inductees include: Bruce Aubin (for his life-long contributions to the aviation industry and the advancement of more efficient maintenance and improved aircraft safety). Tracy Medve (for her contributions to the development of the […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
Bell Textron Canada is celebrating the sale of the 100th Bell 505 in Europe. The sale is to a private individual in the United Kingdom and is one of four 505s sold to U.K. customers, […]
Hamilton-Area College Beneficiary of Aircraft Donation
Aviation industry pioneer Bruce MacRitchie has donated his 1968 Cessna 421 Golden Eagle aircraft to Mohawk College’s Centre for Aviation Technology, based at the John C. Munro International Airport. A former flight instructor, MacRitchie, 90, […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
We reported last December that Bombardier received an order for 12 Challenger 3500 jets. Last week, the Montreal-based aerospace company reported that it had delivered its 100th 3500, which is based on the company’s Challenger […]
Nav Canada to End Telephone ATIS Service
Nav Canada has announced that telephone-based ATIS (Automated Terminal Information Service) will be discontinued early in 2025. The air traffic control service provider blames the service reduction on its telephone service provider. Especially popular among […]
Some of this Week’s Other Highlights in Brief
A U.S. judge has denied a request by Sikorsky Aircraft to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the families of Canadian Armed Forces personnel killed when their RCAF CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, manufactured by Sikorsky, […]
RCAF Rescues Stranded Air India Passengers
Amid unprecedented tensions between India and Canada over anti-Sikh violence allegedly orchestrated by the Indian government, with senior diplomatic staff from both countries declared personae non grata and sent home, the government of Canada sent […]
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