A dispute over the content of the manuals is delaying the delivery of the RCAF’s first new aircraft in years. The first C295 was to have been delivered Dec. 1 but the unspecified alleged manual shortcomings have pushed that back by at least a few weeks. The C295 will replace De Havilland Buffalo and C-130H aircraft now used for search and rescue. It was selected in a protracted competition two years ago and the first one flew last July. If the delay goes on for any length of time, it may alter the deployment plans for search and rescue aircraft.
The last new aircraft the RCAF got was a C-17 delivered in 2015. The Air Force also recently bought 18 F-18s from the Royal Australian Air Force and several are now flying with Canadian markings. Some will be scrapped for parts.