BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

Gripen for Canada?  That sounds familiar... It's happening . After years of uncertainty, we now know that the Saab Gripen is a serious contender in the contest to replace the CF-18. This may not seem like big news.  The Gripen has long been mentioned alongside other potential contenders like the F-35 and Super Hornet.  This humble writer has been extolling the Gripen's virtues for years . So what is different now? Saab has made it official .  After years of little to mention on its website, Canada now has a dedicated subsection . Saab has also made a much more prominent appearance at this years CANSEC.  Not only do we have a media brief that focuses on Canada's needs, but Saab has a full size mock-up of the Gripen E on display. That digicam tho... Media briefings and mock-ups help raise awareness of the platform, but Saab has a long way to go before it can catch up to more established players like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Airbus. ...

In 1959, the Avro Arrow was canceled by then-Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.  After sixty years, many still view the decision with disgust.  For them, the Avro Arrow was more than an interceptor; it was the embodiment of Canadian pride.  The Arrow was proof that the Canadian aerospace was on par, if not superior to, anything else in the world. In retrospect, those people were right. The Arrow was Canada's last serious effort to design its own fighter jet.  Not only that, Canada has pretty much given up designing any military aircraft since then.  The CP-107 Argus ASW aircraft, developed alongside the Arrow, failed to justify a Canadian successor after   The far less ambitious DHC-4 Caribou's lineage died after the DHC-5 Caribou. While Canada still maintains a robust aerospace industry, it is dwarfed by the American and European giants.  Our largest indigenous aerospace manufacturer, Bombardier specializes in small regional airliners and busi...

Aviation buffs always get caught up. When the talk centers around fighter aircraft, they debate the merits of each by comparing top speeds, payload capability, wing-loading and such.  By using these empirical measurements, they can argue for their favorite based on hard facts.  Much like buying a car or a microwave, the selection usually comes down to choosing the right balance of features and price. Multi-billion dollar military procurement contracts do not work that way, however. In my last post, I focused on the government ministers whom will be ultimately responsible for Canada's next fighter aircraft acquisition.  Why?  Because politics determine fighter sales far more than stealth or the ability to supercruise. Putting aside each aircraft's performance and other capabilities, how politically  palatable are the CF-18 replacement contenders? F-35, no longer a near-certainty. F-35 Lightning II:  Down but not out. Five years ago, Canada's...

It seems that every few weeks, another discussion comes up on the BF4C Facebook group  regarding the Avro Arrow.  More specifically, that an updated Avro Arrow would be the best replacement for the CF-18 Hornet. At first glance, it does seem like an attractive option.  The Arrow was, and always will be a testament to Canadian engineering prowess.  Its resurrection could be seen as correcting a decades-old mistake. The Joint Strike Fighter has not exactly proven itself popular with Canadians , so the timing may be right to bring the Arrow back . Except it isn't. I have brought up the idea of a modernized Arrow plenty of times before, but let me make something abundantly clear:   THE ARROW WOULD NOT BE A SUITABLE CF-18 REPLACEMENT.   Period.  Full stop.  End of sentence. The Avro Arrow was designed towards a single purpose, intercepting Soviet bombers before they could pose a threat to North American targets.  There is a pretty...

Some legends die hard. It seems that nary a week goes by without a mention of the CF-105 Avro Arrow.  Not only is it revered in a historical sense, but many still think it would be the answer to our CF-18 replacement dilemma. Let me get this right out of the way.  I LOVE THE ARROW.  I love the very idea of it.  Canada building a world class interceptor during the hight of the Cold War makes my inner fanboy squeal.  I also think that the Avro Arrow is, without a doubt, the most esthetically pleasing aircraft of all time.  It is simply gorgeous.  It is iconic.  Like the original iPhone , the starship Enterprise , or Jaguar E-Type ; the Arrow has an elegant simplicity to its design that is made even more impressive by the wonderfulness of what lies beneath its skin.  As far as aircraft go, only the Concorde and SR-71 Blackbird come close. Looking back, the Arrow does seem impressive, with a higher top speed than many modern fighters, a...