HINDSIGHT 2020: The CF-18 Hornet
Welcome to Hindsight 2020! For this series we will be taking a look at Canada's past fighter purchases and asking a simple question: "Did we make the right decision?" We will look at the aircraft itself, compare it to the alternatives available at the time, and determine whether or not Canada picked the right aircraft. The CF-18 Hornet (officially the CF-188) needs no introduction. It has been Canada's primary combat aircraft for almost 40 years now. It has seen action in several combat arenas, including Kosovo, Libya, and the Gulf War of '91. The Hornet also has the distinction of serving during the final years of The Cold War. It is with no exaggeration that one could describe the CF-18 as one of Canada's most important aircraft. With its long and varied service history, no one could call the CF-18 a "Hanger Queen". It is hard to believe now, but the CF-18 was not without controversy when it was officially annou...