BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

After more than a year of speculation, the Liberal government has announced its plan to replace the RCAF's aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets.  An election promise to walk away from the F-35, combined with promise to hold an open and fair competition meant there was going to be some sort of a shake-up. Things were shaken up even more when Harjit Sajjan, Canada's newly appointed Minister of Defence, announced that the RCAF's current CF-18 fleet was in worse condition then initially thought and that Canada was faced with a " capability gap ". Rumors circulated during the summer that Canada would announce the sole-source procurement of a small number of Super Hornets to be used as an interim solution.  This week, the Federal Government announced exactly that .  Canada will procure 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, followed shortly by a full and open fighter competition that will last approximately five years.  Canada will continue to act as a JSF industrial partner duri...

We finally know what all the contenders to replace the venerable T-38 Talon will look like. After teasing us for months , Boeing finally unveiled its entry into the T-X competition with much pomp and fanfare.  This follows a less ceremonial unveiling of Northrop-Grumman's clean sheet design.  The two other contenders, proposed by Lockheed and Raytheon, are modifications to existing designs. The goal of the T-X program is to provide a "lead in" jet trainer for high performance aircraft found in the USAF.  This includes (but is not limited to) aircraft like the F-22, F-35, and B-21.  As military aircraft become more advanced, there has emerged a need for a trainer that mirrors these advances.  The venerable T-38 is no longer a suitable aircraft for this, being a 50-year-old design. The requirements for the T-X dictate an aerial refueling receptacle and give preference for high maneuverability .   The ability to make a sustained 6.5 g turn is ...

T-38 in "Aggressor" paint. The USAF has yet to declare an open competition to replace its venerable T-38 Talon trainer.  Despite this all signs point to this one as "one-to-watch".  Competitors would very much like to prove that they still have the chops to build a fighter-type aircraft.  At its current pace, this could very well turn into another " Battle of the X-Planes ". As the USAF finalizes the capabilities it wants for the T-X, more manufacturers are deciding to forego license-building proven designs and will offer "clean sheet" designs instead. Boeing, which has partnered up with Swedish-based Saab, was the first to do this .  This despite the initial rumors of a "downgraded" Gripen being used as the basis. Northrop Grumman, soon after taking the lead over from its partner, BAE, has decided that it will also develop a clean sheet design instead of offering a version of BAE's Hawk .  While some were rather surpr...

December 12, 2012:  Peter MacKay gets a headache. One year ago today , Canada's plan to buy 65 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets was "reset" under concerns of costs and suitability.  The federal government promised a "National Fighter Jet Procurement Secretariat" that would do a in depth look at all the options available and come up with a plan to purchase the  best fighter for Canada. So, what has happened in the last year to bring Canada closer to a proper CF-18 replacement? Okay.  Maybe a  little more  than that.  But not much. FEBRUARY 22nd The  entire F-35 fleet was grounded  over concerns about crack found in the engine.  This was determined to be a "minor" issue, and the fleet was eventually cleared for flight again. FEBRUARY 25th Time magazine publishes an in depth look at the " Most Expensive Weapon Ever Built ".  While the article doesn't focus on Canada's involvement with the JSF pro...