RCAF to receive 18 Super Hornets, followed by competition.
It's happening... In a news conference today, it was confirmed that Canada will indeed acquire 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The Super Hornet will act as an "interim" fighter alongside the current CF-18 fleet to help mitigate the "capability gap" as the current fleet flies long past its prime. Canada will then conduct a "open and fair competition" to find a permanent CF-18 replacement for the late 2020s. Canadian government officials will immediately begin negotiations with Boeing and the US government to acquire 18 Super Hornets. During this time, additional resources will be devoted to Canada's current CF-18 fleet to keep them flying and even expand their current role. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan clarified that Canada will remain on as a JSF partner for the time being. The full-blown fighter competition will occur upon the conclusion of Canada's Defence Policy Review that is currently underway. Using that review as a guide, a n...