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Both. Right now only a handful of fairly skilled, mostly instructor pilots have been selected for conversion to the F-35. They need this to be able to help develop training and inform the conversion process in the future. Once we move past IOC new pilots will be pipelined to the F-35 and the...

Sure. But some of them have more IP to get them closer to the destination than the rest.

Saab couldn't build a 5th Gen jet. It's why they built the Super Gripen. They aren't in a 6th gen program. The idea that they'll be a major prime in a completely new 6th Gen program is a stretch I wouldn't want to bet the future of the RCAF on.

Also I've seen some idea that the government and RCAF aren't talking. Nah. FFCP is led by a two leaf for a reason. They are talking to the CRCAF regularly who is talking to the CDS and the Minister and Associate Minister regularly. You can bet they are getting a ton of regular updates in...

The big issue would be the different datalinks. The fighter community did have somewhat of a vision to move to MADL. Beyond that, the big issue has always been that all of the IT systems and good chunk of mission systems and software have to be CANUS certified for NORAD. These costs were...

The entire discussion was never about sovereignty though. Notably, the government hasn't actually said they are considering Gripens because of sovereignty. Joly even asked LockMart to come up with a better offer for jobs. This is about jobs. A lot of the online crowd focused on the...

Sure. But being acclimatized to cold and fighting in the cold are two different things.

Sure. But put it on paper. A lot of talk till now is rather vague promises. And none of it is really based on sixth gen stuff. Saab's actually offers centres around jobs creating by selling us Gripens and Globaleyes.

Fair. I am just deeply suspicious of the assumptions that we're automatically good at Winter and Arctic Warfare just because we exist in a cold country. That's a specific skillset and doctrine that needs to be regularly trained and exercised.

How much winter and Arctic warfare training is really going on in Pet?

The devil, as they say, is in the details. I do think the government has certain strategic intent. I just think they don't have the skill to execute well. In no small part, because defence hasn't been a major economic driver till now, so they don't know how to balance competing priorities...

This straight up sounds like national mythmaking. The Americans have more forces in Alaska alone than the CAF in total. I find this a real stretch.

There's an element of delusion. But also he actually thinks he can win or at least get a ceasefire on favourable terms. And with a friendly American administration and a weak Europe, is he wrong?

The article is good at explaining there's an issue (Integration). Doesn't explain what the issue is. And despite preferring the Panther, I think we should explain why it's harder to integrate other systems. I suspect it's different datalinks. But it could also be various CANUS security...

Exactly the same way that the USMC Hornets they were baselined to would perform.

Speed matters and doesn't. If BVR, launching a missile as fast as possible increases range and probability of kill. WVR fights are determined by manoeuvrability. Notably cornering speed which decides who gets the noise around quickest.

Those "antiques" just got upgraded with a GaN AESA radar (variant of the Super Hornet radar), datalinks, and a whole slew of new weapons including the 9X Sidewinder, 120D AMRAAMs and JSOWs. A HEP II Hornet is on par and possibly better than the Gripens being discussed, in some ways.

It's kind of tiresome when people can't change their priors even at a time of record spending not seen in maybe two generations. Also, GCAP is quickly becoming the non-US Allied default follow on to the F-35. You can bet there will be no American fighter that sells like the F-35 ever again...

I don't think it does. And I say that as someone who is okay with this government (I like technocrats like Carney). I don't think there's some great strategy or master plan here. The government is looking for any leverage it can with the US. And defence orders are huge. It's a critical...

Not sure exactly what you're asking. There's no path to fielding not fighters in total now and inducting 6th gen early. This whole Gripen thing means the RCAF will probably be inducting Gripens 2030-2031 till 2034-2035. There's not going to be much institutional appetite or bandwidth to start...