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Military to upgrade two-thirds of fighter jets, ditch rest
Friday, February 18, 2005 Updated at 11:43 AM EST
Globe and Mail Update
The Canadian military has given up on one-third of its CF-18 Hornet jets and will pour money into upgrading the rest of its fleet, hoping to keep the fighter planes operational at least another dozen years.
The move will leave Canada with 80 of the two-decade-old jets, which will receive a total of $2.1-billion worth of upgrades.
The second phase of these refurbishment plans, announced Friday by Defence Minister Bill Graham, is part of long-range goal of keeping at least part of the CF-18 fleet operational at least until 2017.
â Å“The CF-18 is Canada's primary aircraft for maintaining air defence and air superiority,â ? Mr. Graham said in a statement. â Å“...[the] modernization program will ensure that the CF-18s continue to provide security to Canadians and defend Canada, both at home and abroad, well into the future.â ?
The military is candid about the value of saving money by extending the life of the CF-18 but notes that other country's air forces â “ including Australia and the United States â “ are also earmarking serious money to keep their Hornets flying.
Phase 1 of the modernization project is under way and scheduled for completion next year.
Phase 2, which was announced Friday, will see the jets fitted with improved instrumentation, more secure communications capability and new measures to thwart missile attack.
Among other improvement, instrument readings will be displayed on the pilots' visors, meaning that it will be easier for them to maintain visual contact as they fly.
The contract for the Phase 2 upgrades, worth $117-million, went to Boeing.
Canada purchased 138 of the fighter planes in the early to late 1980s. Accidents have taken their toll and 121 remain on the military's books. Another 41 planes will be retired from service during the modernization procedure. Some will be sold as surplus, the others kept for spare parts.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050218.wjett0218/BNStory/National/
Friday, February 18, 2005 Updated at 11:43 AM EST
Globe and Mail Update
The Canadian military has given up on one-third of its CF-18 Hornet jets and will pour money into upgrading the rest of its fleet, hoping to keep the fighter planes operational at least another dozen years.
The move will leave Canada with 80 of the two-decade-old jets, which will receive a total of $2.1-billion worth of upgrades.
The second phase of these refurbishment plans, announced Friday by Defence Minister Bill Graham, is part of long-range goal of keeping at least part of the CF-18 fleet operational at least until 2017.
â Å“The CF-18 is Canada's primary aircraft for maintaining air defence and air superiority,â ? Mr. Graham said in a statement. â Å“...[the] modernization program will ensure that the CF-18s continue to provide security to Canadians and defend Canada, both at home and abroad, well into the future.â ?
The military is candid about the value of saving money by extending the life of the CF-18 but notes that other country's air forces â “ including Australia and the United States â “ are also earmarking serious money to keep their Hornets flying.
Phase 1 of the modernization project is under way and scheduled for completion next year.
Phase 2, which was announced Friday, will see the jets fitted with improved instrumentation, more secure communications capability and new measures to thwart missile attack.
Among other improvement, instrument readings will be displayed on the pilots' visors, meaning that it will be easier for them to maintain visual contact as they fly.
The contract for the Phase 2 upgrades, worth $117-million, went to Boeing.
Canada purchased 138 of the fighter planes in the early to late 1980s. Accidents have taken their toll and 121 remain on the military's books. Another 41 planes will be retired from service during the modernization procedure. Some will be sold as surplus, the others kept for spare parts.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050218.wjett0218/BNStory/National/
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