The RCAF's Next Generation Fighter (CF-188 Replacement)

[Colin Parkinson]

A city of a million people that’s still affordable is god forsaken? It’s not like it’s Shilo.

My bad, I thought they had gone straight to Shilo in 1994.

 

[markppcli]

Most of them hated Calgary (then Edmonton) with a passion.

Well they probably got two of the best postings the army has, my sympathy is limited.


Anyways I wonder what the Air Force types would think of stagin our F35s out of the Baltics as part of our forward presence until we get our house in order vis a vis security. We could even ask regular BAP participants to instead subsidize the cost while we held a multi year mission, and cycle pilots through that Sqn as they come out of training.

 

[PrairieFella]

OK. I understand Edmonton. But I moved west from Ontario and thought I had found paradise on earth when I hit Calgary. And both the Strats and Picklies were in town at the time.

And I were just recently out of university at the time.

Personally Ive always found Calgary overrated. A sea of highways and far less to do culturally than Edmonton. Clean and nice zoo though.

The joke amongst my buddies there is the best part of Calgary is leaving (a couple hours West to the mountains).

 

[dapaterson]

Personally Ive always found Calgary overrated. A sea of highways and far less to do culturally than Edmonton. Clean and nice zoo though.

The joke amongst my buddies there is thr best part of Calgary is leaving (a couple hours West to the mountains).

In the immortal words of Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie, "Alberta doesn't suck, but Calgary does."

 

[QV]

I was stationed there with 3 PPCLI from '75-'80 and I really enjoyed the downtown area. Except for the part in the evenings they rolled up the sidewalks after 2100 hrs.

Where did they do field training? I've been out that way and I don't recall any training area...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Where did they do field training? I've been out that way and I don't recall any training area...

IIRC, they mostly went to Fort Lewis. Or tramped around cut blocks on Vancouver Island. Locally: Rocky Point, Mary Hill, Albert Head, Royal Roads and Heels Range all provided small scale training areas.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

IIRC, they mostly went to Fort Lewis. Or tramped around cut blocks on Vancouver Island. Locally: Rocky Point, Mary Hill, Albert Head, Royal Roads and Heels Range all provided small scale training areas.

Yep!

Edit to add: We also did training in various other areas of the island where possible (eg) route marches, driver training, etc)

 

[Czech_pivo]

I'm a bit gob smacked - the CBC is running a story that is positive overall on the F35 and highlights Canada's contribution into producing them.

Think F-35 fighter jets are all-American? Canada actually plays a major role in production​

Lockheed Martin says about 30 companies in Canada are currently involved in F-35 program​

According to McIntosh, that figure contains about $3.2 million Cdn ($2.28 million US) worth of parts.

100-plus companies in Canada have contributed to program​

A Lockheed Martin test pilot who accompanied CBC on the tour was able to point out some of the Canadian parts on the jets themselves.

At each station, there's a screen that indicates the country that has purchased that specific jet and what percentage of it is completed, along with other key information. CBC saw one of the 16 jets slated for Canada, which was in the beginning stages of assembly.

Canada is one of eight partner nations from the program's inception, and a member of the joint executive steering board, meaning that Canada has had a seat at the table and has been involved in the decision process for major aspects of the program.

In a statement to CBC News, Lockheed Martin said, "The global F-35 program bolsters an allied defence industrial base, with projected economic benefits commensurate with a country’s program of record. The projected economic benefit of $15.5B CAD is commensurate with Canada’s program of record for 88 jets."

Lockheed Martin says about 30 companies in Canada are currently involved in the F-35 program, employing about 2,000 Canadians. With a natural ebb and flow of contracts, the defence contractor says anywhere between 30 to 35 companies in Canada — though not necessarily Canadian-owned — participate in the program.

For example, a company in Delta, B.C., makes a part of the foldable wing for jets that land on aircraft carriers that aren’t part of Canada’s military.

Another contribution comes from the picturesque town of Lunenburg, N.S., which houses a factory belonging to French aerospace and defence company Stelia. It's just minutes away from Lunenburg’s colourful harbour, famously known as the home of the Bluenose, the racing schooner pictured on the Canadian dime.

Also involved in the F-35 program is Christie Digital, a projector and LED display company located in Kitchener, Ont., a well-known hub for engineering and innovation. The company landed a contract with Lockheed Martin just last year to help build the next generation of F-35 flight simulators. Christie supplies the micro LED tiles for Lockheed Martin's Amorphic Appearance Zero-Projector (AMAZE) visual display system.

It’s a 360-dome cockpit simulation that allows pilots to train in a safe, low-cost environment. According to Harminder Banwait, director of business development at Christie Digital, it will enhance night-training capabilities.

“I got a lot of pride in working with the team,” said Banwait. “It's a lot of satisfaction for me personally, that I've had a long career so far, and to be able to deliver something that is unique and to be the first to market is really rewarding for me.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/f-35-fighter-jets-us-canada-9.6939285

 

[QV]

I'm a bit gob smacked - the CBC is running a story that is positive overall on the F35 and highlights Canada's contribution into producing them.

Think F-35 fighter jets are all-American? Canada actually plays a major role in production​

Lockheed Martin says about 30 companies in Canada are currently involved in F-35 program​

According to McIntosh, that figure contains about $3.2 million Cdn ($2.28 million US) worth of parts.

100-plus companies in Canada have contributed to program​

A Lockheed Martin test pilot who accompanied CBC on the tour was able to point out some of the Canadian parts on the jets themselves.

At each station, there's a screen that indicates the country that has purchased that specific jet and what percentage of it is completed, along with other key information. CBC saw one of the 16 jets slated for Canada, which was in the beginning stages of assembly.

Canada is one of eight partner nations from the program's inception, and a member of the joint executive steering board, meaning that Canada has had a seat at the table and has been involved in the decision process for major aspects of the program.

In a statement to CBC News, Lockheed Martin said, "The global F-35 program bolsters an allied defence industrial base, with projected economic benefits commensurate with a country’s program of record. The projected economic benefit of $15.5B CAD is commensurate with Canada’s program of record for 88 jets."

Lockheed Martin says about 30 companies in Canada are currently involved in the F-35 program, employing about 2,000 Canadians. With a natural ebb and flow of contracts, the defence contractor says anywhere between 30 to 35 companies in Canada — though not necessarily Canadian-owned — participate in the program.

For example, a company in Delta, B.C., makes a part of the foldable wing for jets that land on aircraft carriers that aren’t part of Canada’s military.

Another contribution comes from the picturesque town of Lunenburg, N.S., which houses a factory belonging to French aerospace and defence company Stelia. It's just minutes away from Lunenburg’s colourful harbour, famously known as the home of the Bluenose, the racing schooner pictured on the Canadian dime.

Also involved in the F-35 program is Christie Digital, a projector and LED display company located in Kitchener, Ont., a well-known hub for engineering and innovation. The company landed a contract with Lockheed Martin just last year to help build the next generation of F-35 flight simulators. Christie supplies the micro LED tiles for Lockheed Martin's Amorphic Appearance Zero-Projector (AMAZE) visual display system.

It’s a 360-dome cockpit simulation that allows pilots to train in a safe, low-cost environment. According to Harminder Banwait, director of business development at Christie Digital, it will enhance night-training capabilities.

“I got a lot of pride in working with the team,” said Banwait. “It's a lot of satisfaction for me personally, that I've had a long career so far, and to be able to deliver something that is unique and to be the first to market is really rewarding for me.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/f-35-fighter-jets-us-canada-9.6939285

I take this as good news. Good news that the government has probably decided to proceed with the full F-35 and needs the CBC to start the positive info ops campaign so the GoC don't look too stupid over the delays and dithering and ultimately choosing it.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I take this as good news. Good news that the government has probably decided to proceed with the full F-35 and needs the CBC to start the positive info ops campaign so the GoC don't look too stupid over the delays and dithering and ultimately choosing it.

I can't help but think that this is reason as well. We truly need to move forward on this issue asap and move on to the Sub purchase next. Carney is in SK in 5 days.