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

[Kirkhill]

It's almost like even the USAF has realized that all 5th Gen fighters is overkill, and is looking into ordering new F-16s.

I get that Canada operates on a smaller scale, and two fleets is hard, but maybe going all-in on 5th Gen is actually harder in the long run.

Spitfires and Hurricanes.

 

[Furniture]

Spitfires and Hurricanes.

Not to mention the Beaufighter, Blenheim, Defiant, Mosquito, Fulmar, Firefly, Gladiator, Tempest, Typhoon, and Mustang...

It's almost as if, when facing a full scale war, having one magical "do-all" aircraft isn't possible. Not that we'd plan for that. We'll buy 88 of the most delicate aircraft we can buy, because they are "amazing", and not consider what happens when "amazing" doesn't beat "present", "available", or most critically "replaceable".

 

[Frank Farang]

I can see an on-going need for the CF18 unless we end up with a dual fleet. Even if we were reinforcing for NATO an F35 would be overkill if going up against a swarm of drones except as a director or am I selling its capabilities short.

There might be an opportunity to do just that?

The superhornet production line will be shutting down soon to retool for the F47. With the pending changes in US government, hopefully to one more Canada friendly, maybe the line could be moved north to Boeing Canada and keep on making new frames and parts?

As much as I like things about the Gripen and Sweden's willingness to do business, it still has a lot of critical components that come from the US, and while new superhornets wouldn't be identical to the current CF18s, I would think a lot of the experience and institutional knowledge within RCAF would be make it a quicker win.

Keep the full F35 order going, but also build a new fleet of F18Fs to do the less exciting work at a lower cost.