Canadians Taking Another Look At Air Force Spending

Recently the Canadian government approved a spending increase into the Department of Defense. So now we get money! Yay! A lot of this money is being spent towards new weaponry, gear, and tons of repairs. But also the RCAF is looking at spending a chunk of the money to replace its aging CF-18s. I was listening to the radio the other day and the RCAF was taking a look at some really cool ideas. I don't know how much of the new budget the RCAF is getting, but they've already created a list of things they might buy. Apologies but I can't get sources or support for these statements, I've only just heard them on the radio and scrambled to write them down. They're cool to share though.

F-35- Yes, this idea has come back to light. The Canadians were looking at purchasing the F-35 if it proved affordable and useful, but since the cost skyrocketed they extinguished that idea. Another look is being taken, but I doubt this one is gonna go through.

F-22- I really, really doubt this is going to happen. I mean really. But they're looking at getting "some". "Some" probably means 2 aircraft .

F-18 Super Hornet - It could happen, it would be a nice navy replacement for our current CF-18s.

F-15 - This would probably be a good buy. That's all I'm saying.

F-16 - Another self-explanatory good buy.

F-14 - I was amazed to hear this, too! For some reason they said something about buying F-14s as the USAF retires them. If we got Tomcats in Canada then I'll be happy-we just need aircraft carriers now.

Like I said I really don't have any articles or anything to say that the RCAF is actually going to buy this. I just heard on radio that "they were considering it". Thoughts?

F14 is a good plane if you want to defend a large airspace because of its big range. However it would be smarter to get all new ones.

I can only hope we get the 14..... shiver went down my spine. Most likely though? the super hornet and 35A.
When will we see an new fighter? my answer is not for a long while but tis good that they are at least thinking about it now.

[edit on 28-6-2006 by Canada_EH]

They didn't say anything about the Typhoon. I think the Typhoon would at least be considered.

I was wondering if any money is marked for UCAV devolpment or purchase for Canada? UCAVs could really be the way to go for countries like Canada which dont send insane amounts of cash on their military.

I know Canadians can produce some great robotic systems so its not out of the question they could develop some impressive UCAV if they wanted.

Of the list the most likely candidate for Canada is the F-18E/F and the JSF

They already have the F-18 in thier force and its more affordable than the F-22. Recent updates to it to make it more compatale with the F-35 are in the works as well. It is a bit expensive, but you could operate a mixed CF-18E/F with the existing fleet

The F-15 perhaps but its really a legacy program and im not sure how much a F-15E with AESA would cost them.

The F-14 IMHO is a non starter. Even the D model would still give them a 30+ year old airframe with huge maintanence costs. A carrier as mentioned above is not needed and flying from a hard runway would give them some advantage.

The F-16 Block 60 is yet again a legacy program albiet a pretty well updated one and affordable in raltive terms.


The other option not mentioned is the Grippen. Decent range, maritime strike etc would all be what RCAF would need.

It is very suspect that Canada only appears to be considering US types, and including a 30+ year old, operationally obsolete maintenance nightmare at that (surely they aren't serious?)

Accepting that a buy of Flankers is unacceptable (although maybe it shouldn't be, these days?) where is the consideration of the Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen? Or even the Korean F-50 of which Lockheed produces around 50%?

I know I'm jumping the gun here but is this an example of GWB mafia diplomacy, or only half a story?

As much as I love the F-14 it requires something like 50 maintenance hours for every flight hour. That's not acceptable at all. The only one I like from the list is the Super Hornet. I like the F-15 and F-16 as well, but I don't see them being good for Canada (well the F-16 anyway) And the F-15's are getting old too. I'd prefer Canada getting something new insted of used.

My choices would be.

F-18E/F
Su-30
EF-2000
Rafale

I'm sure the Su-30 would never get considered though. But it would be nice and affordable and we could customize it more to our liking and upgrade the systems to what we want as well i'm sure. Make a MKC variant or something. The EF-2000 would be my other main choice. Being basicly the next best thing to the F-22A and at much less the cost. Plus it just looks good. I'd love to see one painted up with a Canadian rondel on it

Originally posted by waynos
I know I'm jumping the gun here but is this an example of GWB mafia diplomacy, or only half a story?

Well, the new Canadian PM is considered to be more friendly toward the US than the old one, what better way to show that than by purchasing US military systems? But really I doubt that's the entire case.

Now, I don’t think Canada needs the Typhoon to replace its CF-18’s, the Super Hornet, Gripen or Rafale are much better options. Personally I think they should go with the F/A-18E/F Block II, its a substantially better aircraft than the C/D version and its reasonably priced.

The Canada has invested 125mllion un the JSF programe and the acquisition is about 60 aircraft....

I read a report on here a few months ago that by 2018 or so the RCAF wanted to have UCAVs in service along with whatever new fighters they planned to buy to replace their early model Hornets.

Originally posted by Airazor
The Canada has invested 125mllion un the JSF programe and the acquisition is about 60 aircraft....

Not sure if i'm understanding you correctly, but the $150mil was for system development contracts and what not. It's not for purchasing of the aircraft itself.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Now, I don’t think Canada needs the Typhoon to replace its CF-18’s, the Super Hornet, Gripen or Rafale are much better options. Personally I think they should go with the F/A-18E/F Block II, its a substantially better aircraft than the C/D version and its reasonably priced.

That doesn't make it a good airframe.

I really don't know why they persisted with it (the Hornet concept) instead of a new build. Look through a random journal of aircraft from a couple of years back and chances are you'll find a technical paper examining one problem or another with the F/A-18 E/F.

They persisted with the Hornet as the Navy had thier backs against the wall and could not stomach yet another drawn out fighter development program. Look at the Avenger II as an example. The intial concept was that the USAF was going to buy the Avenger II to fill the role of the FB-111A's and the Navy was going to buy a variant of the ATF. When the Avenger II collapsed, the navalized Raptor went with it.

The Super Hornet was a quick and capable way to get a new fighter on the decks of carriers to replace the F-14's

Good news and bad news, folks. The good news is that the government is splurging like mad on aircraft.

The bad news is...it's Chinooks and Antonovs. Or at least so I heard. Hooray for not walking everywhere!

www.forces.gc.ca...

DE

The Super Hornet is basically a new build, apart from the name and a few cosmetic similarities and original internal systems the Super Bug is a new aircraft. And a much better one than the old Hornet I might add, I’m becoming quite fond of this aircraft with each and every passing day. Don’t know why really, I suppose it being a kick ass fighter might have something to so with it.

Originally posted by DeusEx
Good news and bad news, folks. The good news is that the government is splurging like mad on aircraft.

The bad news is...it's Chinooks and Antonovs. Or at least so I heard. Hooray for not walking everywhere!

www.forces.gc.ca...

DE

From what I've been hearing from my links is that the medium lift helio could very well be a chinnok but the airlift is leaning towards C-130Js (since we already fly the herc) and 4 C-17 sorta of in a simaler situation as Aus and Britian buying spots in the US production order.

Seeing here I saw a couple questions as to why we're not looking at the Rafale or EF-2000 or the Gripen or all those other European planes. I do have a theory for this.

By not going to Iraq with the US and hesitantly going to Afghanistan with them the Canadians severely ticked the US off. I suspect that trying to buy American airplanes is our way of appeasing the US (as well as for other things we might have done). It's just a theory.

My choices would be.

F-18E/F
Su-30
EF-2000
Rafale

This is my dream (well, no, it would be to have Su-35's, Su-27's, and MiG 29's0 to have flying over Canada. My pals and I have always wanted to go to Russia and do the Wings over Moscow tours... Having this kind of thing close to home would be fan-friggin'-tastic! Plus Russian planes are sexy

Here's a Globe and Mail story about the new Canadian Military A/C purchases...

www.theglobeandmail.com...

The $8.1-billion procurement package announced Thursday at this air force base that is the hub for the Canadian military, includes plans to purchase four new strategic aircraft and an additional 17 tactical-lift planes.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
I read a report on here a few months ago that by 2018 or so the RCAF wanted to have UCAVs in service along with whatever new fighters they planned to buy to replace their early model Hornets.

Ah so they are looking at UCAVs albeit farther down the line then I would have thought. I wonder if they have any designs on the drawing board yet.