Posted on 06/06/2016 4:25:17 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is intent on buying Super Hornet fighter jets, according to multiple sources.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet reportedly discussed the issue last week, and while no formal decision was taken, one top-level official said: “They have made up their minds and are working on the right narrative to support it.”
Rather than a full replacement of the air force’s aging CF-18 fighter fleet, it’s believed the purchase will be labelled an interim measure to fill what Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has warned is a pending “gap” in Canada’s military capabilities.
The Liberals promised during the election campaign not to buy the F-35 to replace the CF-18s. But the government has been struggling with how to fulfil that promise for fear any attempt to exclude the stealth fighter from a competition will result in a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit, according to one senior Defence Department official.
There is precedent for purchasing Super Hornets on an interim basis; Australia bought 24 of the aircraft about five years ago for $2.5 billion, to replace that country’s antiquated F-111 jets until newer F-35s were ready.
Sajjan, who recently visited Australia, warned last month that Canada’s CF-18s “need to be replaced now. And the fact they have not been replaced means we are facing a capability gap in the years ahead.” He indicated the government planned to move quickly.
An official in Sajjan’s office reiterated that sense of urgency on Saturday, saying the Royal Canadian Air Force has been “risk-managing” its fighter jet fleet.
“The government is working very hard on this file as it must because today the Canadian Armed Forces are risk-managing a gap between our NATO and NORAD obligations, and the number of planes we can put in the air on any given day,” the official said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ottawacitizen.com ...
They need to work on their landing technique .
http://cdn.acidcow.com/pics/20100726/fighter_jet_crash_02.jpg
Happens to everyone. The Thunderbirds planted an F-16 in a field in Colorado Springs.
“Liberals planning to buy Super Hornet fighter jets ...”
The ONLY REASON liberals buy fighter jets is to SCRAP THEM, along with anything else military-related.
Jeeze, you’d think that people would know that buy now.
I’ve got news for the “Liberals” in Canada. After they get new F-19’s, they’ll still “have a gap” in their military air capabilities. F-18’s are a wonderful aircraft, but they are a “do everything good” but “nothing great” from the outset.
To some degree, America faces the same problem because of the delay and compromises made to the F-35 and the ignorant decision by “liberals” to curtail F-22 numbers seriously below the original plans.
The Chi-Coms are coming.
Whoops. It’s early . . . F-19’s = “Super Hornets.” LOL
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