All CF-18s able to fly until 2025: RCAF head

• The head of the Royal Canadian Air Force says all 77 of Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets will be able to fly until 2025, and even later.

Lt.-Gen. Michael Hood also says the U.S. military and other allies are working on upgrades to the aging aircraft that would reduce the risks and costs if they are needed for even longer periods of time.

The comments are contained in documents filed this week with the House of Commons defence committee as the Liberal government prepares to negotiate the purchase of 18 new Super Hornet fighter jets.

The government says it needs the Hornets to address a shortage of warplanes until a competition to replace all 77 of Canada’s CF-18s can be finished — a process it says could take up to five years.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office says Hood’s comments don’t address the “capability gap” that has been created from many CF-18s being out of service on any given day because of maintenance issues.

“Keeping old planes flying longer won’t address the capability gap,” spokeswoman Jordan Owens said in an email.

“With the current availability rate what it is, even if the 77 airplanes could fly forever, there still wouldn’t be enough of them to simultaneously meet our NORAD and NATO commitments.”

The government and National Defence have refused to say how many jets Canada actually needs at any given time, saying would jeopardize national security.

But others say the general’s comments are a clear indication he is comfortable with the state of Canada’s CF-18 fleet, and that buying the Hornets before a competition is unnecessary and politically motivated.

“Anyone reading (Hood’s) comments would come to the conclusion that there is no capability gap,” said Alan Williams, a former head of military procurement at National Defence.

Critics have suggested the Liberal decision to buy Hornets now and punt the competition down the road is part of a larger Liberal plan to avoid buying the F-35 stealth fighter.