Canada’s new fighter quest

The Government of Canada’s protracted effort to select a replacement for its CF-188 Hornets has progressed with release of a draft request for proposals (RFP) to Airbus Defence and Space, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin and Saab. The chosen company must ensure investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract, an estimated US$12 billion. In 2009 Canada’s earlier Conservative government stated that it would procure F-35s before the nation’s Liberal party was elected in 2015 which moved towards scrapping the Lightning II purchase and instead looking at cheaper options to buy 88 new fighters. The Canadian Government is expected to finalise the contract in 2021-22, with the first aircraft delivered in 2025 with initial operational capability to be achieved the following year.