Canada cancelled its Super Hornet plan,
choosing instead to buy 18 (later increased
to 25) used F/A-18s from Australia. The
government also added a penalty in the
future ghter competition against bidders
whose actions could cause ‘economic
harm’ to the Canadian economy.
As it turned out, the US International
Trade Commission (ITC) denied Boeing’s
bid for the tari on the CSeries. However,
Boeing announced in late March this year
that it would not appeal, a move that
helped to rebuild relations with the Super
Hornet manufacturer. ‘The government of
Canada is pleased that Boeing has decided
not to appeal the unanimous ruling by the
ITC’, said Canadian Foreign A airs Minister
Chrystia Freeland. It put Boeing back into
the bidding process for the future ghter.The options
Canada may have played a very clever
game when it comes to the F-35. The
Lightning II is the only fth-generation
o ering on the table and, if performance
is a key factor, Lockheed Martin has a
clear advantage. If Canada is able to
maintain its industrial bene ts, while
also being able to procure later-block,
less expensive and more mature aircraft,
it is in a strong position. The cost of the
F-35A should be nearly comparable to
its fourth-generation rivals by 2020 at
around $80-85 million per aircraft. Boththe Euro ghter and Super Hornet are
on the cusp of some pretty signi cant
upgrades in the shape of the Phase 3
Enhancement and Block III respectively.
According to the Canadian
government, the bidding compilation
and evaluation process should
continue into the spring of 2020, with
a contract being awarded sometime
in 2021-22. Given Canada’s tight ties to
NATO/NORAD and close operational
integration with the US military, an
American-made aircraft would seem tohave the edge, and indeed this follows
with tradition. Therefore, looking at
the evidence, despite the previous
rhetoric, the F-35 must be the front-
runner on paper.
But the power of politics in Canada
cannot be underestimated, especially
politics that relate directly to the well-
being of Canadian voters. If Trump’s
‘America First’ trade policies seriously
hurt Canada’s economy and cost
Canadians jobs, the Trudeau government
could spurn any US o ering.Boeing announced that it would not appeal the
bid for tariffs on the CSeries, a move that helped
to rebuild relations with the Super Hornet manufacturer
Top: While Canada
fell out with Boeing
over the CSeries,
the Super Hornet is
back in the running
for the fi ghter
contest. Boeing
Above: The Saab
Gripen E may
offer Canada an
attractive price
point coupled with
local industrial
participation. Saabhttp://www.combataircraft.net // September 2018 39
36-39 Canadian Fighters C.indd 39 18/07/2018 15:43