Finally – Canada launches F-18 replacement process

After years of debate and controversy, Canada has announced its preparedness to accept formal bids to provide 88 aircraft to replace its fleet of CF-188 Hornets. The October 30, 2018 announcement by the Assistant Deputy Minister of Defence said the winner of the competition for the contract, expected to be valued at up to CAD $12 billion, would be expected to guarantee substantial Canadian findustrial benefits or offsets. Requests for proposals will be sent to the makers of Lockheed Martin’s F-35A Lightning II, Euro fighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Saab JAS 39 Gripen and the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet by the end of 2018. The Canadian government wants to accept formal bids for the new fighter in May 2019 and the first aircraft should be handed over to the Royal Canadian Air Force by 2025.