Must-have requirements for the CF-18 replacement

After talking to a Canadian friend with former CF-18 experience we can see the following points are important for replacing the old aircraft.

1. The aircraft must be carrier capable. Why? Because for a few fields CF-18s deploy to for air defense operations, the landing roll-out distance is short. It is worse when weather conditions are taken in to account. Land-based arrestor gear is used often. Often enough to rule out conventional land-based fighters that may have a hook that is only strong enough for emergency use and not continued use.




(CF-18 arrested landing, Inuvik (Mike Zubko) Airport, Northwest
Territories, Canada. Runway? 6001 feet.)

2. One exception to the above could be the Gripen due to its short-landing roll-out capability.

3. These fields, because of the weather, when mission-planned for, need for the aircraft going there, to have ample reserve fuel to go somewhere else if the weather minimums suddenly are not good enough. This means the candidate aircraft must also carry external fuel tanks when needed. This kind of aircraft configuration will produce a landing profile with more weight because of the needed reserve fuel. Buddy-refueling capability of the aircraft is a plus.

4. Even if the F-35 was in complete, finished form today, the F-35A would be the wrong aircraft for a fly-off in competition. Only the F-35C (carrier capable) or F-35B (short take-off and landing...not so much vertical landing) could qualify.

5. Drogue air-to-air refueling is important. Anyone who states that Canada can depend on U.S. tankers for aircraft standing air defense alert is wrong.

6. Sat-com gear is important as a common form of communication. Because of the distances flown, flight profiles and geography, a CF-18 replacement performing air defense missions, must have this capability.

7. Home workshare has to be part of the competitive deal. Many systems have to be produced in Canada. Any candidate has to have a majority of the aircraft assembled in Canada.

8. Capability, sustainment, home workshare all have to be scored as part of a competition. Only those aircraft currently in service throughout the world qualify. No prototype or development aircraft.

This leaves us with the Super Hornet, the Naval variant of the Rafale and the Gripen as the only likely candidates for the CF-18 replacement.