Government of Canada
Fighter jet

Canada Pursues More Advanced Fighter Aircraft

Dec. 18, 2017
The Royal Canadian Air Force is seeking to replace its entire fleet of fighter aircraft with more advanced vehicles and weapons systems.

The Royal Canadian Air Force is seeking its most significant investment in more than 30 years. In order to protect the safety and security of Canadians while meeting international defense obligations, the country’s government is launching an open and transparent competition to replace the country’s fighter aircraft fleet by purchasing a total of 88 advanced fighter aircraft.

The open competition is meant to ensure than Canadian aerospace and defense industries and manufacturers are consulted and engaged in the aircraft procurement process. Proposals for the aircraft will be evaluated based on cost, technical requirements, and various other benefits. The evaluation of bids will also include an assessment of bidders’ impact on Canada’s economic interests.

The winning supplier will be required to make investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract. Until permanent replacement aircraft are in place and fully operational, Canada must ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the equipment it needs to continue to deliver its missions and meet international obligations. To help the nation through this technology upgrade period, the government of Canada is currently involved in purchasing 18 supplemental fighter jets from the government of Australia.

The aerospace industry adds about $28 billion annually in gross domestic product to Canada’s economy. The Canadian defense sector includes more than 650 firms employing highly skilled workers in high-quality jobs. For this major aircraft replacement work, a contract award is anticipated sometime in 2022, with the first replacement aircraft delivered sometime in 2025.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.

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