Opinion: Mixed fleet of fighter jets not the answer for Canada's Air Force
By Alexander Lanoszka, Richard Shimooka and Balkan Devlen
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The proverbial canary in the mine of U.S.-Canada defence co-operation is grey, flies as fast as Mach 1.6, and has a very low radar signature.
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Canada has named the F-35 — Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation multipurpose fighter jet — not once, not twice, but thrice as the CF-18s' intended replacement. Alas, the stealth fighter's procurement has come under scrutiny again in view of U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated wish to see Canada become the 51st state.
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Hence, in his first days on the job, Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered yet another review. However, there was a ray of hope on June 10, when David McGuinty, Carney's new defence minister, issued a statement that made no mention of reviewing the contract. Instead, he said, 'this project will provide Canada with an invaluable air defence capability … well into the future.'
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Let's hope the government sticks with that plan. Given the history of this procurement, it continues to merit close scrutiny.
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Politicians and international security analysts from across the political spectrum have supported Carney's temporizing. From their perspective, the U.S. now represents at best an unreliable ally and at worst a territorial menace. Canada would thus be better off acquiring other aircraft made by purportedly more trustworthy European allies. Recognizing that it may be too late to cancel, some propose Canada should acquire a mixed fleet — with either French-made Rafales or Swedish-made Gripens — so as not to rely exclusively on the U.S.-produced aircraft.
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As Ottawa considers the implications of the June 10 auditor general's report, which found the estimated cost of replacing the F-18s has ballooned to $27.7 billion, it should note that a mixed fleet of fighter jets remains a terrible idea. Much of the costs are exogenous to the F-35 (like rebuilding dilapidated infrastructure), and would be borne by any fighter selected. It further underestimates the complex technologies involved, and takes too optimistic a view of what European defence contractors can provide. Tens of billions of public money could be wasted if Canada chooses a mixed fleet.
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The idea may sound reasonable. By many attributes — speed, payload, range — the Rafale and Gripen seem comparable to the F-35, thereby making them appear interchangeable. Moreover, diversity in suppliers makes sense to provide resilience over matters related to sovereignty.
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First, despite overlapping capabilities, these aircraft have become so technologically complex that they have little interchangeability. Each aircraft has its own training program: F-35 pilots and support personnel cannot simply operate Gripens. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) would have to offer two distinct training pipelines. Considering it already suffers from a severe pilot shortfall, a bifurcated training regime would further strain personnel capacity. Similarly, each aircraft requires its own logistical supply chain. Aircraft inevitably suffer from wear and tear, even in benign conditions, and their components are not interchangeable between fleets.
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