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The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet (official military designation CF-188) is a
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
(RCAF) variant of the American
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, fighter and attack airc ...
fighter aircraft. In 1980, the F/A-18 was selected as the winner of the New Fighter Aircraft Project competition to replace the CF-104 Starfighter, CF-101 Voodoo and the CF-116 Freedom Fighter. Deliveries of the CF-18 to the
Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...
began in 1982. CF-18s have supported
North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ; , CDAAN), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a Combined operations, combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air ...
(NORAD) air sovereignty patrols and participated in combat during the
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
in 1991, the
Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
in the late 1990s, and as part of the Canadian contribution to the international Libyan no-fly zone in 2011. CF-18s were also part of the Canadian contribution to the
military intervention against ISIL A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
,
Operation Impact On 3 October 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he would put forth a motion to send forces to participate in the coalition for military intervention against ISIL by deploying combat aircraft. On 7 October 2014, the Hous ...
. A procurement process to replace the CF-18 with the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...
has been ongoing since 1997.


Development


New Fighter Aircraft program

In 1977, the Canadian government identified the need to replace the NATO-assigned CF-104 Starfighter, the NORAD-assigned CF-101 Voodoo and the CF-116 Freedom Fighter (although the decision was later made to keep the CF-116). Subsequently, the government proceeded with the New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) competition, with a purchase budget of around to purchase 130–150 of the winner of the competition. Candidates included the
Grumman F-14 Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for t ...
, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle,
Panavia Tornado The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multi-role combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. There are three primary #Variants, Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS ...
, Dassault Mirage F1 (later replaced by the Mirage 2000), plus the products of the American Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition, the
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...
, the F/A-18 Hornet, and a de-navalized version of the Hornet, the Northrop F-18L. The government stressed that the winner of the competition be a proven off-the-shelf design and provide substantial industrial benefits as part of the order. By 1978, the New Fighter Aircraft competitors were short-listed to just three aircraft types: the F-16 and the two F-18 offerings. The F-14, F-15, and the Tornado were rejected due to their high purchase price, while Dassault dropped out of the competition. The F-18L combined the systems and twin-engine layout of the F-18 that Air Command favored with a lighter land-based equipment setup that significantly improved performance. Northrop, the primary contractor for the F-18L version, had not built the aircraft by the time of the NFA program, waiting on successful contracts before doing so. While Northrop offered the best industrial offset package, it would only "pay off" if other F-18L orders were forthcoming, something the Department of National Defence (DND) was not willing to bet on. The F-14 almost entered Canadian service through the backdoor due to the
Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
. In the aftermath of the revolution, the United States cut off all military supplies to Iran, which meant that the Iranians' new fleet of F-14s would potentially be rendered unflyable due to a lack of spares. The Canadians offered to purchase them at a steeply discounted price. Negotiations ended before a deal was reached as it was revealed that Canadian involvement was crucial in the smuggling of American embassy personnel out of the new Islamic Republic. In 1980, the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was declared the winner of the New Fighter Aircraft competition. The order included 98 single-seat variants and 40 dual-seat variants, for a total of 138 purchased, plus 20 options (which were not exercised). The F/A-18 Hornet was then dubbed the CF-188. Outside official military documents, the aircraft are referred to as CF-18 Hornets. Reasons for the selection listed by the Canadian Forces were many of its requested features were included for the U.S. Navy; two engines for reliability (considered essential for conducting Arctic sovereignty and over-the-water patrols), an excellent radar set, while being considerably more affordable than the F-14 and the F-15. The CF-18 was procured from 1982 to 1988, at a total capital cost of $4 billion in 1982 dollars.


CF-18 design changes

The original CF-18 as delivered is largely identical to the F/A-18A and B models. A total of 138 CF-18s, consisting of 98 single-seat and 40 dual-seat models, were delivered."Auditing the Upgrades to the CF-18 Fighter Aircraft (Part 1)."
''casr.ca'', December 2004. Retrieved: 8 June 2010.
Ng, Allan

''casr.ca'', December 2003. Retrieved: 8 June 2010.
Many features that made the F/A-18 suitable for naval carrier operations were retained by the Canadian Forces, such as the robust landing gear, the arrestor hook, and wing folding mechanisms. The most visible difference between a CF-18 and a U.S. F-18 is the 0.6- megacandela night identification light. This spotlight is mounted in the gun loading door on the port side of the aircraft. Some CF-18s have the light temporarily removed, but the window is always in place. Also, the underside of the CF-18 features a painted "false canopy".


Upgrades

In 1994, engineers worked on a system that collected biomedical data from the passenger in the back seat of the aircraft. The need to upgrade the CF-18 was demonstrated during the Gulf War deployment and during the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict as advances in technology had rendered some of the avionics on board the CF-18 obsolete and incompatible with NATO allies. In 2000, CF-18 upgrades became possible when the government increased the defence budget. In 2001, the Incremental Modernization Project (IMP) was initiated. The project was broken into two phases over a period of eight years and was designed to improve air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities, upgrade sensors and the defensive suite, and replace the datalinks and communications systems on board the CF-18 from the old F/A-18A and F/A-18B standard to the current F/A-18C and D standard.
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
(merged with
McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas Corporation was a major American Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own ...
), the primary contractor, and L-3 Communications the primary subcontractor, was issued a contract for the modernization project starting in 2002. A total of 80 CF-18s, consisting of 62 single-seat and 18 dual-seat models were selected from the fleet for the upgrade program. The project is supposed to extend the life of the CF-18 until around 2017 to 2020.


Incremental Modernization Project Phase I

* Replacement of the AN/APG-65 radar with the new AN/APG-73 radar, which has triple the processing speed and memory capacity, while also incorporating Terrain Following and Terrain Avoidance modes for low level ground attack missions. Furthermore, the new AN/APG-73 radar is also capable of guiding the modern
AIM-120 AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ( ) is an American Beyond-visual-range missile, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It uses active transmit-receive radar guidance ...
medium range missile. * Addition of the AN/APX-111 Combined Interrogator and Transponder, otherwise known as an
IFF In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (often shortened as "iff") is paraphrased by the biconditional, a logical connective between statements. The biconditional is true in two cases, where either both ...
(Identification Friend or Foe). The new IFF brings the CF-18 up to current NATO standards for combat identification. * Replacement of the radios with the new AN/ARC-210, RT-1556/ARC VHF/UHF Radio. This radio, capable of line-of-sight communications on VHF/
UHF Ultra high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from one meter to one tenth of a meter ...
frequencies as well as HAVE QUICK, HAVE QUICK II, and SINCGARS waveforms resolved the issues of compatibility with allied forces, and are more resistant to jamming. * Replacement of the mission computers with the General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems AN/AYK-14 XN-8 mission computer with increased memory and processing capabilities. * Replacement of the Stores Management System with the Smiths Aerospace AN/AYQ-9 Stores Management System. This makes the CF-18 more compatible with the latest of
precision guided munitions A precision-guided munition (PGM), also called a smart weapon, smart munition, or smart bomb, is a type of weapon system that integrates advanced guidance and control systems, such as GPS, laser guidance, or infrared sensors, with various ty ...
(PGMs) and furthermore adds the MIL-STD-1760 interface for use of the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile and the JDAM family of GPS-guided bombs. * Installation of a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System ( GPS/INS) capability, enhancing the CF-18's navigational capabilities. Within the same time frame, other non-IMP upgrades include: * Installation of a new infrared sensor pod. * Replacement of the old
cathode-ray tube A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms on an oscilloscope, a ...
cockpit instrument panels with new flat paneled, full colour LCD displays from Litton Systems Canada (now L-3 Es Canada). * Addition of a new night vision imaging system. * Purchase of the
AIM-120 AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ( ) is an American Beyond-visual-range missile, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It uses active transmit-receive radar guidance ...
medium-range missiles and other advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. * Application of a
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...
"get well" program to reduce corrosion and improve gear retraction. * Replacement of the existing CF-18 flight simulators with the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System. The first completed "Phase I" CF-18 was delivered to the Canadian Forces on time in May 2003. Final delivery of all "Phase I" CF-18s was done at a ceremony on 31 August 2006 at L-3 Communications in Mirabel, Quebec.


Incremental Modernization Project Phase II

Phase II of the CF-18 Incremental Modernization Project was awarded to Boeing on 22 February 2005. It consists of the following upgrades: * Addition of a Link 16 data net system to the aircraft, enhancing interoperability with major NATO allies. * Integration of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System from Boeing,
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...
, DRDC and L-3 Communications MAS. * Addition of a crash survivable flight data recorder. * Upgrade of the electronic warfare suite. Within the same time frame, other upgrades unrelated to the IMP phases include the following. * A fuselage Centre Barrel Replacement Project (for 40 of the upgraded aircraft) * An Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation System * An Integrated Electronic Warfare Support Station * An Electronic Warfare Test Equipment Project The first completed "Phase II" CF-18 was delivered to the Canadian Forces on 20 August 2007, at a ceremony in Montreal. The total cost of the entire CF-18 Incremental Modernization Project and concurrent Hornet upgrades was expected to be around C$2.6 billion."Canada's Air Force, Aircraft: CF-18 Hornet: Future Plans."
''airforce.forces.gc.ca''. Retrieved: 14 March 2010.
The final upgraded aircraft was delivered in March 2010.


Hornet Extension Program

Phase I of the Hornet Extension Project (HEP) applies to entire fleet of 94 CF-188A/Bs and started in 2020 with completion expected in 2023. This will prolong the fighter's parity and interoperability with NATO and civil aviation standards to 2032. The package further expands compatibility support with the longer ranged AIM-120D AMRAAM air-to-air missiles initially acquired in 2017. It includes the following upgrades: * Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) to replace the obsolescent transponders. * New
Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...
GPS/ INS systems * Upgraded
Collins Aerospace Collins Aerospace is an American technology company that is one of the world's largest suppliers of aerospace and defense products. It was formed in 2018 from the merger of Rockwell Collins and UTC Aerospace Systems. Headquartered in Charlotte, ...
AN/ARC-210 RT-2036 (Gen 6) radios * Airborne Joint Tactical Radios * Upgrades to the Lockheed Martin Sniper * Enhanced mission computers and data transfer units, and software updates for the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System (ADCTS) for networked flight simulation exercises. Phase Il of the HEP applies to a fleet of 36 x CF-188A/B airframes with the estimated longest remaining life. Officially, "Phase 2 is focused on additional combat capability upgrades for 36 CF-188 aircraft, to ensure that sufficient, operationally relevant, mission-ready CF-188 fighters are available to meet air power capability requirements in the current battle space until the future fighter fleet reaches full operational capability". Initial delivery is expected in 2023 with full operational capability expected by June 2025. These upgrades were part of a package which include the delivery of: * 50 x AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles; * 38 x CA/APG-79(V)4 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars; * 38 x CA/APG-79(V)4 AESA radar A1 kits; * 46 x F/A-18A wide-band RADOMEs; * Upgrades to the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System; * On-going Technical assistance to support the upgraded jets The total cost of the HEP Phase II package was estimated by US
Congressional Budget Office The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the United States Congress, legislative branch of the United States government that provides budget and economic information to Congress. I ...
at
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
862.3 Million. The total program cost for the CF-18 purchase and upgrade programs up until 2011 was approximately $11.5 billion (in 2011 dollars) including upgrades. Additionally, the cost of maintenance for any 20-year period has been approximately $5 billion, or $250 million per year. On 8 March 2024, Arcfield Canada was awarded a CA$211.6 million (US$157.3 million) sustainment contract to support and maintain the CF-18's avionics weapons systems, supply parts and provide end-to-end supply chain services with the contract being effective on 1 April 2024. As of 5 February 2025, the Royal Canadian Air Force has officially begun equipping the AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missile on its fleet of HEP Phase II upgraded CF-18s.


Operational history


Entering service

The first two CF-18s were formally handed over to 410 (Operational Training Unit) Squadron at
CFB Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. The facility is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is approximately south of the ...
, Alberta on 25 October 1982.Spick, Mike. ''The Great Book of Modern Warplanes''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2000. . Further deliveries equipped 409, 439, and 421 Squadrons at Baden-Soellingen in then West Germany, the 410 Operation Training Unit, No. 416, and No. 441 Squadrons at Cold Lake, and 425 and 433 Escadrons (Squadrons) at CFB Bagotville, Quebec. Introduction into Canadian service was initially problematic due to early issues with structural fatigue which delayed initial deployment. As the initial bugs were worked out, the CF-18 started filling the NORAD interception and NATO roles as intended.


Combat

In 1991, Canada committed 26 CF-18s to the Gulf War on
Operation Friction Operation Friction was a Canadian military operation that saw the contribution of 4,500 Canadian Forces personnel to the 1991 Gulf War. The larger US components were Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Operation Friction initi ...
. The CF-18s were based in
Doha Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...
, Qatar. During the Gulf War, Canadian pilots flew more than 5,700 hours, including 2,700 combat air patrol missions. These aircraft were taken from Canada's airbase in Germany, CFB Baden-Soellingen. In the beginning the CF-18s began sweep-and-escort combat missions to support ground-attack strikes by Allied air forces. During the 100-hour Allied ground invasion in late February, CF-18s also flew 56 bombing sorties, mainly dropping non-guided ("dumb") bombs on Iraqi artillery positions, supply dumps, and marshaling areas behind the lines. At the time the Canadian Hornets were unable to deploy precision guided munitions. This was the first time since the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
that the Canadian military had participated in combat operations. Continuing violence in the former
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
brought CF-18s into theatre twice: first for a deployment ( Operation Mirador) during August–November 1997 for air patrols supporting
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
peacekeepers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and again from late June 1998 until late December 2000 (
Operation Echo Operation Echo was the codename given by the Canadian Forces for its air activities during the Kosovo War in 1999. In support of the NATO Operation Allied Force Canadian aircraft based at Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy flew bombing missi ...
). From March to June 1999, with 18 CF-18s already deployed to Aviano, Italy, Canada participated in both the air-to-ground and air-to-air roles. Canadian aircraft conducted 10 percent of the NATO strike sorties despite deploying a much smaller percentage of the overall forces. Canadian pilots flew 678 combat sorties: 120 defensive counter-air escorts for Allied strike packages and 558 bombing strikes during 2,577 combat flying hours. CF-18s dropped a total of 397 PGMs and 171 non-guided bombs on a wide variety of targets including surface-to-air missile sites, airfields, bridges and fuel storage areas. Since 2001, CF-18s have responded to nearly 3,000 possible threats to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. A task group of CF-18s and CH-146 Griffons were deployed during "Operation Grizzly" to Kananaskis, Alberta in June 2002 where they were deployed to secure the airspace during the 28th G8 summit. In 2007, an unknown number of CF-18s were deployed to
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
. They were deployed during two weeks to defend United States airspace as a result of the primary USAF F-15 fighter jet fleet being grounded due to structural defects. They were also deployed during "Operation Podium" to secure the
2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
and 2010 Winter Paralympics games. After a United Nations Security Council resolution was adopted to enforce a Libyan no-fly zone, the Government of Canada on 18 March 2011, authorized the deployment of six CF-18 Hornets with one Hornet in reserve as part of Operation Mobile. The Hornets were based at Trapani-Birgi Italian Air Force base in western
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
. CF-18s were first put into combat on 23 March 2011 when four aircraft bombed Libyan government targets. The seven Hornets returned to CFB Bagotville, Canada, on 4 November 2011 after the end of the UN-approved NATO mission. In total, the Hornets conducted 946 sorties, making up 10% of NATO strike sorties. Over the course of their sorties, 696 bombs were dropped including
Laser-guided bomb A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly pro ...
s and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). The RCAF has dropped 495 of the 227 kg versions (500 lbs) and 188 of the 910 kg versions (2,000 lbs) Paveway II bombs. The RCAF also dropped 11 Joint Direct Attack Munitions of the 227 kg versions and two 910 kg versions. Canada sent six CF-18s to Iraq as part of
Operation Impact On 3 October 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he would put forth a motion to send forces to participate in the coalition for military intervention against ISIL by deploying combat aircraft. On 7 October 2014, the Hous ...
on 21 October 2014. Air strikes on ISIS/ISIL positions began on 2 November 2014. The CF-18s flew air strike missions until 15 February 2016.


Replacement

Various fighter aircraft have been considered by the
Canadian Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...
as CF-18 replacements, with the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...
, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39 Gripen,
Dassault Rafale The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", or "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French Twinjet, twin-engine, Canard (aeronautics), canard delta wing, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft designed and ...
, and the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet having been promoted as contenders by their manufacturers. According to ''
Le Devoir (, ) is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and throughout Canada. It was founded by journalist and politician Henri Bourassa in 1910. is one of few independent large-circulation newspapers in Quebec ...
'', project costs without considering maintenance, training and spare parts, were estimated at $4 to $8 billion. Boeing indicated that the Super Hornet, a derivative of the Hornet, was a less expensive alternative at an estimated total cost of $4 billion."Avions de chasse : l'armée a fait son choix (Fighter plans: The Forces have made their choice.) (French)."
''
Le Devoir (, ) is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and throughout Canada. It was founded by journalist and politician Henri Bourassa in 1910. is one of few independent large-circulation newspapers in Quebec ...
'', 7 June 2010.
One of the manufacturers in contention, Boeing, BAE Systems or Saab Aerospace—the name was not disclosed—had promised to assemble the entire aircraft in Canada. Boeing said that it was contemplating closing the F/A-18 production line due to lack of orders. In July 2010, Canada announced that the F-35 would replace the CF-18. Canada has been a partner in the
Joint Strike Fighter program Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing Fighter aircraft, fighter, strike fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, C ...
since 1997, and a Tier 3 partner since 2002."Government Of Canada Strengthens Sovereignty While Generating Significant Economic Benefits."
''Canada Department of National Defence'', 16 July 2010.
The Canadian Forces planned to buy 65 F-35s with deliveries starting in 2016; the contract was estimated to be worth C$9 billion, including aircraft and associated weapons, infrastructure, initial spares, training simulators, contingency funds and project operating costs. Media reports indicated that the lifetime cost of the aircraft might be as high as C$40 billion. In December 2012, it was announced that the government had abandoned the F-35 deal due to escalating cost, and was beginning a new procurement process, with the F-35 still being considered. On 20 September 2015, Canadian Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau promised to cancel the country's F-35 procurement if he were elected, instead replacing the CF-18 fleet with a less costly alternative, and argued that the F-35 was not needed. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on 4 November 2015. In May 2017, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced that Canada would purchase more than the 65 jets proposed by the previous government. He stated that if Canada is to meet its NATO and NORAD commitments while also maintaining its own national air defence, "then 65 jets would not be a full fleet. It would only be a fleet for risk managing our requirements, not meeting them." On 2 June 2017, it was announced that Canada would be acquiring 88 advanced multi-role fighters.Page 39; http://dgpaapp.forces.gc.ca/en/canada-defence-policy/docs/canada-defence-policy-report.pdf As an interim measure pending replacement, Canada decided in December 2017 to purchase 18 F/A-18A/B Hornets (a mix of flyable airframes and spares) from the
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
for approximately C$90 million. It was later announced in an
Australian Senate The Senate is the upper house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives. The powers, role and composition of the Senate are set out in Chap ...
hearing that Canada planned to purchase another seven Hornets to be disassembled for spare parts. The first two fighters arrived in February 2019, with the rest to be delivered over the next three years. "Total cost of the interim aircraft including modifications, inspections and changes to infrastructure and program costs was estimated to be C$360 million." In 2021 the last RAAF fighter was delivered. On 28 March 2022, Canada announced that advanced negotiations with
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
for 88 F-35s would begin. The F-35 is the top bid for the Future Fighter Capability Project while Saab's proposal for the Gripen came in second. The Canadian government noted that the Gripen may be chosen if negotiations with Lockheed Martin stall. This decision was to ensure a reasonable price for the aircraft. If negotiations succeed and Canada agrees a contract with Lockheed Martin, deliveries should begin in 2026, with final delivery in 2032. The complete program cost, including sustainment and maintenance, is estimated to be up to C$19 billion. In December 2022, the Canadian government approved $7 billion to procure a first batch of 16 F-35As and related equipment and support.


Variants

* CF-18A: Single-seat fighter and ground attack aircraft. Canadian Forces designation is ''CF-188A'', 98 built. * CF-18B: Two-seat training version. Canadian Forces designation is ''CF-188B'', 40 built.


Operators

; *
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
(RCAF) had 72 CF-18As and 31 CF-18Bs in inventory as of November 2008."Directory: World Air Forces". ''
Flight International ''Flight International'', formerly ''Flight'', is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", i ...
'', 11–17 November 2008.
79 in operational use. 86 (63 CF-18A & 23 CF-18B) aircraft in use as of 2021. 89 (83 CF-18AM/BM) Hornet; 6 CF-18AM/BM HEP Hornet aircraft in use as of 2025 ** 3 Wing CFB Bagotville, Quebec *** No. 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron *** No. 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron ** 4 Wing
CFB Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. The facility is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is approximately south of the ...
, Alberta *** No. 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron *** No. 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron *** No. 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron *** AETE (Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment) Rotations from Cold Lake occur from 4 Wing to CFB Comox, British Columbia, and from 3 Wing Bagotville to
CFB Goose Bay Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , commonly referred to as CFB Goose Bay, is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by ...
and CFB Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, CFB Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and various forward operating bases in the Canadian Arctic. CF-18 aircraft may also be stationed at
CFB Trenton Canadian Forces Base Trenton (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub ...
, Ontario, though not a permanent squadron. This deployment is often to protect Ontario's nuclear industry. The RCAF also maintains a CF-18 Demonstration Team, a flight demonstration team which forms part of the 1 Canadian Air Division.


Accidents and incidents

Canada has lost at least twenty CF-18s in accidents, incurring at least eleven pilot deaths, as of November 2016."Ejection history."
''ejection-history.org'', 27 March 2010. Retrieved: 5 June 2010.


Aircraft on display

* 188719 – CF-18A on static display at The Military Museums in
Calgary, Alberta Calgary () is a major city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a Metropolitan area, metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the List of ...
. * 188720 – CF-18A on static display at the Musée de la Défense aérienne in
Saguenay, Quebec Saguenay ( , , ) is a city in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada, on the Saguenay River, about north of Quebec City by overland route. It is about upriver and northwest of Tadoussac, located at the confluence with the St. ...
. * 188723 – CF-18A on static display at the Peterson Air and Space Museum at
Peterson Space Force Base Peterson Space Force Base, previously Peterson Air Force Base, Peterson Field, and Army Air Base, Colorado Springs, is a United States Space Force base that shares an airfield with the adjacent Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and is home to ...
in
Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010 United States Census, 2 ...
. * 188733 – CF-18A on static display at the Cold Lake Museums in
Cold Lake, Alberta Cold Lake is a city in east-northern Alberta, Canada and is named after the lake nearby. Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake (CFB Cold Lake) is situated within the city's outer limits. History Cold Lake was first recorded on a 1790 map, by the nam ...
. * 188901 – CF-18B on static display at the
Canada Aviation and Space Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum () (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum (''Musée de l'aviation du Canada'') and National Aeronautical Collection (''Collection aéronautique nationale'')) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The m ...
in
Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
. * 188905 – CF-18B on static display at
CFB Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. The facility is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is approximately south of the ...
in Cold Lake, Alberta. * 188911 – CF-18B on static display at the
National Air Force Museum of Canada The National Air Force Museum of Canada is an aviation museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is located on the west side of CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ontario. The museum is a permanent archive which c ...
in Trenton, Ontario. * 188914 – CF-18B nose section on static display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.


Specifications (CF-18)


Notable appearances in media

The documentary television show ''
Jetstream Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents in the Earth's atmosphere. The main jet streams are located near the altitude of the tropopause and are westerly winds, flowing west to east around the globe. The northern hemisphere and th ...
'', which aired on Discovery Channel Canada, followed eight pilots training with the Canadian air force to fly the CF-18 at
CFB Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. The facility is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is approximately south of the ...
. They trained at 410 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. The CF-18 is used as a primary element of the new logo for the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
NHL hockey team, as an homage to the city's connection to the RCAF/CF as well as an earlier Olympic gold medal-winning team, the Ottawa RCAF Flyers. The official unveiling described the origin of the design involving the cooperation of the Department of National Defence and was inspired by the logo of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Team spokesman Dorian Morphy, Senior Director, Marketing & Brand Management of True North Sports & Entertainment indicated, "We are thrilled to be able to continue this relationship in a significant way. The design cues for the plane were inspired by the military jets flown by the Air Force over the years.""True North Unveils Jets Logos."
''Winnipeg Jets'', 22 July 2011. Retrieved: 23 July 2011.


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Drendel, Lou. ''F/A-18 Hornet in action'' (Aircraft Number 136). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1993. . * Elward, Brad. ''Boeing F/A-18 Hornet'' (WarbirdTech, Vol. 31). North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. . * Gunston, Bill. ''F/A-18 Hornet'' (Modern Combat Aircraft 22). St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1985. . * Jenkins, Dennis R. ''F/A-18 Hornet: A Navy Success Story''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000. . * Khurana, K. C. ''Aviation Management: Global Perspectives.'' Delhi: Global India Publications, 2009. . * Miller, Jay. ''McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet'' (Aerofax Minigraph 25). Arlington, Texas: Aerofax Inc., 1988. . * Peacock, Lindsay. ''F/A-18 Hornet'' (Osprey Combat Aircraft Series). London: Osprey Publishing, 1986. . * Senior, Tim. "F/A-18 Hornet". ''AirForces Monthly'', 2003. . * Spick, Mike. ''McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet'' (Classic Warplanes). London: Salamander Books, 1991. .


External links


Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet page

"Aircraft: CF-18 Hornet."




* ttp://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2005/10/11/202042/canada-to-call-for-new-sensor-pod.html "Canada to call for new sensor pod". Flight International, 2005. {{Canadian Forces aircraft 1980s United States fighter aircraft
Cf-18 Hornet The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet (official military designation CF-188) is a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) variant of the American McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. In 1980, the F/A-18 was selected as the winner of the New ...
Twinjets Articles containing video clips Mid-wing aircraft Canada–United States military relations Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear