Canada's JSF Participation

[invertedattitude]

I'd be willing to be 99 times out of 100 an American fighter could intercept a suspected airliner coming off the Atlantic faster than a Canadian one could.

And by the time they got to American airspace a nice big fat refueller would be there to gas them up.

Unfortunately you can't intercept a B747 doing M.86 with a CP-140 streaking out of Greenwood

Including that, by the time a CF-18 blasted it's way down to intercept, maybe as far south in our airspace as Sable Island, it would probably have about enough fuel to see the airplane in the distance, and head back to land.

Why in this day and age of requirements they don't station a few fighters a little closer to the eastern edge is kinda strange.

I personally think we need to be able to defend our borders without having to rely on our southern brothers.

[WJflyer]

CF fighters regularly forward deploy in Canada to places like Yellowknife, Goose Bay, Gander, Greenwood and Comox. The CF also has the ability to refuel our CF-18's with the CC-130H Hercules refuelers, and now the CC-150 Polaris tankers.

[Rockie]

If you asked a sailor how the military should spend some money, I would be very surprised if you weren't told that the highest priority is ships and submarines and other floaty things.

If you asked a guy in fatigues how the military should spend some more money, I would be very surprised if you weren't told that the highest priority is tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery, and other stuff that the boy scouts would dearly love to have but aren't allowed to.


If you ask a bomber pilot how the military should spend some more money, I would be very surprised if you weren't told that the highest priority is really big airplanes that can drop a huge pile of bombs.

Ask any of the above who are getting the s**t kicked out of them by an enemy aircraft how the military should spend some more money and they will invariably say "get us some fighter cover".

Ask any of the above who are getting the s**t kicked out of them by enemy artillery or mortars how the military should spend some more money and they will invariably say "get us some air support".

[teacher]

I wonder who would foot the bill for American fighters serving in Canada, US. Cheaper in the short term I guess but the same money over all. Not to mention once and for all sacraficing our soveriegnty.

[ch135146]

The CF also has the ability to refuel our CF-18's with the CC-130H Hercules refuelers, and now the CC-150 Polaris tankers.

While the capability exists, these are not dedicated tankers. Canadian Forces transports are so overtasked that refueling fighters is pretty much limited to training exercises only.

[W5]

The first F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter has flown

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/20 ... flown.html

add:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061215/daf034.html?.v=5

[EI-EIO]

There is a LOT of disquiet in the UK about the US refusing to release source code for the JSF - to the point where they are considering abandoning the programme. I don't think they will but it is shocking that it is being discussed in public.

[WJflyer]

There is a LOT of disquiet in the UK about the US refusing to release source code for the JSF - to the point where they are considering abandoning the programme. I don't think they will but it is shocking that it is being discussed in public.

They've been yapping about this for a while. The thing is, the UK wants access to the source code because they will do additional modifications to their F-35's, and integrate even more weapons with their aircraft. Hence the need for access to the source code. Canada most likely won't be integrating unusual weapons with our future F-35's.

[mellow_pilot]

Is that because of the the new brimstone/meteor etc they've bought for their Typhoons? Are they just looking to keep some commonality among weapons?

[WJflyer]

Is that because of the the new brimstone/meteor etc they've bought for their Typhoons? Are they just looking to keep some commonality among weapons?

That, and the Brits want to fit the Storm Shadow cruise missile onto the aircraft. But the primary issue of sovereignty over the aircraft and associated technology with it. The purchase can really be put into jeopardy, because the Brits are only buying F-35 because they want to operate them off their carriers, and their future carriers current being designed are big ships, and can be fitted with a catapult, meaning that they can handle and operate normal carrier-based aircraft, such as the F/A-18 Hornet (all models), Rafale, etc.

[mellow_pilot]

French fighter on a Brit carrier... oh man, i nearly blew chips all over the screen...