Mary-Louise Hoffman
Alan Williams, former assistant deputy minister of materiel at the Canadian defense department, has said he believes Canada’s CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft fleet should be replaced through an open competition among vendors, the Toronto Star reported Tuesday.
“If you really think that there is some kind of urgency and there is a capability gap, the fastest way to solve it is to run a competition,” Williams was quoted as saying.
Bruce Campion-Smith writes Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault Aviation, Eurofighter and Saab Group have submitted responses to Canada’s request for information about potential replacement aircraft.
The report said Lockheed seeks to offer Canada the company’s F-35A, which the U.S. Air Force declared as “combat ready” Tuesday.
USAF made the declaration of initial operational capability after the service branch found the aircraft met IOC criteria such as close air support, logistics and operational elements and the ability to suppress enemy air defenses.
