Ramona Adams
Lt. Gen. Michael Hood, commander of the Canadian air force, has said he wants to speed up the purchase of new fighter aircraft to replace Canada’s fleet of F/A-18 Hornet jets, Defense News reported Saturday.
Hood told the publication that Canada currently plans to release a request for proposals by 2019 for 88 fighter jets that will replace 76 aging F/A-18 Hornets.
“A 2019 RFP would get us into contract probably by 2021, and certainly my advice to government is the sooner the better,” Hood noted.
Potential competitors include the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Aviation‘s Dassault Rafale, Boeing‘s Super Hornet and Saab‘s Gripen E, according to the report.
Hood noted that he continues to prioritize aircraft interoperability with the U.S. military, but it would not affect the chances of European fighters.
