The F-35 jet fighter purchase for the Canadian Military is a decision that is about to bite the Conservative government in the ass, so I think we should have a look at some alternatives.
It looks like the decision for a plane will now be tendered, like it should have been all along, and two other planes immediately spring to mind.
The first of these is a plane we championed in the past, and this is what a major military magazine says about it:
The strongest competitor would be Boeing, with its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet family.
BUT, new facts have come to light after an investigation by the Perspective Research Department and the Naked News Staff:
The F-15E Strike Eagle family is arguably a far better fit for Canada’s military needs, but the Super Hornet is significantly cheaper at about USD$ 60 million flyaway cost, and offers perceived continuity with the existing CF-18 fleet.
So ………………, if the military decides to go on the cheap, after almost blowing their brains out with the F-35, then the F-18 Fifth Generation Super Hornet is the way to go, in spite of the fact that the plane is not suited to patrolling our far north.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a two-seat, twin engined, dual-role, totally integrated, and much faster, fifth generation fighter, for all-weather, air-to-air and deep interdiction missions. The rear cockpit is upgraded to include four multipurpose CRT displays for aircraft systems and weapons management. (In other words, if we want to claim sovereignty over the Arctic, we need a plane that has the speed, range and reliability to get somewhere FAST in the frozen north.)
As far as the cost goes, yes it might be a little more expensive than the Super Hornet, but it sure is cheaper than the F-35, and seems to be the perfect compromise, while at the same time fulfilling all its mission requirements!
I guess the final decision rests on whether we want to use the plane on our Canadian aircraft carriers or not, since only the f-18 can be used on the high seas!