A timeline of Canada’s march to getting new fighter jets
OTTAWA — The Liberal government said Tuesday it wants to buy 18 Super Hornets on a temporary basis until a competition can be held to replace Canada’s existing fleet of CF-18 fighter jets. The decision-point comes after a drawn-out process to acquire new warplanes that dates back almost 20 years. Here’s a timeline:
1980: Canada decides to buy 138 F-18 Hornets to replace existing air force planes. Their projected lifespan was about 20 years.
1997: The Liberal government invests $10 million in the U.S.-led Joint Strike Fighter program to develop a new fighter jet.
2000: Upgrades to the existing fleet of CF-18s begin in order to keep them flying until 2020.