All you are doing is breaking down the number's of aircraft so much that few if any would be of any effective use.John Newman
The current RCAF structure revolves around the basing of aircraft at two primary bases with the occasional deployment of aircraft to the noted bases in my suggestion. Given our vastness I am suggesting that the Rhinos be distributed so that there is one available at all times from these FOB's, thus three per location. As an example the current fighter base at Cold Lake is almost 2000 air kms from Inuvik. Cold Lake to Comox, on Vancouver Island, 1150 km. Bagotville to Gander Newfoundland is 1200 km.
The main base for Super Hornet operation would be Bagotville with 12 Growlers. These would provide the training and the six deployable aircraft and act as the squadron that supplies pilots and crews on rotation to the FOB's. If additional Rhinos are needed to provide attrition aircraft and training aircraft then so be it but given our proximity to the USN it makes more sense to pay for the priviledge and use their numbers for training. Basically what I am advocating is the Rhinos are for home use and the Growlers are deployable. The aircraft and crews at the FOB's would be similar to the situation with the flight of RAF Typhoons deployed to the Falklands.
Like New Zealand there is no direct aggressive air threat to Canada but there is a need for interception of undeclared aircraft and maritime strike if needed. We do not need a fifth generation fighter to do this. We need long legs and ruggedness with the ability to provide weapons delivery if needed. There was a time during the cold war when we fielded hundreds of interceptors from bases across the country but times have changed and like everything else in our lives we operate with minimums and manage risk differently.
The 48 F35's would be three squadrons as you suggest with two operational and a training squadron. Again given our proximity to the USAF assets why not take advantage of this as well. These aircraft would be our primary overseas deployable aircraft to operate with coalition partners. They would also be available for home use if needed but other than the odd aggressive moose or beaver there isn't much threat in north central Alberta.
There is no doubt that our two countries have similarities but also differences with regard to defence. I have said this before but Canada has to become a niche force because we can not be everything for every situation. If our legacy CF18's were not so old I could see them being the home defence but time has an effect on these systems regardless of how well they have been maintained.
Junior will fulfill his promise of not buying the F35 under his watch. It will cost us penalties. But he and his Libtard cronies don't care about that. Its all about political face.
Splitting the Growler's up is an exercise is futility as within Canada the serve little to no purpose, They are an asset that would show the most promise when deployed abroad. Splitting them up into little subgroups makes command of the unit difficult, training impossible and maintenance extremely costly when you consider rather then having one group of men and women at a single local you need to have 4 different sets of men and women at 4 different locals. None of these deployments would provide any benefit to Canada.
12 Super Hornets is a waste of funds, had they been acquired pre or even early 2010 then they would have been of use but this late in the game it's a waste of funds. It is further waste when the single squadron would actually only have the technical strength of half a squadron when you account for maintenance and training. Good and capable aircraft but pointless when acquired in so few a number.
If a mixed fleet and spread out force was wanted then you would have the asset's assigned to 2 - 3 bases located to the far west, centrally and the far east with 3 squadrons of F-35's, 2 squadrons of Super Hornets and 1 squadron of Growlers. Have one F-35 squadron located at each of the 3 bases, 1 SH squadron located to the West and East and the Growler squadron located centrally.
That said Canada would be better off with the F-35 only, There force is just far too small to allow for the deployment of multiple aircraft types in number's that would make them an asset. With the number's you are proposing it will drive up costs, make training harder and effective maintenance all but impossible for everything bar the F-35's.