The Gripen isn’t a viable selection, politically or capability wise. It’s a SH or F-35 race IMHO. My earlier post WRT the budget reference about economic damage caused by a vendor leading to penalties convinces me LM is in the lead. Ongoing JSF bashing in Congress might help SH in Canada. If F-35 CPFH improvements had progressed faster, it would be a one horse race.
Considering Canada already invested so much in F-35, they might as well buy it. Being single engine, it's not as costly to operate as a twin enginer like F-18. They also don't need to fly it all that much. Mostly it's to intercept Russian bombers off northern Canada. With Russia pummeled hard by covid, Russian bomber flights off northern Canada should be minimal for the foreseeable future.
Last time i looked Canada was a member of NATO not just NORAD, have a few more obligations than just intercepting Russian Bombers in the North.Considering Canada already invested so much in F-35, they might as well buy it. Being single engine, it's not as costly to operate as a twin enginer like F-18. They also don't need to fly it all that much. Mostly it's to intercept Russian bombers off northern Canada. With Russia pummeled hard by covid, Russian bomber flights off northern Canada should be minimal for the foreseeable future.
Canada invests another US$70M in F-35 development despite no commitment to buy
The federal government has made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter jet, even as it weighs a new extension to the $19-billion competition to replace Canada's aging CF-18s.www.ctvnews.ca
I find it rather odd that there is practically no discussion over the fact that if Canada selects Gripen it will have to be certified by the US for use in NORAD. Just how a foreign airplane manufacturer whose country is not a US ally, and refuses to become one, expects to be granted access to sensitive US codes and intelligence that are part of the defense of the US homeland is beyond me. SAAB can give all the assurances it wants to Canada that it can be granted access it wants, but I don't believe the US will trust a country with whom it has no defense treaty with access.
I think, at the end of the day, some years from now, Canada will order a token number of F-35. Doing so fulfills Canada's NORAD and NATO obligations and keeps the Americans happy, while at the same time allows funding to be focused on social services and education by minimizing defense budget. Canadian air force has not participated in any combat scenario since Liberals withdrew from War On Terror in 2015 when they came in power. Going for 2 or 3 squadrons of F-35 to replace the existing fleet of 76 F-18 is more than sufficient for Arctic patrols. The Russian threat of the 1970s isn't there anymore. This allows Canada to minimize defense budget to maximize funding for other sectors.
I think that approach is pretty short sighted. Just because there is no urgency now, does not mean there won't be a need in the future. 2015 was not that long ago. And things can change rapidly, especially with all the nonsense going on in the Ukraine right now as well as the sillyness down in the South China sea. We could find ourselves in a war pretty quick if we let down our guard. That is why it is critical to maintain NATO, NORAD, and our combined deterrent.
ottawacitizen.com
An article on how some of our flakey Loonies urging junior to scrap the fighter replacement. This is just a small example of the rot throughout most of the Canadian electorate. These dip$hits only accept defence kit that have no pointy ends, primary purpose HADR, and with minimal cost.
Trudeau urged to scrap purchase of 'useless' fighter jets as Canada faces threats from pandemics and climate change
More than 100 authors, academics and celebrities are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap his plan to spend billions on new fighter jets.
Wellll if Daryl Hannah says they should be scrapped, then they should definitely be scrapped.An article on how some of our flakey Loonies urging junior to scrap the fighter replacement. This is just a small example of the rot throughout most of the Canadian electorate. These dip$hits only accept defence kit that have no pointy ends, primary purpose HADR, and with minimal cost.
Trudeau urged to scrap purchase of 'useless' fighter jets as Canada faces threats from pandemics and climate change
More than 100 authors, academics and celebrities are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap his plan to spend billions on new fighter jets.
.Wellll if Daryl Hannah says they should be scrapped, then they should definitely be scrapped.
She did play a Mermaid in a Film so that would make her an expert
She is an American so not even a Canadian. Her connection to Canada is that she is married to Neil Young who has not lived in or likely to have paid taxes in Canada for 55 years.
Now now Mr Con, this doesn’t stop her having an expert opinion just like all those expert Hollywood troubadours..oops sorry, actors, who because of their woke genius know everything about everything, just ask a teenager.
There are not a lot of Gripen NG's flying ATM, and SAAB doesn't commit to definite CPFH or even the cost per airframe. I would love to know what "sources" you have for your "is much less expensive to both buy and operate" comment.
Warships are not just a floating mass.
How is the Gripen easier to deploy overseas? What deployment package does it require and how does this compare to F-35? How does it’s much shorter range impact these deployments?
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when it comes to American politics. There's a huge difference between MBT selection and a fighter to defend North American airspace. Chinese troll, perhaps?