The F/A-18 Hornet competed against advanced fighters such as the F-15, F-16, and Mirage F-1 to emerge victorious in Canada’s New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) Project in the 1970s. Will the F-35 Lightning II become Canada’s new Hornets?
Canada signed a deal for 88 F-35 fighters in 2023, but the acquisition was paused and put under review by Prime Minister Mark Carney in March 2025 amid escalating tensions with the Trump administration.
However, the country is contractually obligated to the first 16 F-35s, which have already been paid for and are expected to be delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) later this year.
In addition, Canada has reportedly also made payments for key components for 14 additional US-built F-35s.
While unconfirmed, these reports come just days after Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), signed the fuselage bulkhead for the first Canadian F-35, in line with a long-running tradition.
Additionally, the members of the RCAF are due to get trained on the aircraft at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in a mixed squadron with American counterparts later this year.
Canada’s F-35 purchase has been under review amid sustained tensions with the Trump 2.0 administration, as detailed in a EurAsian Times report.
Notably, after Carney paused the purchase, he declared that the country would seek alternatives, particularly in Europe. This raised hopes for Swedish manufacturer SAAB, which took the first-mover advantage and resuscitated the popular ‘Gripen for Canada’ campaign. Saab has offered job creation, industrial investment, and local production of the jet.
Whichever aircraft the RCAF eventually chooses will replace the CF-18, the RCAF’s variant of the American F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet, which was originally purchased in the early 1980s as part of the New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) program.
The Canadian government ordered 138 aircraft, including 98 single-seat CF-18A variants and 40 two-seat CF-18B variants, with deliveries starting in 1982 and production running through 1988. The CF-18 served extensively, including in the Gulf War of 1991, the NATO bombing campaign on Yugoslavia in 1999, Libya in 2011, and for NORAD duties.
However, it is worth noting that the Hornet arrived after beating some of the best combat aircraft in international operations at the time.
Canada’s New Aircraft Program & The Hornet
In the 1970s, the Royal Canadian Air Force faced the challenge of an aging fighter fleet, composed mainly of the RCAF’s main combat aircraft, including the CF-101 Voodoos interceptors and CF-104 Starfighters.
These aircraft were rapidly becoming obsolete, with high maintenance costs and no ongoing production support for their systems. To replace them, the service launched the New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) Project.
The project was part of a broader modernisation effort following years of neglect in Canadian air resources during the late 1960s and early 1970s, attributed to budgetary constraints and downsizing, which led to a decline in Canada’s air capabilities.
However, things started to change with the formation of Air Command (AIRCOM) in September 1975, which consolidated air resources. Following this, Canada prioritised six major procurement projects between 1977 and 1982 to distribute costs. Notably, the NFA came after the troubled Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) project, which faced cancellations, budget overruns, and unnecessary modifications.
This led to the creation of strict policies for the NFA to avoid similar issues, such as mandating the use of “off-the-shelf aircraft” to control costs.
Canada sought a multirole combat aircraft capable of conducting air defence missions under NORAD and providing tactical support for NATO in Western Europe. The program aimed for 130–150 aircraft, emphasising an off-the-shelf, proven design, strong performance, including reliability in the Arctic, and substantial industrial benefits for Canada.
The project officially began on March 17, 1977, with a request for proposals (RFP) issued in September 1977 in four volumes covering technical specifications, risks, costs, industrial benefits, and contracts.
The initial contenders included the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle, the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, the Northrop F-18L, Dassault-Breguet Mirage F1, and the Panavia Tornado.
These were among the most advanced fighter jets in the world at the time, with the F-15 particularly serving as America’s most reliable air superiority aircraft, the Panavia Tornado as a nuclear-capable platform, and the F-14 as a carrier-launched aircraft.
Meanwhile, the F-16 was a new 4th-generation multi-role fighter, while the French Mirage F1 boasted superior low-level flight, shorter takeoff distances, and greater internal fuel capacity.
However, three aircraft, the F-14, F-15, and Tornado, were eliminated early due to their high purchase prices. The RCAF assessed that these three aircraft were heavier, more complex, and costlier to acquire and operate.
Meanwhile, Dassault withdrew the Mirage F1 as it could not match the other contenders in performance. For instance, it lacked strong beyond-visual-range capabilities at the time. The offer was later modified, and the Mirage F1 was replaced by the Mirage 2000. However, this follow-on proposal arrived late.
By 1978, the shortlist was narrowed to the F-16, F-18L, and F/A-18. However, the Canadian assessed that although the F-16 was single-engine and cost-effective, it lacked initial support for AIM-7 Sparrow missiles and would not provide the reliability that came with a twin-engine aircraft.
Separately, the F-18L was considered to be a good fit as it was lighter and boasted better range, was Sparrow-capable, and offered strong industrial benefits, but was ultimately eliminated as it was never purchased by the US and came with some export uncertainties.
So, after further cost and technical analyses, the Canadians were left with just two choices: the F-16 and the F/A-18.
The selection got delayed by the 1979 federal election and a no-confidence vote in December 1979. The fighter program resumed only in February 1980 when the Liberals returned to office.
Finally, in April 1980, Canada considered the F/A-18 Hornet the best option, based on its twin-engine configuration, superior radar, cost advantages, and accompanying industrial benefits.
The aircraft was designated CF-188, later renamed CF-18. “The CF-18 Hornet replaced the CF-104 Starfighters and the CF-101 Voodoos starting in 1982. Equipping five squadrons in Canada and three in West Germany at CFB Baden-Soellingen, the CF-18 was better suited to the modern battlefield with its superior manoeuvrability, good self-protection equipment, modern communications, and excellent radar,” states the RCAF museum on its dedicated website.
However, by 1997, Canada was already looking at a modernisation.
The Liberal government at the time invested about $10 million in the US—led Joint Strike Fighter program to develop a new fighter jet. In 2001, Lockheed Martin beat Boeing, and the F-35 became the Joint Strike Fighter.
Simultaneously, Canada allocated money to upgrade the existing CF-18s to keep them operational till at least 2020.
In 2020, the government launched the Hornet Extension Project, which will keep the CF-18 Hornet fighter fleet able to meet operational commitments, including to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), until at least 2032, when a replacement comes in.
Notably, the initial batch of 16 F-35 jets that have been paid for is expected to be fully operational by the early 2030s.
It is, therefore, safe to say that the Canadian Hornets may be nearing the end of their service life. However, which aircraft will replace them remains a mystery, as the F-35 purchase has been under review for nearly a year.
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