The youtube (which starts talking 32 seconds in) was uploaded in July 2018 from a Canadian perspective. Although US-Canada relations have hit a slump, with Trump vowing to punish Canadians over economic disputes, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) correctly did not expect that to affect US approval of the Australian "Classic" F/A-18 Hornets to Canada deal.
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Wiki reports:“On 13 December 2017, Australian Minister for Defence Marise Payne confirmed the sale of 18 [Classic] F/A-18 Hornets and associated spare parts to Canada.[113][114] The Canadian Government announced at the same time that it had cancelled its plans to acquire [Boeing] Super Hornets.
[The Canadian government is buying the Australian “Classic” F/A-18 Hornets instead of a new fleet of 18 Super Hornets, Canada was trying to force Boeing to drop its trade dispute filed in 2016 by Boeing in the US International Trade Commission against Canada’s Bombardier Inc.]
[With US/Boeing approval the Australian Hornets are being] "acquired to enable the [Royal Canadian Air Force] to continue to meet its international commitments until a new fighter type is ordered and enters service.[115]
In June 2018 the Canadian Government requested a further seven Australian Hornets. These additional aircraft will be used as a source of spare parts.[116][117]
Two Australian Hornets are scheduled to be transferred to Canada in early 2019. The timeframe for handing over the other aircraft will be dependent on progress with introducing the F-35 into Australian service.[113]
The sale of the 25 Hornets was finalised in early 2019, with the purchase price being C$90 million.[118] [a very low total price for 25 Hornets!?] Of these aircraft, 18 will be issued to operational units and the remainder used for trials purposes and as a source of spare parts. After they arrive in Canada, the aircraft will be fitted with different ejection seats and software so that they are identical to CF-18s.[119]”
COMMENT
Its interesting that Boeing is the company that:
- lost the 18 Super Hornet sale to Canada, and
- built the Classic Hornets that are being sold by Australia to Canada, and
- along with the US Government would have approved the sale of the Australian F/A-18s (full of US
intellectual property) to Canada.
So presumably Boeing is thinking in the long term. Boeing might still eventually sell Super Hornets to Canada. Or even if Canada finally decides to buy the F-35A, Boeing may still sell some EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to Canada.
Australia has gone down the route of buying F-35As and EA-18Gs (partly to increase the stealth of the F-35As).
Pete
- along with the US Government would have approved the sale of the Australian F/A-18s (full of US
intellectual property) to Canada.
So presumably Boeing is thinking in the long term. Boeing might still eventually sell Super Hornets to Canada. Or even if Canada finally decides to buy the F-35A, Boeing may still sell some EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to Canada.
Australia has gone down the route of buying F-35As and EA-18Gs (partly to increase the stealth of the F-35As).
Pete