Ottawa plans to acquire up to 88 F-35As, which will be operated locally with the designation CF-35A. The aircraft deal is valued at $14.2 billion (C$19 billion), with the RCAF expected to achieve full operational capability on the fleet between 2032 and 2034.
The fighters are a central pillar of Canada’s military modernisation effort, which also includes a new fleet of Boeing P-8A maritime patrol jets, General Atomics MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, a new rotorcraft fleet and a yet-to-be-named jet trainer to support the F-35 fleet.
Ottawa has also committed nearly $30 billion to improving Arctic defence, including new infrastructure to support NORAD missions. The new QRA facility is a part of those plans.
“This investment in Bagotville will enable our personnel at the base to plan, posture, and deploy our new fleet of CF-35A fighters rapidly and effectively,” said Canadian defence minister Bill Blair on 12 August.
Canada plans subsequent improvements to other facilities around the country that will also host F-35s. The country’s other operational fighter unit – 4 Wing – is based at CFB Cold Lake in Alberta.
Ottawa currently plans to split its F-35 fleet between the two fighter bases, with 36 jets stationed at Bagotville and 52 assigned to Cold Lake.
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Publish date : 2024-08-13 06:14:00
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