Defence minister set to lay out next steps to replace aging fighter jets
OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan will shed some light on how the government plans to replace Canada’s aging fighter jets in an address to defence and aerospace industry officials Wednesday.
The much-anticipated update will not include an announcement on what aircraft will replace Canada’s CF-18s, said Sajjan’s spokeswoman, Jordan Owens. The minister will instead lay out what “short-term next steps” the government intends to take on the file.
The Liberals have been under pressure to say something about the replacement plan since reports last month that they were considering buying Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets without a competition.
The government has insisted no decision has been made, but it also says new warplanes are urgently needed to address a “gap” in the air force’s fighter jet capabilities. In particular, the Liberals have said there aren’t enough CF-18s to meet all of Canada’s defence commitments.