Canada has announced the delivery of the first two F-35A Lightning II fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)…
The F-35A Lightning II will replace the CF-18 Hornet fighters currently in service with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Canada plans to procure a total of 88 F-35A fighter jets to replace its CF-18 Hornet fleet.
The F-35A fleet is expected to achieve initial operational capability by the end of 2030, with full operational readiness targeted by the end of 2034.
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18A/B Hornet fighters are expected to reach the end of their service lives in the mid-2030s.
The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation, multirole fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin and equipped with low-observable technology and advanced avionics systems.
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, the F-35A can reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and operate at altitudes exceeding 50,000 feet (15,240 metres).
The F-35A can perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, carry up to 8,160 kilograms of munitions on its internal and external stations, and support joint operations through advanced sensor fusion and data-sharing capabilities…