Abstract
The Department of National Defence has determined that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the only jet fighter aircraft that meets its Statement of Operational Requirements (SOR). But the fact that the SOR is not publicly available has stifled debate and precluded a competitive tendering process. In this article, we examine the role currently fulfilled by the CF-18 as well as the possible future missions with which any successor aircraft might be tasked. We also explore the negative impact that stealth technology will have on the performance and mission capable rates of the F-35. We conclude that the F-35 is ill-suited for Canada's needs and recommend a more cautious approach that mixes existing CF-18s with a smaller number of new non-stealth jet fighter aircraft as well as, increasingly, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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