All Royal Canadian Air Force articles
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News
Top Aces’ upgraded A-4 Skyhawks already boosting Canadian CF-18 combat training
Top Aces has delivered its first adversary air training sorties for Canada using Douglas A-4 Skyhawks modified with equipment including an active electronically scanned array radar.
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News
Canada’s Hawk jet trainers report for retirement duty
Although Ottawa retired the single-engined trainers in March, the Royal Canadian Air Force plans to make continued use of its CT-155s as an instructional platform for new maintenance technicians.
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Canada announces $8bn acquisition of 71 trainer aircraft for RCAF
While Ottawa has not yet selected a new training jet for the instruction of new fighter pilots, the government is contracting for more than 70 smaller turboprops and helicopters under the Future Aircrew Training programme.
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Canada to integrate Smith Myers mobile phone tracking system into search and rescue fleet
UK technology firm Smith Myers will integrate its Artemis mobile phone detection package into Ottawa’s fleet of CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue helicopters as part of a Leonardo-led mid-life upgrade programme.
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Analysis
Ottawa touts progress on defence spending despite missing 2% NATO target
The government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is lauding a C$40 billion plan to boost military spending, particularly in the Arctic region, while downplaying the country’s failure to achieve the NATO standard of committing the equivalent of 2% of gross domestic product toward defence expenditures.
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Canada announces $13.5bn helicopter modernisation plan
Under a new strategy to boost defence spending and modernise the Canadian military, Ottawa will spend some $13.5 billion over 20 years to acquire a new helicopter fleet.
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News
Canada set to launch search for new trainer to support future F-35A fleet
The Royal Canadian Air Force will start engaging with industry from next month as it starts work towards defining its requirements for a future fighter lead-in trainer to enter service early next decade.
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Canada highlights arctic aviation capability with far-northern drills
During a series of exercises known as Operation Nanook-Nunalivut, the Royal Canadian Air Force highlighted its ability to deliver ground forces and equipment on missions in high latitudes.
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Canada prepares $630m airfield upgrades as part of tanker acquisition
Improvements to runways and hangar facilities will support Ottawa’s planned fleet of nine Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport jets.
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News
Canada retires Hawk jet trainers without replacements identified
The Royal Canadian Air Force says its fighter training squadron has entered a “period of hiatus” after the service retired its fleet of BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk trainer jets.
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Canada takes delivery of new King Air 350ER-based surveillance aircraft
Under the Manned Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance project, L3Harris will modify three Beechcraft King Air 350ER turboprops with mission packages for service with the Royal Canadian Air Force under the designation CE-145C Vigilance.
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News
Canada to sunset leased King Air fleet in favour of air force modernisations
The Royal Canadian Air Force is declining to renew leases on two Beechcraft King Air transports, with Ottawa saying the savings will be used to support a sweeping modernisation plan for the service.
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News
Bell secures $1.6bn contract for Canadian CH-146 sustainment
The $1.68 billion deal between Ottawa and Bell Textron Canada will provide maintenance and overhaul support to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of 82 CH-146 Griffon utility helicopters.
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News
Canada to obtain 11 MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAs
Ottawa’s decision to obtain 11 MQ-9Bs is one part of a major overhaul for Canadian airpower.
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News
Canada announces deployment of military helicopters to Baltic region
During a visit to fellow NATO member Latvia, Canada’s top defence leaders announced Ottawa will deploy Bell CH-146 Griffon and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters to the Baltic region starting in 2024 as part of a multi-national battle group – Canada’s first “persistent” deployment of tactical rotary aviation to Europe in roughly 20 years.
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News
Top Aces adds A-4 Skyhawk to Canadian adversary training fleet
The private provider of adversary air support has been providing aggressor training to the Royal Canadian Air Force using a fleet of modified Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets and Bombardier Learjet 35s.
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Canada signs to acquire 14 Boeing P-8As for multi-mission aircraft replacement programme
The Canadian government has agreed to purchase at least 14 Boeing P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2026.
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News
Canadian helicopter repeatedly intercepted by Chinese J-11 fighters
Ottawa says the crew of a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone underway with a Royal Canadian Navy ship in the South China Sea was repeatedly intercepted by Chinese J-11 fighter jets acting in an “unsafe” manner.
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News
Canadian investigators release initial report on fatal Chinook crash
The crash of the Royal Canadian Air Force heavy-lift helicopter in June killed two pilots after the Boeing CH-47F impacted the Ottawa River during a training flight in Ontario.
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News
Leonardo Helicopters eyes addtional orders for Wildcat and AW101
Leonardo Helicopters is hopeful that a resurgence of interest in the AW159 Wildcat following the restart of production last year could see the military rotorcraft’s backlog extend into double digits over the next 12 months.