Canada eyes new fighter jets offered at $50 million US

"Canada has already invested $150 million US in JSF. The government has also decided to take part in the next phase of the aircraft's development, agreeing to invest around $500 million US over the next 45 years to pay for the specialized equipment for JSF production.

Canada expects to make its decision in 2011 on whether to buy the JSF or another fighter jet"

If they are going to throw $650 million at a project they best be buying soime airplanes!!!...hell 13 are already paid for!!

That money also got our foot in the door for the manufacture of sub-components and parts. It was a win for our aerospace industry.

$50 million each is a good price. I'd support that.

Tell 'em to hang on a bit. A couple more weeks and it will be offered at a fire sale for $5 million if the economy sinks any lower

hehe, possibly. Although I'm not sure I want to live in such a world where that would become a good idea.

Lol, if it got that bad, they'd probably just invade us.

Okay, seriously though, this is a great deal and we should hop on this now.

thats sounds extremely affordable, I heard the rapptors go for about 500 million a piece, which why many coutries have stayed with the f18

I've heard that the CF18 program has atleast another 24 years to go.

What about the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet? It's larger and more advanced than A/D models which would still be fine if their Avionics could be updated. The price for them is also in the $50 Million per unit.

markets are slipping why not wait till the price falls to 5 million or lower

i didnt see travior's comment. It was his idea first

I'm still not to keen on this plane.

The price isn't bad, but that one engine is plain scary. It's fine for the Americans who have airstrips all over the place, but what happens to the poor SOB whose engine dies patrolling near the Arctic Circle? Him and his expensive plane are totally gone.

I'd rather pay a bit more and get the Typhoon or even the F/A-18F.

The Super Hornet would be an easy fit because of its common parts etc with our current fleet. however, it is IMO an inferior plane to the original. It got bigger and heavier and the engine upgrade didnt keep pace. Ask anyone who flies them and they will tell you its bigger heavier, slower and less manouverable.

I never really liked the JSF, it seems like they are trying to have it accomplish too much. It is meant to support so many different roles that it doesnt excel in any area and does them all just satisfactorily.

The Eurofighter is the best option at this point. In all aspects of range, payload, manouverability, ground attack, and price. I think that DND overlooks alot of good European equipment that is coming out of the EU at the moment. On top of the EF, there is the Tiger attack chopper, and more recently the NH-90 chopper in the blackhawk type mould. All quality equipment that is not as highly priced as their US counterparts because they are catering to smaller European militaries. Sometimes a look across the pond could be quite useful next time we need to purchase something.

And with alot of the militaries sharing the desgin costs it will further drive down the price or us.