Half of F-35 fleet won't arrive until after CF-18s reach end of service life
In this Dec. 18, 2007 file photo, the Lockheed Martin F-35B is shown during an unveiling ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas. Government figures say the air force will have less than half its fleet of new F-35 fighter jets in place when it comes time to retire the aging CF-18s. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Donna McWilliam
OTTAWA - Government figures say the air force will have less than half its fleet of new F-35 fighter jets in place when it comes time to retire the aging CF-18s.
The delivery of all 65 F-35s is being spread out between 2016 and 2023, with most of the radar-evading aircraft arriving after 2019.
That is according to figures provided by the office of Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino.
The current fleet of 77 CF-18s is due to retire by 2020 and most of the air force planning over the last decade aimed to get replacements on the flight line at least one or two years ahead of that deadline.
Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under access to information show the original delivery schedule in 2007 had 16 of the F-35s arriving each year between 2014 and 2018, plus one spare.
But Fantino's latest figures say only 26 planes will be delivered by 2019-20.
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