One presumes he was talking about this story, which, in fact, suggested drones and cheaper jets, such as the Boeing Super Hornet purchased as a stopgap by the Australians, could be used to complement a smaller fleet of F-35s. The Air Force is adamant that only fighters can control Canada’s air space effectively. And a Canadian Press story quoted one source who said the CF-18 fleet should be able to stay in the air past 2020, thanks to recent upgrades (unless they are embroiled in a major conflagration in the Middle East, presumably).
But none of this negates the growing role envisaged for armed drones. Mr. Fantino said the purchase of remotely controlled aircraft was mere “speculation.” It is somewhat more than that. Souces suggest Defence Minister Peter MacKay has bought into the purchase of a small number of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the Department of National Defence is preparing a memorandum to cabinet for drones that will be able to carry out maritime and Arctic surveillance, as well as having the capability of being deployed in theatre.
Nothing is likely to happen before the federal budget, given the bad publicity that more military spending would likely attract. But the Air Force is hoping to have armed drones in the air within five years and fully operational within seven.
Original Article
Source: national post
Author John Ivison:
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