Canada To Buy 10 Boeing F/A-18E Aircraft Worth US$5.23 billion

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Canada of ten F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft besides weapons, radars and communication systems altogether worth US$5.23 billion.

The deal is seen as compromise after Canada refused to buy the more expensive F-35 aircraft from Lockheed Martin.

The Super Hornets for Canada will come equipped  with F414-GE-400 engines, eight engine spares; twenty AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars; twenty M61A2 20MM gun systems; twenty-eight AN/ALR-67(V)3 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Receiving Sets; fifteen AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods; twenty) Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems–Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS); thirty Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS); twenty-eight AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Countermeasures Systems; one hundred thirty LAU-127E/A and or F/A Guided Missile Launchers.

The deal includes  twenty-two AN/AYK-29 Distributed Targeting System (DTS); twenty-two (22) AN/AYK-29 Distributed Targeting Processor (DTP); one hundred (100) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Tactical Missiles; thirty (30) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); eight (8) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Special Air Training Missiles (NATM); twenty (20) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II Tactical Guidance Units; sixteen (16) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II CATM Guidance Units.

Also included in this sale are AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVG); AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems; AN/ARC-210 Communication System; AN/APX-111 Combined Interrogator Transponder; AN/ALE-55 Towed Decoys; Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loader (SKL); Data Transfer Unit (DTU); Accurate Navigation (ANAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigation; KIV-78 Duel Channel Encryptor, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF); CADS/PADS; Instrument Landing System (ILS); Aircraft Armament Equipment (AAE).

High Speed Video Network (HSVN) Digital Video Recorder (HDVR); Launchers (LAU-115D/A, LAU-116B/A, LAU-118A); flight test services; site survey; aircraft ferry; auxiliary fuel tanks; aircraft spares; containers; storage and preservation; transportation; aircrew and maintenance training; training aids and equipment, devices and spares and repair parts; weapon system support and test equipment; technical data Engineering Change Proposals; technical publications and documentation; software; avionics software support; software development/integration; system integration and testing.

The estimated total case value is $5.23 billion.  The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on September 11, 2017.