"The F/A-18 Super Hornet — a better fighter jet" Topic

"Pity Canada's fighter jet pilots: their 33-year-old CF-18 Hornets are suffering from metal fatigue, to the point where strong G-forces could rip off their wings.

Some of the CF-18s are being refitted in a move that officials claim will extend their lives to 2025. But metal fatigue is difficult to address through refits and for safety reasons, the planes are no longer used for training in aerial combat, or sent to places where they might become involved in a "dogfight." Instead, they drop precision-guided bombs in places where there are no enemy jets.

The need to avoid air-to-air combat helps explain why the six CF-18s deployed with great fanfare to Romania and Lithuania last year for NATO support were quietly withdrawn just seven months later. The Canadian planes were of limited use for training Eastern European pilots and of little deterrence value vis-ŕ-vis the Russian Air Force…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

We have a few Typhoons going spare… just saying like.

The Australian F18's are of a similar vintage.

Planes wear out. Repairs only go so far, eventually – like cars, cell phones – replacements are necessary.

It's "peacetime" – everybody ignores logistical truths unless forcibly reminded.