Ottawa Issues Draft RFP For Hornet Fleet Replacement Written 1 November 2018

FlightGlobal reports that the Royal Canadian Air Force issued a draft request for proposal (RFP) “to five potential suppliers to replace its Boeing CF-18A/B Hornet fleet,” including The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defense, and Saab. The suppliers will have around eight weeks to provide feedback to “help refine and finalize the formal RFP.” The service plans to receive initial proposals “between summer and winter 2019,” with a contract awarded in the winter of 2021. Ottawa hopes to receive initial aircraft by 2025, “with initial operational capability achieved by 2026.” Canadian Minister of Public Services, Procurement and Accessibility Carla Qualtrough, speaking a day before the RFP was released, called the program “one of the largest procurements the government has ever undertaken,” representing the “most significant investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in more than thirty years.” 
More Info (FlightGlobal)