Boeing would perform final assembly of its F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets in the United States rather than Canada if it wins Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) competition.
Jim Barnes, Boeing Defense, Space, and Security director of business development in Canada, on 27 October cited the small production run for performing final assembly in St. Louis, Missouri, where the Super Hornet is built. Canada will purchase 88 advanced fighters as part of its competition with the first aircraft anticipated for 2025. The procurement is expected to be worth USD11-14 billion.
Artist’s illustration of Boeing’s Block III Super Hornets with Canadian logos. Two experts that spoke with Janes said Boeing’s proposal to perform Block III Super Hornet final assembly in the US and not Canada if it won Canada’s fighter competition was a reasonable business decision. (Boeing)
“It was decided that the benefits of standing up these types of operations in Canada were not worth the investment,” Barnes said. “We are concentrating on the decades of life cycle support for our partners’ work share, including potential work on US Navy Super Hornets.”
Boeing is competing against the Saab Gripen E with production in Canada and the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for the FFCP. The winning company will replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF’s) legacy Boeing F/A-18 (CF-18/CF-188 in national service) fighter fleet.
The industrial and technical benefits (ITB) portion of an offeror’s bid is an important part of a proposal. Jennifer Seidman, Boeing international strategic partnerships country manager for Canada, said on 27 October that both defence production and skills development were part of the company’s ITB proposal, but that she could not provide further details.
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