In a story reported in the National Post, US general Michael Hostage stated that the costly F-35 fighter jets are incapable of flying solo missions since they cannot properly defend themselves against enemy aircraft and require companion F-22s to fly shotgun to provide aerial mission support. The catch is that the F-22s are proprietary to the US due to their advanced technology and are not available to other countries even if Canada could afford them:
New questions are being raised about whether the F-35 stealth fighter is the right aircraft for Canada after a U.S. general acknowledged the jet is limited in what it can do and needs to be accompanied on its missions by another multi-million-dollar aircraft. The issue for Canada and other potential F-35 buyers is that the other aircraft referred to by the general – the F-22 – isn’t available for foreign sales because of its sophisticated technology.
Gen. Michael Hostage, head of air combat command in the U.S., said the F-35 is critical for the future of that country’s air force. But in an interview with the Air Force Times, published in February, Hostage pointed out the F-35 needs to work hand-in-hand with the F-22. “The F-35 is not built as an air superiority platform,” Hostage said. “It needs the F-22.”
The U.S. Air Force is upgrading the F-22, which officers see as essential. Without the upgraded F-22s, “the F-35 fleet frankly will be irrelevant,” Hostage said. The comments have sparked heated debate in aerospace and defence circles, and analyst Martin Shadwick says Hostage’s statements are bound to raise eyebrows in Canada. “I’m sure you won’t see the general’s comments in any F-35 marketing literature,” said Shadwick, a York University professor. “Canada needs a multi-role fighter and even if the F-22 were available we couldn’t afford another aircraft to fly top cover for the F-35s.”
The story is just the latest in a long line of bad news surrounding the on-again-off-again acquisition of the F-35s, a matter which continues to remain “under review” by Canada’s Public Works Department.
