Are they planning to lease the SHornets from Boeing? Sell them to the USN/RAAF at a significant discount after ~5 years?
I'm not sure how Canada is thinking they'll buy 18 "interim" SHornets without being stuck with them for the next 30 years.
I figure the plan is to acquire some SHornets now then hold the competition in a few years. When the SHornet loses, they can trot out the argument that a mixed fleet of aircraft is too expensive to maintain, and since they already own 18 SHornets they'll have to fill out the fleet with more to maintain commonality despite its lesser utility.
I'm not sure how Canada is thinking they'll buy 18 "interim" SHornets without being stuck with them for the next 30 years.
I figure the plan is to acquire some SHornets now then hold the competition in a few years. When the SHornet loses, they can trot out the argument that a mixed fleet of aircraft is too expensive to maintain, and since they already own 18 SHornets they'll have to fill out the fleet with more to maintain commonality despite its lesser utility.
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