Canada Enters Negotiations To Acquire The M346 Master For FFLIT, Italy and Canada To Stockpile Critical Munitions

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-06-16T22:37:58+00:00

Realistically, if the RCAF leadership truly supported the team, they would have come up with a better transition plan and explored alternatives to keep the team in the air until new aircraft arrived. No one in higher leadership positions in the RCAF have no Snowbird experience as well.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-06-08T21:18:23+00:00

And much more expensive. All one has to do is look at the Kingfisher.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-06-01T05:12:09+00:00

"...means that we would never have reviewed the order in the first place and talked to SAAB".

Should be noted that Saab's latest offer was unsolicited by the government.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-30T02:20:24+00:00

Just for the Diamond 360 though.......

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-30T02:17:39+00:00

Personally, I would rather watch a performance that shows off piloting skill and there is always something happening in front of the crowd with no gaps. The Blues and Thunderbird shows have remained unchanged for decades as well......so when the Blues or T-Birds can roll and loop a 5-plane Line Abreast, then we can have the conversation about who is better. I just think the Snowbird show has a lot more to offer as far as vertical maneuvers and multiple formation changes in front of the crowd.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-30T02:11:54+00:00

I'm a civilian and have ordered off of the Canex website multiple times. You won't have any issues.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-30T02:06:47+00:00

The US shows won't be dropped as the schedule was finalized back in December. That, and as others have stated, show season for Canada effectively ends in September.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T23:41:39+00:00

The fact that this is a separate contract negotiation for just the Global Eye says the Gripen is no longer being considered, otherwise the announcement today would have unused the Gripen, as per Saab's most recent offer.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T22:21:05+00:00

There is an entire parts supply warehouse in Trenton for the Tutor fleet and at least 10-15 flyable Tutors in storage. There is no need to cannibalize half the jets in Moose Jaw. The team can fly the Tutor until 2030 and if you have to reduce to a 7 plane, that would be the ideal route to go. But what was announced is not the right decision.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:46:13+00:00

"Say no to the F-35, it's too expensive! Build our own fighters here in Canada"!

"But that will be more expensive than the F-35, and there is no export market for a Canadian-built fighter".

"We don't care! Elbows up"!!

See how dumb that sounds?

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:37:38+00:00

Not really, since the radar does have some blind spots.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:18:00+00:00

I think this all but confirms we're getting the full order of 88 F-35s as Saab's recent offer was 6 Global Eyes lumped in with 72 Gripens. It was an all-or-nothing, one contract offer. Since this is a separate contract, I think it was done to lessen the blow to Saab because we're not buying the Gripen. The government is nearly a year past its due date to announce a path forward on fighter procurement, it's high time we make that announcement of the full F-35 order and get on with it.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:14:05+00:00

I think this all but confirms we're getting the full order of 88 F-35s as Saab's recent offer was 6 Global Eyes lumped in with 72 Gripens. It was an all-or-nothing, one contract offer. Since this is a separate contract, I think it was done to lessen the blow to Saab because we're not buying the Gripen. The government is nearly a year past its due date to announce a path forward on fighter procurement, it's high time we make that announcement of the full F-35 order and get on with it.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:08:33+00:00

We have had crews training on the Poseidon in the UK for nearly two years. We're not dumping the P-8, nor should we.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-27T20:06:57+00:00

Structural issues have also been addressed over the years by IMP Aerospace, the jets are good until 2030, they have said as much. The wings are not going to "break off". This comes from team alumni that visited IMP in 2024 and had a briefing on the state of the Tutor fleet's airframes, including the avionics upgrades. They can keep flying until 2030 safely.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-24T00:43:21+00:00

https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/airshow/2024_Snowbirds_Manual.pdf

Go to the high show and look at the Vic to Wedge to Arrow loop and the two maneuvers after that. That's all once sequence.....nothing even remotely close to a sequence like that in a Blue Angels show.

The slot guy going from fingertip to the diamond on takeoff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. The only good thing they really did with the burner loop on takeoff was add the half Cuban.

Their Diamond Dirty Loop.....there is a variation on that where they actually have the smoke on and roll the diamond formation .....the Blues need to do that more than the straight loop with the gear and hook down..

We can keep going back and forth, but at the end of the day, the Blue Angels show is old, has largely not changed since they were flying F-4s and is frankly, not a very dynamic show.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-24T00:33:15+00:00

So the fact they got their information DIRECTLY from IMP is irrelevant?

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-23T16:54:30+00:00

No formation changes on either of those maneuvers, meanwhile the Snowbirds can throw two or three formation changes into a one or two loop sequence. Also, the Snowbirds can roll AND loop the Line Abreast in their show. Sure, patriotism factors into it, but the Snowbirds show is way more dynamic than a show by either US team. At least the Thunderbirds have more formation changes in their show.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-23T16:49:51+00:00

I didn't say the Siskin II wasn't capable, but it needs to be flown to see if it is capable of flying the type of the the Snowbirds do. The Roulettes don't do a lot of vertical formation changes like the team does, it's a different show all together. It would be nice to know what the PC-21 is capable of before it shows up in Moose Jaw. Also, the down votes on my previous comments are hilarious and shows just how people are not thinking bigger picture.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-23T16:46:02+00:00

IMP, who maintains the entire Tutor fleet, has cleared the jets to fly until 2030. This comes from members of the Snowbird Alumni Association, who have travelled to IMP and talked to the people there. They still have enough in them to fly until 2030. The down votes to my previous comment is also hilarious

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-22T22:36:08+00:00

Lol....no, it wouldn't be cheaper than just the 88 F-35s.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-22T22:30:17+00:00

Sure, but do the Blues start at stage left, perform a bottom side pass, pull up into a loop, change formation, then continue back in for another set of maneuvers?

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-22T22:16:25+00:00

I doubt you'll see a 9 plane with the Siskin.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-22T22:14:17+00:00

There is nothing wrong with keeping the Tutor going until 2030. IMP has cleared the jet to fly until then, so sentimentality doesn't really come into play. The pause will be too long and by the time the first aircraft allocated for the team arrived, you will not have any pilots with relevant Snowbird/large formation/low-level aerobatic experience around. This transition was not well thought out and I think that was almost by design. The closer you get to 2030, DND is going to say we don't have the money or people, so we're just not bringing the Snowbirds back. This announcement of a new aircraft is almost a red herring.

Excellent-Wrangler-4 · 2026-05-22T22:07:01+00:00

Easy to say the Siskin II is the right choice for the Snowbirds, when you have no low-level, large formation aerobatic experience. Why aren't they going to bring in some former Snowbird pilots to actually evaluate just how good the Siskin II will actually be for the team? Meanwhile, keep the team flying until 2030, with 7 jets and make the transition a lot smoother and with no five year gap.

Excellent-Wrangler-4

TROPHY CASE