The Canadian government resurrected the possibility of buying F-35 Lightning IIs to replace its long-serving CF-18 Hornet fleet, apparently reversing the government’s vow to abandon F-35, Canada’s The Star reported. Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the government will not rule out buying the F-35, but will evaluate each potential F-18 replacement on its merits through a transparent selection process. “The real issue here is we want to make sure that we replace the F-18 and have a suitable aircraft that meets the needs of Canada. That’s what we’re committed to do,” Sajjan said, according to the paper. Canada was one of the original F-35 development partners, and planned to purchase a total of 65 aircraft to equip the Royal Canadian Air Force before the selection process was re-launched on cost grounds in 2012. The country’s newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on a platform of axing Canada’s F-35 buy and replacing the F-18 with a cheaper alternative. The RCAF plans to extend the CF-18 fleet to at least 2025 pending acquisition of a replacement fighter.
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…