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A number of Defence Watch readers have stated that the RCAF has or have had 24 CF-18s in storage. They raised the question why those aircraft aren’t being brought out of storage, upgraded and used as interim fighter jets (instead of proceeding with the purchase of used Australian F-18s)?

So Defence Watch asked the question on their behalf. Here is the response received from Department of National Defence spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande:

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Any CF-18s currently in storage have been removed from service, have not been modernized and are awaiting disposal. These aircrafts have not been upgraded under the aircraft structural life extension program and the system modernization project, and as a result, are no longer operational. There are 9 of these CF-18s currently in storage at L-3 MAS Mirabel, Québec.

A total of 42 jets have been removed from service over the years (138 original, minus 20 crashes and the remaining 76 still in service). These aircrafts have been used for multiple purposes including:

Spare parts (mutilated and disposed of)

Aircraft training aids:

oSchool training aids:

At the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering at 16 Wing Borden

At 10 Field Technical Training Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake

At 10 Field Technical Training Squadron Detachment at 3 Wing Bagotville

oDesignated Weapon Load Trainers at the Air Maintenance Squadrons at 4 Wing Cold Lake and 3 Wing Bagotville