Canada Cancels 2025 CF-18 Demo - Citing F-35 Prep

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Canadian Fat Amy causes Canada to cancel CF-18 demo for 2025! Will the "tactical" displays be enough? Will we ever see amazing paint jobs on Hornets again? Good riddance CF-18 demo, it was loud and obnoxious? Is Canada crushing it with good decisions? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Every Monday at 8PM ET, Mover (F-16, F/A-18, T-38, 737, helicopter pilot, author, cop, and wanna be race car driver) and Gonky (F/A-18, T-38, A320, dirt bike racer, author, and awesome dad) discuss everything from aviation to racing to life and anything in between.



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*Views presented are my own and do not represent the views of DoD or its Components.*

[burtmcreavy]

In Canada without a CF18 display at airshows it won't be the same at all. Here's hoping that our friends and neighbors will continue to support Canadian airshows with a demo by F35 or F22 or F16. Hey after all spectators want to witness the dynamics, power and thrust of fighters. Thanks for posting and as always enjoyed the post.

[droussel]

I saw this CF-18 fly last fall at the Aero Gatineau airshow and that paint job was so awesome. Got to see the Snowbirds, Red Arrows, and Thunderbirds. The 3 demo teams on the same day. I'll cherish that memory for a very long time!

[mattkaczorowski]

Sorry, we have like two mechanics. They can only do so much.

[rickcraig]

I’m biased but what an outstanding demo and paint scheme.Proud to see Captain Robert perform at Riat the Mach Loop, Oshkosh and many North American air shows for the RCAF Centennial.Those dirty rolls on take off never get old

[seahawksfan]

Looking forward to the CF-35eh. Hoping for the false canopy, keep the tradition

[spencerpeterson]

I remember the first time I saw the RCAF demo Jet do a falling leaf in person…. My jaw dropped. Thanks to our RCAF pilots who make miracles happen with the few resources available to them.

[wyldhowl]

Our CF18s often sport some great (demo) paint schemes.
However, I think the reason for the announcement is that they are trying to stretch the lifespan of the CF18's until our CF35s are actually in the air. Trying to put a positive spin on it, claiming a bowl of warm water is soup.

[TheModelGuy]

It’s because we can’t afford to be max g-ing these airframes since they have to last

[carll]

Lots of house cleaning to do here for sure. I suspect this is a re-allocation of funding to, amongst other departments, border services. So glad I saw this aircraft and the F22's demo this past summer at the Abbotsford airshow from about a km distant. IMHO it was more impressive watching from this vantage point, versus under the aircraft on the spectator ramp, to reveal what these large jets are capable of. Even after decades of attending airshows I was astonished.

[R.Hogarth]

The best part of that CF18 paint scheme isn't visible in that pic. The "False Canopy" for the 100th Anniversary of the RCAF is painted in the official RCAF Tartan.

[realalbertan]

The Canada 150 paint job was fire. The RCAF is also acquiring P8's that are arriving in 2026.

[StevenKing]

Was the last season for the A10 demo as well. Wish they would bring back the Strike Eagle demo or maybe the new Eagle

[bird.]

It was neat seeing the CF-18 demo airplane and the American F-16 demo next to each other this year. I still think the CF-18 had the better paint job : )

[tIhIngan]

@0:46 The first "modernisation" is the authors word, and it's a Bri'ish website, therefore Bri'ish spelling. The 2nd "modernization" is from a quote from the Canadians, and over here we flip-flop between US and Bri'ish spelling.

[carll]

Switzerland has also cancelled flight demonstrations. Looks to be no AXALP Show in 25 or 26. This was on my bucket list. 🙁

[EyesIsntWatching]

Given the CF is at an all-time recruitment crisis and they currently need 6400 recruits per year just to cover retirements and walkouts. I think killing the demo team even just for a year is a bad idea.
The RCAF will have the F-35 before they finish duct taping the surplus Aussie F/A-18's together.

[hoghogwild]

FOC for the fleet is expected between 2032-2034. Those hornets will have been in service for 50-52 years by then. Many of them have 6000-8000 hours on them now.

[MacguffinVirtualProductions]

I heard about this… totally blows. I’m so glad I got some awesome photos of it at the Abbotsford Airshow this year!

[derbmed]

I find it funny is that Canada just went through their 100 year Air Power celebration with visiting European Air Teams and the next year they’re canceling demonstrations.

[LIKWID]

The difference between the "s" and the "z" in modernisation, is because the website that posted this article is a UK based website so they have their introduction to the article, then the statement from the Canadians where they naturally use the z in modernisation. Where we use the s on our side of the water. The joys of differences between our variants of English haha.