Avro Arrow to make a return?

[Naismith]

Who thinks this could/would ever happen?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle4530724/

[pfflyers]

I guess I'd have to put myself on the skeptical side of this one. I can see that the idea would be popular politically, what Canadian wouldn't like to see their Air Force flying home-grown aircraft? Militarily, I'm not so sure. Can the Arrow be turned into a modern multi-role tactical fighter? On time and on budget? I can't see their comment about trading height and speed for stealth getting much traction. Modern SAMs love targets that fly high and straight.

[aeronca1]

Will never happen. I have some first hand experience with Mr. Marc Bourdeau of Vector Motorsports fame (infamy?). Big ideas, usually with little or no money to back them.

[magoo]

No.

It'd be like resurecting a DC-8 and expecting it to be competative with modern airliners.

I can think of one, the B-52, but it's were it is now due to operatrional evolution and the lack of any real replacement. Fighter planes...it's a buffet.

Even stuffed full of modern electronics, modern weapons systems, modern engines, the airframe design is massively outdated. We've come a long way since 1959, why retool from scratch to built a fleet of collectable classics?

Mind you....we could always resurect the Bomarc missile, or even retool for ramped up CF-101 Voodoo's.

Want Canadian built on the cheap? Buy a fleet of MiG 29 or SU35 airframes, stuff them full of North American built electronics, engines, and weapons.

Well...c'mon. I said cheap...

[Allen]

They would be better off with Typhoons.

[cheezyflier]

They would be better off with Typhoons.

in some ways i think you're right, as long as it's canada were talkin about. as much as people love to fear the russians coming across the straight and into alaska, i don't see it happenin in my life time, without some major changes taking place in russia first. i really think they'd do better money-wise to just keep the f-18 for a while. no one flying newer jets than that is likely to come over here lookin for trouble, and the hornet can handle anything else. i dig the new fighters as much as anyone. but for a country like canada that usually stays quiet as much as possible, i don't really think they need more than the hornet today. they can always step up their game down the road if they see trouble comin. having us to the south buys them a whole lotta respect anyhow.

***but more on topic, the idea of using the arrow is just some loudmouth trolling canadians. the idea is ludicrous for more reasons that i can even name. it is nice to look at though

[Jagdflieger]

Well, we can still fly the Arrow in our cyber skies!

[Ferry_vO]

Yes, we can!



It still is a beautiful design, but nowhere near the capabilities of the current fighters like the Rafale, Typhoon or F-35. The modifications required would cost so much it's probably easier and cheaper to start with a copmpletely new design.

[mrogers]

Well, today we have much more advanced technology that can be applied to the basic cf-105 airframe and turned into a far more advanced airframe that may work. The only problem are the naysayers that refuse to look beyond their own limited understanding

[gigabyte]

I am a huge fan of the Arrow and I firmly believe it was the worst mistake ever made by any Canadian politician when that project was cancelled. Having said that and having spent a VERY interesting evening with a couple of CF18 pilots from 410 Squadron out of Cold Lake Alberta I have to agree with what the pilots told me, the CF18's are fine aircraft and they will easily remain very effective for our needs until at east 2020. Both the pilots I spoke to have seen the F35 and one has done enough training to have had a check ride in one, they both said the same thing the F35 is a splendid choice to replace the CF18. I did notice they stayed far away from any political comments (there was a reported in the hanger...lol) they stuck to operational capabilities of the aircraft. The Commander said the real question is what role will Canada need to full fill in the future, and that is just not known, the F35 in his opinion is the most versatile aircraft and offers the best option for multi-role capabilities.

I did have a wonderful evening with these two pilots and the crew chiefs, they were wonderful guests at our local airport and we almost had them talked into taking some of us up for a test flight - well they led us to believe they would have however I know it would not have ever been allowed. We did get to maul the aircraft and sit in the cockpit which was a huge thrill.

Te CF105 revived, I love the thought but I think the practical reality is "Stealth, & Multi Role" and I don'y see anything better than the F35 out there that we could get in service by 2020 and he Pilots I just met seemed to be of the same opinion.

[Naismith]

It may be apocryphal but I was led to believe when the Arrow was discontinued, NASA scooped up a lot of the engineers who then went on to make considerable contributions towards the moon landings. If true maybe it was just as well.

[mrogers]

Gigabyte wrote;
Te CF105 revived, I love the thought but I think the practical reality is "Stealth, & Multi Role" and I don'y see anything better than the F35 out there that we could get in service by 2020 and he Pilots I just met seemed to be of the same opinion.

Good point Gigabyte. The type of fighter has to be suitable for today's combat. So what was good all those years ago may not be suitable for today's stealth and multirole needs.