The State Department has approved a potential $862.3 million deal with Canada for weapon upgrades for its CF-18 aircraft, including 50 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II tactical missiles.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the foreign military sale on June 15.
Canada will also receive Sidewinder training missiles, 38 APG-79(V)4 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar units, 20 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bombs and 46 F/A-18A Wide Band RADOMEs.
The FMS also includes upgrades for the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System “to ensure flight trainers remain current with the new technologies” as well as “software development to integrate the systems listed into the F/A-18A airframe.”
“This sale will provide Canada the ability to maximize the systems’ employment and sustainment, significantly enhancing the warfighting capability of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s F/A-18 aircraft,” DSCA officials wrote in a statement.