The Royal Canadian Air Force has suspended its long-running CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team for 2025.
One of the longest-standing fast jet solo displays in the world, the team has performed stunning solo displays using the CF-188A/B “Legacy” Hornet since the 1980s, and has long been regarded as one of the top fast jet displays in North America. In recent years, the team has also become notable for using colourful special scheme aircraft.
The RCAF said that the team was being axed to help facilitate “a period of modernization not seen since the Second World War.”
Canada’s ageing CF-188s are reaching the end of their operational lives and are overdue for replacement, with CF-35A Lightnings due to begin entering service in 2026. The last CF-188s will continue to serve into the early 2030s, by which time their fatigue lives will likely be extremely limited.
The statement continued: “To commit more resources to this transition, for the 2025 Air Show season, the RCAF will not stand up its typical CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team, but will instead showcase a small number of non-aerobatic Tactical Demonstrations. These demonstrations will be carried out by our highly skilled and trained CF-18 pilots from Squadrons in Cold Lake and Bagotville, operating grey paint scheme CF-18s from the inventory available at the time of each air show. To limit the impact on the fighter force, it was also decided that the CF-18s will only attend a limited number of Canadian air shows [during the 2025] season.”
The statement leaves open the possibility of resuming CF-188 aerobatic displays in 2026 or beyond, but the core issues causing the team to be suspended are not likely to be resolved before the Hornet fleet has been retired.