Canadian fighter jet replacement project hit with another delay

Canada’s long-running effort to buy new fighter jets is facing another delay.

The federal government says today it is giving fighter-jet makers another three months to submit their proposals for replacing Canada’s aging CF-18s.

READ MORE: Ottawa officially requests bids for fighter jet replacement deal

Companies were to have submitted their bids at the end of March, but will now have until June.

Canada wants to buy 88 new fighter jets at an estimated cost of $19 billion, to replace the nearly 40-year old CF-18s.

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READ MORE: U.S. warned Canada that fighter jet competition rules violate commitments to F-35 program

Two years ago Canada announced plans to invest more than $1 billion to keep the CF-18s in the air until 2032.

Three planes are in the running to replace them including Lockheed Martin’s F-35, Boeing’s Super Hornet and Saab’s Gripen.

A winning bidder is supposed to be chosen by 2022, with the stated goal to have the first planes arrive in 2025.

1:53 Conservatives say Canadians should be ‘troubled’ by fighter jet report