This article duplicates the scope of other articles, specifically Royal Canadian Air Force#Current inventory. Please discuss this issue and help introduce a summary style to the article. (April 2022)

This list identifies the military aircraft which are currently being operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. List of aircraft of Canada's air forces includes all aircraft operated by the RCAF and its predecessors, current and past while List of aircraft of the Royal Canadian Navy covers all RCN aircraft.

Airbus CC-150 Polaris

Airbus A310 transports purchased in 1992 for use as strategic transports and air-to-air tankers to replace the Boeing CC-137. Two have been converted to tankers and are designated the CC-150T. One is permanently configured for VIP transport; all four aircraft are operated by 437 Squadron based at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario.

Airbus CC-295 Kingfisher^[1]

Twin-turboprop tactical search and rescue aircraft as replacement for the CC-115 Buffalo and older-model C-130H Hercules search and rescue aircraft

BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk

Single-engined lead-in fighter trainer leased in 2000. 17 aircraft in service beginning of 2024, based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, SK and 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, announced 'taken out of service as per April 2024

Beechcraft CT-156 Harvard II

Single-engined trainer leased from CAE Inc. to replace the Canadair CT-114 Tutor. 24 aircraft based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Beechcraft King Air C-90B

Multi-engine training aircraft. Leased to RCAF by Allied Wings, 7 aircraft are based at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Boeing CC-177 Globemaster III

Five strategic airlifters operated by 429 (T) Squadron based at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario. Four were delivered from 2007 to 2008, a fifth was delivered in 2015.^[2]

Bombardier CC-144 Challenger

Utility and VIP transport aircraft first delivered in 1982. Early Challenger 600 and 601 models were supplemented by 604 models in 2002. Four aircraft are operated by 412(T) Sqn and based in Ottawa, but belong to 8 Wing Trenton.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor

Entered service in 1962 as a basic and advanced jet trainer with 190 originally ordered, replaced by the CT-156 Harvard II and CT-155 Hawk in 2000. A total of 26 aircraft remain in service, 24 of which are used by 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, "The Snowbirds". Five are used by Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) for test support and pilot proficiency flying.^[3][4]

DHC CC-138 Twin Otter

A twin-engined utility transport operated since the 1970s, four remain based at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, operated by 440 Transport Squadron.

DHC CT-142 Dash 8

Twin-engined converted regional airliner entered service in 1987 as an aerial navigation and tactics trainer, Four are operated by 402 "City of Winnipeg" Sqn and stationed at 17 Wing, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Grob G 120A

Single engine primary trainer used to train pilot candidates before they move onto the Harvard II. Leased to RCAF by KF Defence Programs, 14 aircraft are based at 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.^[5]

Lockheed CC-130H Hercules

Four-engined tactical transport. Several versions have been operated since 1960. Remaining CC-130Hs used for search and rescue and air-to-air refuelling. 12 aircraft remain in service,^[5] 4 of which have been converted to air-to-air tankers. Based at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, and 17 Wing, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Lockheed CP-140 Aurora

Four-engined maritime patrol aircraft based on the American Lockheed P-3 Orion; entered service in 1980, 18 aircraft now based at 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia, and 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia.^[5]

Lockheed Martin CC-130J Super Hercules

Four-engined tactical airlifter replacing earlier Hercules variants in that role.^[6] A total of 17 are in service operated by 436 (T) Squadron based at 8 Wing Trenton.^[7]

McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet

Fighter entered service in 1982 when 98 single-seat CF-18As and 40 two-seat CF-18Bs were ordered. Seventeen have been lost since 1984.^[8] Stationed at 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec and 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta; 60 CF-18As and 25 CF-18Bs remain in active service.^[5][9]

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Ex-RAAF)

18 (12 F/A-18A and 6 F/A-18B) have been delivered. Up to seven additional Hornets are also being supplied to be used for spares.^[10]

AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant

Triple-engined search and rescue helicopter that replaced the CH-113 Labrador. Fourteen delivered between 2000 and 2002. Based at (103 Squadron) 9 Wing Gander, Newfoundland; (413 Squadron) 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia; and (442 Squadron) 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia. One aircraft has been lost in a training accident.

Bell CH-139 JetRanger (Model C or III)

Single-engined utility and training helicopter. Ordered for 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at CFB Portage la Prairie, MB; an older variant (CH-136 - Jetranger A model), was used by Regular Forces in CFB Lahr in Germany and in Canada from 1972 - 1995 which were replaced by CH-146 Griffons. 12 aircraft remain, leased from Allied Wings, used for flight training in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Bell CH-146 Griffon

A utility transport tactical helicopter (UTTH) that entered service between 1995 and 1997. Original purchase of 100 aircraft to replace the CH-136 Kiowa (Bell 206), CH-135 Twin Huey (Bell 212), CH-118 Iroquois (Bell 205), and Boeing C-Model Chinooks CH-47C. Based at Bagotville, Quebec (439 Squadron), St. Hubert, Quebec (438 Squadron), Cold Lake, Alberta (417 Squadron), Gagetown, New Brunswick (403 Squadron), Valcartier, Quebec (430 Squadron), Goose Bay, Newfoundland (444 Squadron), Edmonton, Alberta (408 Squadron), and Borden, Ontario (400 Squadron); also perform search and rescue duties at 8 Wing Trenton (424 Squadron). Deployed to Afghanistan to provide escorts for the Chinooks, armed with a combination of 7.62mm C-6 machine gun, 7.62mm Dillon Aero M134D Gatling gun, and GAU-21 .50 caliber machine gun on one or both doors.^[11][12][13] 9 ex-RCAF Griffons, designated CT-146, are leased from Allied Wings for pilot training at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. CT-146 Griffons are painted all black and have RCAF roundel, RCAF wordmark, Canada wordmark and civilian registration numbers.^{[importance?]}

Boeing CH-147F Chinook

The CH-147F Chinook is an advanced, multi-mission, medium to heavy-lift helicopter. Its primary mission is the tactical transport of equipment and personnel during domestic or deployed operations. 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, under the command of 1 Wing Kingston, Ontario, and based in CFB Petawawa, Ontario, was re-established as the home of Canadaʼs fleet of 15 CH-147F Chinooks. The first two airframes underwent intensive operational test and evaluation in the United States for several months before Canada received the first airframe 147303 at an official acceptance ceremony at the Ottawa International Airport on 27 June 2013.^[14][15][16] Fifteen aircraft were initially acquired, but one crashed in 2023.^[17][5] Full operational capability by June 2018.^[18] The Auditor General criticized National Defence for "underestimated and understated" the complexity of the purchases of the Chinook, "[t]he way the advance contract notification instrument was applied in the directed procurement of the Chinook helicopters did not comply with the letter or intent of the applicable regulations and policies".^[19]

Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone

Ship-based transport/anti-submarine helicopter based on the Sikorsky H-92 Superhawk. Twenty-eight ordered to replace the Sea King from 2009. Delays pushed first delivery to 2015.^[5] One aircraft was lost in an accident in April 2020.^[20]

The Canadian Forces have leased aircraft from vendors to help transport troops and equipment from Canada and other locations in the past decade. Transport aircraft have been leased as required. Despite RCAF marking all aircraft have civilian registration numbers.

Beechcraft B300 Super King Air

• Two aircraft leased from Transwest Air Limited. Used by the Multi-Engine Utility Flight (MEUF) in CFB Trenton. Flown by RCAF pilots, they are used for light transport of personnel and equipment within North America.

Dornier Alpha Jet Type A

• 16 aircraft are operated by Top Aces for CATS (Contracted Airborne Training Services) and are based at CFB Cold Lake and CFB Bagotville.^[21]

SAGEM Sperwer

Designated CU-161; entered service in 2003, retired^[22]

IAI Heron

3 leased in 2009 for use in Afghanistan; turned over to the Royal Australian Air Force in 2011^[23]

BAE Systems Silver Fox

Acquired in 2004 by the Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre^[24]

Boeing Insitu ScanEagle

Designated CU-165; operated by the Canadian Army 2008–2014^[22]

Elbit Skylark

Designated CU-168; operated by the Canadian Army^[25]

AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven

Operated by the Canadian Army

AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma

Acquired in 2018; operated by the Royal Canadian Navy^[26]

Prioria Robotics Maveric

Operated by the Canadian Army^[27]

Saab Skeldar

Acquired in 2019; operated by the Royal Canadian Navy and CANSOFCOM^[28]

Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack

Designated CU-172; 5 acquired in 2016, operated by the Canadian Army^[22][29]

The Canadian CF-35 is a proposed variant that would differ from the F-35A through the addition of a drogue parachute and may include an F-35B/C-style refuelling probe.^[30][31] In 2012, it was revealed that the CF-35 would employ the same boom refuelling system as the F-35A.^[32] Following the 2015 Federal Election the Liberal Party, whose campaign had included a pledge to cancel the F-35 procurement,^[33] formed a new government and commenced an open competition to replace the existing CF-18 Hornet.^[34] On 28 March 2022, the Government of Canada announced that the competition had placed the F-35A first and planned to buy 88 of them. Under procurement rules, the government entered into negotiations with Lockheed Martin.^[35] On 9 January 2023, the government of Canada officially ordered 88 F-35As.^[36][37]

On 19 December 2023 the Government of Canada announced that a contract was signed for 11 MQ-9B drones, 219 Hellfire missiles, and 12 Mk82 500-pound bombs in a deal worth $2.49 billion CAD.^[38][39] The drones are expected to be first delivered in 2028 with full operation expected in 2033.^[39] The drones are to be stationed in 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S. with 55 personnel and with 25 personnel at 19 Wing Comox, B.C. and in Ottawa with 160 staff to control the drones.^[40] Personnel will also forward deploy to northern Canada as needed.^[40]

November 30, 2023 - Canada finalized a government-to-government agreement with the US government for the acquisition of up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the RCAF. Fourteen multi-mission aircraft will be procured, with options for up to two additional.^[41]

In 2022, two ex-Kuwait Airways Airbus A330-200 were selected to be converted as Airbus A330 MRTT to replace the CC-150 Polaris. The two aircraft will arrive in winter 2023 and converted by Airbus Defence and Space (mainly in Spain and repainted in France).^[42] On June 19, 2023 a contract was awarded for the acquisition of nine CC-330 Husky aircraft (mix of 4 new and 5 used A330-200), associated equipment, integrated logistic support elements, training simulator(s), and sustainment.^[43]

• List of aircraft of Canada's air forces
• Future Canadian Forces projects
• Equipment of the Canadian Coast Guard (aircraft)