Canada will not send fighter jets to patrol NATO airspace next year, the first time that Canadian CF-18s will be absent from the skies over Europe since 2017.
Based out of Romania, the CF-18s worked with other NATO aircraft to monitor Russian activity over the Baltics and the Black Sea, and protect against any aggressive action.
The most recent rotation ended on Dec. 1, when six CF-18s returned home from Romania following a four-month deployment in which they flew nearly 500 sorties.
Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier says there is no plan to return next year.
That’s because the Royal Canadian Air Force is focused on upgrading its fighter jets to keep them flying, as well as training new and existing pilots and technicians.
Canada also currently doesn’t have any warships working with NATO for the first time since 2014, though Le Bouthillier says a frigate is scheduled to head to the region in February.
