Make the CAC CA-31 happen

Archibald

Banned
I kind of like that little bird, although supersonic trainers is a controversial concept bar the T-38 Talon and of course the Korean A/T-50. Best case would be the F-5 Tiger scenario : liftweight fighter, thousands sold. Or perhaps a strike variant.
3346 F-5A, T-38s, and F-5E were build by Northrop, a pretty large number for a combat aircraft.

as for Canada they licence-build 656 T-33s that weren't retired until the 90's and were replaced by BAe Hawks.
Plus all the CF-116s (240 of them)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CF-5
 
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Pretty little mock up!
However I am curious about the CA-31's fuel fraction.
How much internal fuel could she carry?
How much external fuel?
What was her range on economy cruise?
What was her combat radius with a full missile load?

In comparison, Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighters achieved their primary goal even if the RCAF struggled to find roles for them.

The primary goal of Canadair building CF-5s (Bristol Britannia, Argus patrol bomber, Metropolitan transports, CF-104 fighters, CL-215 water-bombers, F-86 Sabres, etc.) was to buy enough votes in Quebec to prevent Quebec from separating. Canadian Armed Forces purchases succeeded in that respect because Quebec never voted for independence.

However, the RCAF struggled to find a role for CF-5s. They were never as capable interceptors as CF-101 Voodoos, CF104 Starfighters or CF-18 Hornets. CF-5s proved valuable, yet inexpensive trainers for young fighter pilots. CF-5s could not carry enough fuel to succeed in the ground attack role, carrying barely enough fuel to deliver a full load of bombs to the end of their own runway!
Various sources list CF-5 range between 600 and 1000 miles: too short to defend a nation as large as Canada.

While public relations officers always bragged about CF-5s' twin engines and refuelling probe being better for defending Canada's high Arctic against invaders ... the RCAF has always suffered from shortages of tankers.

Eventually the RCAF assigned CF-5s to photo-recce missions until they retired in 1995, when the RCAF decided that they could not afford two fleets of supersonic fighters.

Which brings us back to the original question: would CAC CA-31 have sufficient range to defend Perth or Darwin if denied use of those air bases?
Would CA-31 have sufficient range to be useful in defending Canada's lengthy coastlines?
 
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