U.S., NATO Asking Canada To Deploy CF-18's To War In Afghanistan

The Americans especially, but also others in NATO, are asking Canadian commanders to deploy some of the CF-18 Hornets that Canada has to the war effort in Afghanistan. It boils down to lessening the load that mostly American aircraft are shouldering right now in Afghanistan - now, the Canadians are quick to point out their contribution to ground troops and helicopters to the effort but I think this is a sign that the American commanders are seeing their air capabilities stretched too far. And perhaps this is a sign that bigger and wider plans are in the offing. Here's some of the details from the article at Canada.com:

The United States and NATO have "expressed a desire" for Canada to deploy CF-18 Hornet fighter jets to Afghanistan, according to the Canadian general who leads the coalition’s air war in Afghanistan.
"I can tell you from the senior Canadian in this headquarters that I have been asked on several occasions by AFCENT (United States Air Forces Central) and CENTCOM (Central Command), ‘How can we get Canadian F-18s into the game over here?’” said Maj.-Gen. Duff Sullivan. “And I’ve told them that that is a political decision back in Canada."

"Whenever our troops are in trouble and taking casualties, every single time they call for air support — armed overwatch — that is what the Canadian F-18s would do," Sullivan said, noting that Canada alone among the allies contributes combat ground forces in Afghanistan without also providing close air support.

"You have to recognize that Canada is contributing in a very, very significant manner with the more than 3,000 troops we have on the ground," Sullivan said, echoing some of Gauthier’s comments. "We have (also) plussed up with our Chinooks and Griffons (helicopters) and Herons (unmanned surveillance drones), so there is no doubt Canada is shouldering quite an impressive contribution."

Now, unfortunately, the Canadians have suffered some pretty heavy ground casulaties in the War in Afghanistan over the past few months and I suspect a call for these fighters from Canada won't be received all that well back in the governmental offices in Ottawa, but at the same time, Canada has shown all along a damn good willingness to make every effort they can to the war efforts.

What I don't see in this article is any more pressure from U.S. commanders on some of the other NATO allies - British and German to be exact. I don't have a count on their aircraft but quite frankly, every airstrike I've seen in Afghanistan has been either by the Americans or the Dutch.

Allies quietly urging Canada to deploy CF-18s to Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan — The United States and NATO have "expressed a desire" for Canada to deploy CF-18 Hornet fighter jets to Afghanistan, according to the Canadian general who leads the coalition’s air war in Afghanistan.
"I can tell you from the senior Canadian in this headquarters that I have been asked on several occasions by AFCENT (United States Air Forces Central) and CENTCOM (Central Command), ‘How can we get Canadian F-18s into the game over here?’” said Maj.-Gen. Duff Sullivan. “And I’ve told them that that is a political decision back in Canada."
Sullivan, 52, flew sorties in CF-18s over the Balkans and during the first U.S.-led war against Iraq in 1991.
"What has been highlighted to me as the director of the air element here, the commander of AFCENT has said that it would relieve the pressure on his American squadrons if we could have Canadian F-18s come in. I haven’t commented one way or the other, but passed it back to Canada to the chief of defence and I know that issue is well known in his office."
Sullivan has been described by U.S. Gen. David McKiernan, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, as his "air czar." The Cornwall, Ont., native is a graduate of the U.S. air force’s most prestigious combat school and flew NATO missions in Germany for Canada for seven years.
"Whenever our troops are in trouble and taking casualties, every single time they call for air support — armed overwatch — that is what the Canadian F-18s would do," Sullivan said, noting that Canada alone among the allies contributes combat ground forces in Afghanistan without also providing close air support.
Lt.-Gen. Michel Gauthier, who commands all Canadian troops overseas, said during a visit to Kandahar last month that the air force was already making a major contribution in Afghanistan and that Canada had no plans to deploy CF-18s to Kandahar.
"You have to recognize that Canada is contributing in a very, very significant manner with the more than 3,000 troops we have on the ground," Sullivan said, echoing some of Gauthier’s comments. "We have (also) plussed up with our Chinooks and Griffons (helicopters) and Herons (unmanned surveillance drones), so there is no doubt Canada is shouldering quite an impressive contribution."
The helicopters and the drones with Canadian markings began flying missions at Kandahar Airfield early this year. They joined a small number of Canadian CC-130 Hercules transports that have been flying cargo and soldiers within theatre for NATO for several years. Canada’s four relatively new C-17 cargo planes also provide crucial logistical support to Task Force Afghanistan.
Canada’s fighter fleet is about to complete a modernization program. The upgrades include a sophisticated new targeting pod that can provide an instant data link to commanders in the field and the ability to carry new precision-guided munitions.
"Everything is now coagulating and coming together in respect to the F-18. It will be full up and ready to go in the August-September time frame," Sullivan said. "If deployed, they would be stars over here."