Canada plans to launch talks with Boeing Co. to buy 18 Super Hornet aircraft as an interim measure in a planned overhaul of the country's legacy CF-18 fighter jet fleet, the minister in charge of defense said Tuesday.

The Liberal government also will launch a competition process to replace the aging CF-18 program, Minister Harjit Sajjan said at a news conference.

He said a range of measures will be implemented to extend the service of the current CF-18 fleet, including recruitment and training to address understaffing issues and an enhanced maintenance program.

Canada's former Conservative government dropped plans almost four years ago to buy 65 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 fighter jets after political controversy about a lack of transparency over acquisition costs.

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com and Judy McKinnon at judy.mckinnon@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 22, 2016 14:15 ET (19:15 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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