This aircraft has continued capability that expands upon what an CF-18 can do. It's obviously a fifth-generation aircraft, so we're now four generations past the CF-18, with new on-board sensors, with stealth capability--which is a fifth-generation unique capability--and with the interoperability with other NATO and NORAD countries. All of this tells me, based on expert advice from people like General Deschamps, that this is exactly the type of aircraft that we need not just for today, Mr. Simms, but looking out into the future, whatever those airborne and maritime threats might be.
Perhaps General Deschamps would want to expand on the capability of the aircraft and the airspeed.