Event Brief
CF-104 Starfighter built for nuclear strike never fired
By The BriefBrief · Sources (1)
Filed: Aug 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET
Summary: The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter was selected for Canadian manufacture in 1959 and first flew in 1961. The aircraft spent about a decade on nuclear alert in Germany, crashed roughly 110 times in Canadian service, and was retired without ever firing a shot in combat.
WHO: Canadair of Cartierville, Quebec; Royal Canadian Air Force
WHAT: Canada’s CF-104 Starfighter program produced an aircraft that remained on nuclear alert for about a decade, suffered about 110 crashes, and was retired without combat use.
WHEN: May 26, 1961
WHERE: Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
WHY: Ottawa needed a new NATO nuclear-strike aircraft after canceling the Avro Arrow and converting its European fighter force to nuclear strike capability.
ℹ️ This event is analyzed using pattern arcs, velocity indicators, and source analysis in our MI Console.
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