By the end of her evolution, the Canadair Sabre was cleared to carry its standard machine gun battery and had a rocket launching provision added as well as support for conventional drop ordnance and missiles. The 6 x 0.50 caliber guns fed from an ammunition load of 1,602 rounds and the guns were buried in the sides of the fuselage along the nose-mounted ductwork aspirating the engine within. Only the oval gun ports were visible as the guns were wholly shrouded by the side panels on the aircraft. The aircraft could be outfitted with 2 x Matra rocket pods each holding 18 x 68mm SNEB rockets for a broadened tactical battlefield role. Bomb loads were limited to 5,300lbs of weight collectively across four hardpoints under the wings. The wings' internal hardpoints were additionally plumbed for the carrying of jettisonable fuel tanks for increased patrol ranges. The Sabre was also cleared to carry nuclear-tipped drop ordnance and a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles.
The RAF recognized the Mk 4 as the "Sabre F.4". The West German Luftwaffe was a primary recipient of many ex-RCAF and new-build Canadair Sabres through 75 refurbished Mk 5 fighters and 225 all-new Mk 6 fighters. These served from 1957 into 1964 with the final trainer form not retired until 1983. Other ex-RCAF mounts went to Pakistan (the last retired in 1980) and elsewhere. Operators ultimately included (beyond those already mentioned) Bangladesh, Colombia, Greece, Honduras, Italy, South Africa, Turkey, and Yugoslavia.
Total CL-13 production was 1,815 fighters. The Canadian fighter requirement then fell to the Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter" line which was operated by the RCAF as the "CF-104". Some two-hundred were - again - built locally and under-license by Canadair.
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