Canada’s Minister of Defence recently confirmed that the department is reconsidering the purchase of fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighters due to rising tensions with the U.S. government. The confrontational stance of President Donald Trump, reflected in the ongoing trade tariff war, is prompting Canadian authorities to reevaluate the acquisition, which was formalized in mid-2023.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Defence Minister Bill Blair confirmed that “…Canada is actively exploring potential alternatives to the American stealth fighter F-35 and will hold talks with rival aircraft manufacturers…”. It is worth recalling that the Canadian government moved forward with a contract to purchase 88 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighters, an agreement requiring an investment of over USD 19 billion.
In its report, CBC also detailed that Canada has already paid for the first 16 F-35A Lightning II units, raising questions about the costs Ottawa would face if it were to terminate the contract signed with Lockheed Martin, as well as the impact on the Canadian aerospace industry, which has been involved for years in the U.S. fifth-generation fighter program.
This is no minor detail, as Canada has been an industrial partner in the F-35 program for over 20 years, with approximately 110 Canadian companies participating. Cooperation with the Canadian defence industry was another decisive factor in selecting the F-35A Lightning II, as Lockheed Martin projected the contract could generate up to 150,000 jobs in Canada.
However, the unexpected position taken by the U.S. government towards Canada has led the new Canadian authorities to consider other options. This was made clear by Minister Bill Blair, who stated that (the F-35) “…Was the fighter identified by our Air Force as the platform they needed, but we are also examining other alternatives: (evaluating) whether we need all of those fighters to be F-35s…”.
In his interview on CBC’s Power & Politics program, Minister Blair stated that “…The Prime Minister has asked me to go examine those matters and hold discussions with other sources, particularly where there may be opportunities to assemble those fighters in Canada…”.
One possibility is that Canada revisits Saab’s proposal for the JAS-39 Gripen E, a Swedish fighter that was previously offered under the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP). This initiative aimed to select and acquire a new multirole fighter to replace the CF-188 Hornet fleet, the local designation for the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B.
The Swedish proposal for the Gripen E included local assembly and transfer of intellectual property, which would not only allow the fighter’s maintenance cycle to be entirely carried out in Canada, but also establish a strong industrial base for its logistical support.
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