Canada may refuse to buy F-35 due to ambiguous US policy

Canada is considering changing its plans to purchase US F-35 fighter jets, despite the fact that payment for the first 16 aircraft has already been made.

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This was announced by Canada's new Minister of Defence Bill Blair after the appointment of Prime Minister Mark Carney to the government. He noted that the country is exploring alternative options, including European fighters, such as the Swedish Saab Gripen, which came second in the competition.

Back in 2023, Canada signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to purchase 88 F-35s worth US$14.2 billion. The first 16 aircraft are due to arrive in 2026, with full operational capability expected in 2032-2034.

The Defence Minister also noted that the government will explore opportunities to assemble the new fighter jets in Canada itself.

"The prime minister has asked me to go and look at these issues and to discuss them with other sources, including where there might be opportunities to build these fighters in Canada," Blair said.

In particular, we are talking about the Swedish proposal, which provides for local assembly of the aircraft and the transfer of intellectual property, which will allow them to be serviced directly in the country.

At the same time, withdrawal from the contract may involve penalties, although their exact amount is unknown. Another risk is the impact on the Canadian aerospace industry, which is involved in the production of the F-35 and received $1.3 billion from it between 1997 and 2021.

In short, due to the same unpredictability of US policy, it was previously reported that Portugal had cancelled the purchase of the F-35.

Source: CBC