Carney Orders Review Of F-35 Fighter Jet Purchase From U.S.’s Lockheed Martin

Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked for a review of Canada’s plan to purchase a fleet of F-35 fighter jets.

The deal with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government is for 88 planes at a cost of about US$85 million each.

A spokesperson for Defence Minister Bill Blair says Carney has asked Blair to look into whether the F-35 contract is the best investment for Canada, or if there are better options.

Blair’s press secretary Laurent de Casanove says the government needs to do its homework given the “changing environment.”

“At this time, the contract to purchase the F-35 remains in place, and Canada has made a legal commitment of funds for the first 16 aircraft,” de Casanove said in a statement to CityNews. “The Prime Minister has also asked the Minister of National Defence to work with CAF/DND to determine if the F-35 contract, as it stands, is the best investment for Canada, and if there are other options that could better meet Canada’s needs.”

“To be clear, we are not cancelling the F-35 contract.”

Carney became Prime Minister on Friday, in the midst of a trade war with the United States and threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada.

In an interview with the CBC Friday, Blair said he will be looking at whether all the jets need to be F-35s, or whether there are other alternatives, “particularly where there may be opportunities” to assemble, support and maintain the jets in Canada.

“The direction I’ve been given by the prime minister is go and look at all of our options to make sure that we make the right decision for Canada,” he said.

Blair said he will consult with the Canadian Air Force, the chief of the defence staff, and the Department of National Defence, as well as allies and partners “to see what is possible.”

A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin referred questions to the Canadian and U.S. governments.

“Lockheed Martin values our strong partnership and history with the Royal Canadian Air Force and looks forward to continuing that partnership into the future,” the company said in a statement.

The Conservative government first committed to buying 65 F-35s without a competition in 2010, but concerns about the cost and capabilities forced it to reconsider.

Then, in 2015, the Liberals promised to instead launch an open competition to replace the CF-18s and not to buy the F-35 at all.

The government planned to buy 18 Super Hornets without a competition as an “interim” measure but cancelled the plan after Boeing launched a trade dispute with Montreal aerospace firm Bombardier.

Ottawa initiated an open bidding process for the new fleet in July 2019.

In January 2023, Canada announced it would buy the F-35 fighter jet with the first four of the 88 planes expected to be delivered in 2026 and the final 18 in 2032.

At the time, Defence Minister Anita Anand called the F-35 the best choice for Canada.

Canada’s parliamentary budget officer said in November 2023 that even a one-year delay in the program would add about $400 million in acquisition phase costs, and a three-year delay would add up to $1.1 billion.