Canada finalizes deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets by 2032 (2024)

OTTAWA — The government of Canada has finalized the purchase of 88 F-35A fighter jets to replace its fleet of outdated CF-18 Hornets.

Defence Minister Anita Anand announced the deal Monday morning, calling the F-35 “the right aircraft” for Canada.

“As our world grows darker, with Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, and China’s increasingly assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, this project has taken on heightened significance, especially given the importance of interoperability with our allies,” Anand told the press conference.

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News of the deal comes about eight months after the government confirmed it was moving ahead with purchasing the stealth fighters produced by Lockheed-Martin — and seven years after the Trudeau Liberals vowed never to buy them.

“This investment is estimated at $19 billion, making it the largest investment in our Royal Canadian Air Force in 30 years,” she said.

Total program costs are expected to be around $70 billion.

“The F-35 is a modern, reliable and agile fighter aircraft used by our closest allies in missions across the globe,” Anand said.

“It is the most advanced fighter on the market, and it’s the right aircraft for our country.”

Canada, she said, will purchase the jet in tranches, starting with an initial batch of 16 aircraft.

The RCAF is expected to take delivery of the order’s first four jets in 2026, one year later than was promised. They will be followed by an additional delivery of six per year over the subsequent two years.

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The first 16-aircraft tranche, including jets and equipment, will cost around $7 billion.

More than 780 F-35s have already been delivered to the U.S. military and allies, but the stealth fighter is plagued with technical problems.

At a Monday technical briefing held by government about the purchase a senior official claimed that the problems dogging the F-35 are “historical.” That, however, isn’t true.

In April 2022, the U.S. government watchdog, the Government Accountability Office, reported more delays in operational testing that is needed to be completed so full-rate production of the F-35 can begin. There are still hundreds of problems left to solve on the aircraft, and companies are redesigning and replacing equipment on the planes that have already been delivered.

“The more aircraft produced and delivered prior to resolving deficiencies, the greater the likelihood that the program will have to retrofit aircraft, at the expense of the government,” the Government Accountability Office report stated.

U.S. Lt.-Gen. Eric Flick, the F-35 joint program executive officer, has noted that the advanced technology on the plane is very expensive and that has contributed to the ongoing issues.

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“It is a very mature fighter jet now with better performance than it previously had,” Anand said Monday.

Canada’s last CF-18 jet is expected to be taken out of service by the end of 2032, enabling what Anand described as a “smooth transition” between the two aircraft.

Second-hand Hornets purchased from Australia and ongoing life-extension programs will keep the CF-18s in the air until their retirement.

Canada first signed onto the U.S.-led Joint Strike Fighter program by then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 1997.

Peter MacKay, the Conservative defence minister in 2010, announced Canada was entering into an untendered $9-billion deal to purchase 65 F-35s, with delivery expected in 2016.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau campaigned a “no F-35” position during the 2015 federal election, clearly stating in the party’s published election platform that a Trudeau government would ditch the jet.

“The Conservative government never actually justified or explained why they felt Canada needed a fifth-generation fighter,” Trudeau said in 2015.

“They just talked about it like it was obvious. It was obvious, as we saw through the entire process, that they were particularly, and some might say unreasonably or unhealthily, attached to the F-35 aircraft.”

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The single-seat F-35 comes in three variants — F-35As land and take off conventionally, F-35Bs allow short and vertical take-offs and landings, and F-35Cs are designed to operate from aircraft carrier catapults.

The new jets will be based out of existing fighter facilities at 3 Wing Bagotville in Quebec and 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alta., with contracts awarded several years ago to outfit both airbases with new hangars and support equipment, simulators and maintenance bases.

Additional upgrades across Canada will be undertaken through the government’s NORAD modernization program.

Anand said the acquisition and initial maintenance of Canada’s F-35 program could potentially inject over $425 million into Canada’s economy annually and contribute 3,300 jobs.

“Canada’s participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program over the past number of years has already allowed companies in Canada to secure almost US$3 billion on contracts, and this number will grow.”

Nearly 900 F-35s are in service with various national militaries, operating from 27 bases across the world.

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“Together with our Canadian industry partners, we are honoured by this selection and the sustainment of critical jobs that will continue to equip Canadian workforces with advanced skills,” said Lockheed Martin Canada CEO Lorraine Ben in a statement.

“The F-35 program yields tremendous economic benefits for Canada’s aerospace and defence industry, and we look forward to continued growth.”

In addressing questions about reliability — particularly in cold climates — Anand said the F-35A has “matured” since its introduction.

“The process we undertook was robust and independent, but also one that ensured that we were taking into account the unique environment in which Canadian jets must operate,” she said.

“We noted that fellow Arctic nations such as the U.S.A. and Norway operate this jet too.”

She said the procurement includes making the necessary investments to ensure reliable cold-weather operation, including drag chutes to facilitate landing on short, wet or icy airstrips.

“We will ensure our aircraft have a true-versus-magnetic navigation capability to enable far-north Arctic navigation, and we are also procuring strategic tankers to provide air-to-air refuelling capability, and that’s going to increase the range of our fighter jets,” she said.

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As for the long timeline for delivery, Anand said it’s unrealistic to expect short turnarounds for cutting-edge weapon systems.

“We must ensure sophisticated training for pilots and transitions, all while we are continuing to conduct daily operations with the CF-18 in the interim,” she said.

“There are complexities that we are making sure we get right, and that is why we are having the phased-in process.”

In 2021, the government pared down the list of fighter jet contenders to the F-35 and Saab’s Gripen multi-role fighters.

Canada excluded bids from Boeing, whose predecessor McDonnell Douglas manufactured Canada’s CF-18 Hornet fleet.

National Post, with additional reporting by David Pugliese

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