Possible boycott of US super fighter by closest ally: “It was the fighter we needed, but we are examining other alternatives”

Canada are looking at alternatives to the F-35 stealth fighter jet built by US firm Lockheed Martin and will hold talks with rival aircraft manufacturers, Defense Minister Bill Blair said late last week.

The Canadian review of its fighter jet fleet renewal policies comes after intense political and trade exchanges between the two countries amid rising tariffs and Donald Trump’s threats to annex the country.

After several years of delay, the Canadian government eventually signed a contract in June 2023 with US defense giant Lockheed Martin (a competitor of Elon Musk in the space travel sector to purchase 88 F-35 aircraft, according to Canadian media outlet CBC.

The purchase, which totalled around 19 billion dollars, already included an initial outlay for the first 16 planes, which are expected to be delivered in 2026. Blair explained that the first F-35s could be accepted but that the rest of the fleet would be made up of aircraft from European suppliers, such as the Swedish-made Saab Gripen.

“The prime minister has asked me to look into those matters and discuss with other sources, particularly whether there are opportunities to assemble those fighter jets in Canada,” the minister said. The idea of Canada having a mixed fleet of fighter jets is one that the Royal Canadian Air Force has frowned upon, despite the fact that it did so until the 1980s, when the current CF-18s were acquired. According to the outlet, it would mean two different training regimes, separate hangars and infrastructure, and a separate supply chain—all of which defense planners have insisted for decades are too costly.

“It was the fighter aircraft identified by our air force as the platform they needed, but we are also looking at other alternatives – whether we need all of those fighter aircraft to be F-35s,” Blair told CBC host David Cochrane.

Portugal also set to amend F-35 plans

Portugal too are reconsidering their relationship with Lockheed after Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo announced a few days ago that his country would not go ahead with the purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft that had been announced for 2024.

Melo justified this decision by the changes in the current geopolitical context and the unpredictability of US policy regarding NATO following the arrival of Donald Trump.

Regarding this issue, Lockheed Martin has addressed Portugal’s withdrawal from the program and the potential impact of Canada’s decision. “Lockheed Martin values our strong partnership and history with the Royal Canadian Air Force and looks forward to continuing this collaboration in the future,” said Rebecca Miller, director of global media relations for Lockheed Martin, in a statement.

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