You Buy Them, We Control Them

"In June 2024, the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office conduced an assessment of the interim operations plan to determine  how ready National Defence was to support the first aircraft arrival in Cold Lake in December 2028."

"The overall rating for this assessment was "RED", meaning that significant issues remained unresolved and required senior leadership action."

Auditor General Karen Hogan, Ottawa

U.S. President Donald Trump announces on March 21 the F-47, the sixth-generation high-tech air force fighter jet to succeed the F-22 Raptor. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

 

Usually when a sales transaction takes place, the "you buy it, you own it" expectation normally occurs. You paid for it, take it home with you, and as its owner it's entirely up to you what you do with it. The only interest the manufacturer has in its product thereafter is the prospect of the buyer considering acquiring more of the same. Canada is prepared to  take possession of eight of the U.S.built F-35 fighter jets it years ago committed to acquiring. Costs have escalated substantially since the original agreement.

 

And then there's the little inconvenience of a trade war having erupted between the buyer and the seller. The Trump White House administration has imposed sky-high tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States, with the claim that Canada -- and other trade partners from Europe to the Far East have  too long hung onto American coattails, and what's more taken the U.S. and its generosity for granted, so much so that President Donald J. Trump is displeased and quite fed up with having his nation 'cheated' out of its due. So, tariffs all around, folks. Don't like it lump it -- alternatively agree to swallowing tariffs and retaining entry to the U.S. market.

 

Those constrained circumstances led to the Canadian government rethinking its original plan of acquiring 80 of the fighter jets. That it would accept the 16 now being prepared for delivery and place the remainder on hold, while it considers the feasibility of purchasing advanced jets elsewhere for a mixed force of jets, despite the warning of the American Ambassador to Canada that should that decision not go in American manufacturers' favour there would be dire consequences for scofflaw Canada.

 

Presumably worse than forcing vehicle manufacturing out of Canada, to relocate to the United States, putting thousands of Canadian auto workers out of employment. The initial purchase is proceeding. But not without hiccoughs of another kind. The U.S. makes the sale, and the U.S. mandates specifications required both pre- and post-sale.

 

Members of the Canadian Forces visit a US Air Force base in Alaska in March 2025 to get briefed on the F-35. (US Air Force photo) Photo by Airman 1st Class Carson Jeney /354TH FIGHTER WING

 

Specialized aircraft hangars must be built to U.S. specifications, along with placing specific security protectionist rules for the planes. F-35 parts remain the property of the United States while warehoused in Canada, until installation on the aircraft. All critical software upgrades are controlled by the United States. Canada's Royal Canadian Air Force is relaxed about all this, while establishing a new military occupation, Security Forces (SecFor). "The new occupation will help support the RCAF as it introduces advanced air and space systems that require higher levels of security".

 

Personnel of the new union are to begin October training in the U.S. The new unit is to receive U.S.-built P-8  surveillance aircraft and MQ-9 drones as well as the new F-35s. Reports are circulating that there have been security breaches for the F-35, in that sensitive F-35 technology has fallen into the hands of the Chinese government. The Royal Canadian Air Force generals advocate openly for Canada to purchase only the US. F-35 fighter jets. 

 

In the face of uncertainty whether the Liberal government will decide not to commit to receiving more than the expected 18 planes, the Trump administration has warned its neighbour Canada of fierce consequences that would ensue if it continued to sit on the decision to commit to the further 72 jets, preferring to swerve to purchasing Swedish Gripen fighter jets instead.

 

Quite apart from the $27 billion cost plus $5.5 billion for full operational capabilities, this is a costly proposition. Warning that Canada lacks the proper facilities to house the F-35s forced a redesign of the buildings and additional costs entailed for the Canadian taxpayer. Ongoing concerns in Canada's plans to support the arrival of the first  planes are also being expressed by the US. Canada just can't win for losing. 

 

RCAF Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet travelled to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, facility on Feb. 2 for a ceremony to mark a production milestone for Canada's first F-35. Photo by CANADIAN FORCES