(Ottawa) Canada has reached an agreement with the United States government and Lockheed Martin/Pratt & Whitney for the purchase of 88 F-35 stealth aircraft, with the first four copies to be delivered in 2026.
The cost of acquiring these fighter jets to replace the aging CF-18 fleet is estimated at some $19 billion, with an estimated value of $85 million for each aircraft, and $70 billion over a life cycle that should reach about 30 years.
This amount includes related equipment and materials, maintenance services and the establishment of a training program. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026, and the fleet is expected to reach full operational capability between 2032 and 2034, according to the timeline presented by the Canadian government.
The acquisition of these fighters, for which several allies of Canada have also opted, takes on an even more special significance in the context of the current geopolitical upheavals, indicated the Minister of National Defense, Anita Anand, in a virtual press conference on Monday.
PHOTO SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Anita Anand
“It’s the right plane arriving at the right time, at the best price for Canadians,” she said, praising the “modern, reliable and agile” nature of the planes that will allow Canada to “meet its obligations” here as well as within NATO and NORAD.
The acquisition and initial support of F-35 fighters has the potential to contribute $425 million to Canada’s GDP annually and support nearly 3,300 jobs annually for Canadian industry and value chain partners across a period of 25 years, directly and indirectly.
End of a saga
This announcement marks the end of a buying process that was set in motion under the former government of Stephen Harper, which Justin Trudeau’s Liberals had promised to relegate to oblivion in 2015, before finally changing their guns. ‘shoulder.
The costs have had time to explode since then, due to inflation and the exchange rate. By way of comparison, it was supposed to cost around $25 billion to purchase 65 fighters, according to a report produced in 2012 by the Auditor General.
Minister Anand, however, assured that the “very complex” acquisition process had been competitive, and she pleaded that the years that had passed had also allowed the devices to evolve and “become more efficient”.
This contract is the largest in the past 30 years for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The first four copies of the F-35 should arrive in Canada in 2026. They will be followed by six other aircraft in 2027 and 2028, then the pace of deliveries will accelerate.
No financial penalty is provided for in the event of late deliveries. “Canada purchases devices from an established production line. We have confidence in this vendor given the program’s track record of delivery,” said Minister Anand.
A deterrent force
The Maryland-based supplier welcomed Ottawa’s “honor” by setting its sights on its devices, Mike Schmidt, US Air Force lieutenant general and program chief of the office, said in a statement. spouse of the F-35.
“With its power projection, the F-35 is at the forefront of deterrence. Its forward presence will continue to ensure that potential adversaries choose the path of diplomacy over that of armed conflict.
Currently, there are more than 890 of these devices in service at 26 bases around the world, according to the company.