A U.S. Air Force F-35A arrives at the Ottawa International Airport on Sept. 4. The warplane is part of a demonstration team that will take part in a local air show. The stealth fighter is one of three contenders in the bid to replace Canada's CF-18s. (Murray Brewster/CBC News)
Michael Peck, National Interest: One Nation May Have No Choice But to Buy the F-35 Stealth Fighter
Canada may simply have no choice. Here's why.
Canada may be the next nation to buy the F-35 stealth fighter.
The F-35’s competitors are dwindling.
In August, Britain’s Ministry of Defense and European manufacturer Airbus withdrew the Eurofighter from Canada’s competition to pick a replacement for its 35-year-old CF-18 fighters. In 2018, France’s Dassault withdrew the Rafale from the contest.
That just leaves three contenders: Lockheed Martin’s F-35, Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet and Swedish manufacturer Saab’s Gripen. The winner is slated to receive a CA$19 billion (U.S. $15 billion) contract for 88 jets in 2022.
David Pugliese, who covers defense for the Ottawa Citizen, has chronicled how the F-35’s competitors have dropped out one by one. In May, Canada’s Department of National Defense changed the procurement rules after the U.S. warned that the F-35 program barred the aircraft from being sold to nations who promised industrial benefits in return for selecting the Lightning II.
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WNU Editor: Lockheed is doing the hard sell .... The high-speed hard sell: why the F-35 is coming to a Canadian air show (CBC).
Canada was always going to select the F-35 in the end. If for no other reason than the fact that her closest allies (US, UK, Australia) would be selecting it. But Justin Trudeau made a campaign promise to not buy the F-35 in 2015, so he spent 4 years making sure that didn't happen. In the meantime, Canada's fighter force is falling apart. Lack of serviceable planes, as well as a mass shortage of pilots and technicians.
ReplyDeleteTurdeau in black face is more convincing than PM Turdeau who is all hat, no cattle.
ReplyDeleteCanadian aerospace companies are contractors for the F-35 supply chain. Canada dropping out of buying F-35 is Canada dropping out of the supply chain. He can't be that stupid, can he?
Trump will hit PM Blackface with that fact.
ReplyDeletePM Blackface does not care. He figures like many other libs that all he has to d is fool 49% to 51% of the voters on or by election day. 49% is good enough to liberal work. They can fudge the rest.
If PM Blackface were so against the the F35, he should have already built a case for Saab or the Mirage already and have them min the pipeline. Blackface is not interested in defense. It is not one of his priorities. He has not concept of aggression or the real world beyond the protected enclaves of perfumed princes.
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