Defence Minister Anand confirms deal to purchase fleet of F-35s

Canada’s years-long search for new fighter jets came full circle on Jan. 9 as Defence Minister Anita Anand officially confirmed the planned purchase of a fleet of F-35s to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s aging CF-18s.

The news had been largely expected after The Canadian Press reported last month that the Department of National Defence had received authorization to spend $7 billion on an initial set of 16 F-35s and associated infrastructure and gear.

The formal announcement nonetheless represented a defining moment in a saga marked by partisan politics and government mismanagement that first started at nearly the same spot more than a decade ago.

During an online news conference, Anand confirmed that Canada had reached an agreement with the United States, F-35 maker Lockheed Martin and engine producer Pratt and Whitney to purchase the aircraft after months of closed-door negotiations.

The initial order will be for 16 F-35s, the first of which will be delivered to the Canadian military in 2026. Another 72 will be ordered in subsequent years, bringing the total size of the fighter-jet fleet to 88 aircraft.

In announcing the deal, Anand linked the decision to buy the F-35 to the growing threat posed by Russia and China — and the need to ensure the Canadian military can operate seamlessly alongside its allies, many of which are buying the same plane.

“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.”

She also underscored what she argued were the economic benefits of the deal, which will see Canadian companies continue to compete for billions of dollars in contracts associated with building and maintaining thousands of F-35s flown by Canada and its allies over the next 40 years.

The minister pegged the cost of purchasing all 88 aircraft at about $19 billion, which would keep it within a budget set in 2017.

However, officials said the full cost of purchasing and operating the aircraft over a span of 40 years, as well as building new hangars and other facilities for the planes, would reach about $70 billion.

Asked about the actual cost per plane, officials said Canada will end up paying the same as the United States — about US$85 million per plane — because it is one of eight partner countries that have been paying for the F-35’s development costs since 1997.

Officials did not specifically address the $7 billion set aside for the first tranche of aircraft, but did note that Ottawa will be on the hook for a number of start-up costs such as storage and maintenance facilities as well as spare parts and weapons.

And while the first four aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2026, officials said they will initially be located in the U.S. as the Canadian military prepares the necessary facilities.

Royal Canadian Air Force pilots and technicians will train at bases in the U.S. while those preparations are underway, with the first F-35 set to actually arrive in Canada no earlier than 2029. The last of the 88 aircraft will be delivered in 2032.

Asked what benefit Canadians have gained from the 12-year delay in acquiring the F-35, Anand said voters can now have full confidence that the country is buying the right plane for its military while benefitting the economy.

“So I’m confident after this open and fair, competitive process that the benefits to our country in terms of national security, as well as the benefits to our country in terms of economic security are going to persist and are present.”