Canada has reportedly begun making payments for “long-lead items” tied to 14 additional F-35 fighter jets despite a contract review triggered by US trade tensions and sovereignty concerns.
The purchases involve key components that must be ordered before the delivery of a fully assembled aircraft and were made to ensure that Ottawa maintains its place in the long queue for the stealth aircraft, according to unnamed sources quoted by CBC News.
However, the alleged payment for the key parts had not been made public. The Department of National Defence declined to confirm the claims, saying that the acquisition of additional F-35s is still under review.
Acquiring 14 more of the fifth-generation aircraft is part of a 2023 contract to purchase 88 F-35s to replace its aging CF-18s, with Canada having already paid for the first tranche of 16 fighter jets and awaiting delivery within 2026.
Meanwhile, Université du Québec à Montréal Professor of Political Science Justin Massie noted that F-35-related expenses are expected, as the country has not officially changed its stance yet.
“The longer the decision is delayed, the harder it will be to back down,” he said.
Canada’s F-35 Deal
Canada first announced plans to buy 88 F-35s in March 2022 and confirmed the deal a year later, with the entire fleet anticipated for delivery between 2032 and 2034.
Following US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs against crucial Canadian sectors, as well as repeated remarks to turn Canada into the US’ 51st state, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review of the contract and potential alternatives in March 2025.
Carney’s government has since explored several options, including buying the Swedish-made Gripen aircraft, in which Ottawa is evaluating Saab’s proposal to assemble the aircraft in Canada.
However, US ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra suggested that ditching the F-35 could scrap a trade deal with the US government and threaten the joint US-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) alliance, Ottawa Citizen reported in December.
