As of March 2026, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) path to modernization has encountered a significant strategic hurdle. While the first batch of F-35 Lightning II fighters is currently in production, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is re-evaluating the scale of the 88-jet procurement.

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  • While 16 F-35 fighters remain contractually committed for delivery starting this year, the full 88-jet procurement is stalled amidst trade friction with the Trump administration.

  • Rising program costs—now estimated at $30 billion—have reopened the door for Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen E.

  • The Gripen offers superior industrial benefits, including 12,600 domestic jobs and Arctic-optimized maintenance.

  • Ottawa must now balance the F-35’s unmatched NORAD interoperability against the Gripen’s economic sovereignty as the aging CF-18 Hornet fleet reaches its structur

  • matlag@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    23 hours ago

    Iranians have used conventional optical tech. The promise of the F35 is to be detected late by conventional long range radar. They were never supposed to be invisible or quiet.

    Granted that makes the stealth advantage very limited in terms of usage: coming from far away undetected. Then be very visible.

    Besides yes, China claims they can detect them with their satellites network and a France military equipment maker is apparently developing a radar that detects stealth jets. So that advantage is apparently not going to last.

    • DarylInCanada@lemmy.ca
      1·
      3 hours ago

      And we know just how dependable American ‘promises’ are.

      A ‘stealth’ jet can be detected, not by what is ‘visible’, but by what background is NOT ‘visible’. Paint the area with a beam from behind, and where the beam ISN’T is where the jet IS.