Canada reconsiders the purchase of the F-35 fighter and could opt for the Swedish Gripen

The shift in US foreign policy is creating problems for Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35 stealth fighter.

Portugal reconsiders the purchase of the F-35 due to the turn in US foreign policy
The unreal and risky takeoff of a Canadian CF-188A Hornet fighter at RIAT 24

Portugal announced on Thursday that it is reconsidering the purchase of the F-35

This Thursday, the decision of the Portuguese government to reconsider the purchase of the F-35 to replace the F-16 fighters of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), a purchase that had been announced in April 2024 by the Chief of Staff of the FAP, General João Cartaxo Alves. The decision to reverse the purchase was announced by Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo, pointing to the change in US foreign policy and possible "limitations on use, maintenance, components, and everything related to ensuring the aircraft will be operational."

One day later, Canada announces it will consider other options

This Friday, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair spoke to CBC Television, stating the following about the F-35: "It was the fighter jet identified by our air force as the platform that they required, but we are also examining other alternatives — whether we need all of those fighter jets to be F-35."

Canada has already paid for its first 16 F-35As and expects them by 2026

Today, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has 92 Hornet fighter aircraft, specifically 85 CF-188A/Bs (the survivors of the 138 aircraft of the Canadian version of the F/A-18A/B) and 7 F/A-18A/Bs (out of a total of 18 purchased from Australia in 2017). Unlike Portugal, Canada had already paid for its first F-35s, after announcing the purchase of 88 units in January 2023, for a total amount of $19 billion.

Yesterday, the CBC reported that Canada has already paid for its first 16 F-35As, with delivery scheduled for early 2026. Canada is therefore the first country to reconsider purchasing this aircraft once the first batch has been contracted.

The Swedish JAS-39 Gripen could be Canada's alternative to the F-35

Regarding the alternatives the Canadian government is considering, the CBC notes: "Blair is suggesting that the first F-35s might be accepted and the remainder of the fleet would be made up of aircraft from European suppliers, such as the Swedish-built Saab Gripen, which finished second in the competition" for the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) program, launched to replace the Canadian Hornets. In fact, Canada had already announced in March 2022 that it would opt for the Gripen if negotiations on the F-35 with Lockheed Martin failed, a way to pressure the manufacturer to lower the price of the fighters.

In addition to the Gripen, other fighters also took part in the FFCP as candidates, specifically the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Dassault Rafale and the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Should Canada's acquisition of the Gripen not go through, the Eurofighter and the Rafale would be the most likely, as it seems unlikely that the Canadian government will opt for the Super Hornet while the US launches a tariff offensive against Canada and while Trump continues to launch messages advocating for the annexation of its northern neighbor to make it the 51st US state.

---

Main photo: U.S. Air National Guard. An F-35A Lightning II from the U.S. Air Force's 354th Fighter Wing flies over Alaska on April 21, 2020.