Canada will only receive 16 paid F-35s, and is refusing the remaining 72 aircraft.
A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jet from the 421st Fighter Squadron flies over the Pacific Ocean during a refueling stop in preparation for Exercise Bushido Guardian 2025 near Misawa Air Base, Japan, Sept. 26, 2025.
Canada will receive at least 16 F-35 Lightning II aircraft to equip the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), with a decision on the remaining 72 aircraft out of a total order of 88 aircraft pending. This announcement follows reports in March 2025 that Canada was reconsidering its participation in the F-35 program due to diplomatic tensions with the United States.
Following these reports, Canada is reportedly considering withdrawing from the F-35 program entirely and exploring alternative options, including the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, which was named as a possible contender. Then-Defense Minister Bill Blair stated on March 14:
Canada is actively exploring potential alternatives to the US F-35 stealth fighter and will hold talks with rival aircraft manufacturers.
However, no final decision has been made yet, and the project is expected to exclude 16 aircraft that Canada has already paid for.
Canada has committed to supplying 16 aircraft.
Canadian Secretary of State for Defence Acquisition Stephen Fuhr participated in an interview on the CBC talk show Rosemary Barton Live. One of the questions raised was the possibility of Canada withdrawing from the contract after the delivery of the first 16 F-35 fighter jets.
In his response, Stephen Fuhr stated that he "doesn't think the federal government plans to cancel the contract to purchase American F-35 fighter jets, as 16 aircraft are currently in production." A CBC report from October 5, 2025, quoted Fuhr as saying, "I don't think we're moving in that direction. But a decision will be made, and we'll make it when we're ready."
An F-35A at the Abbotsford International Air Show, British Columbia, Canada (August 8, 2025). Developed from the F-22's P&W F119 engine, the F-35's P&W F135 engine is considered one of the world's most powerful operational fighter engines, producing more than 40,000 pounds (18 tons) of thrust.
— Air Power resource (@RealAirPower1) August 20, 2025.While Stephen Fuhr did not provide direct instructions, a spokesman later clarified that the reference was to the 16 aircraft for which Canada had contributed funds, not the entire contract.
Canada has contractual obligations for 16 aircraft, which are in various stages of production at the manufacturer. A decision on the entire program is currently under review.
— said the representative.It's unclear whether Canada would have withdrawn from the program entirely, without receiving a single F-35 fighter jet, had it not transferred funds for the first 16 aircraft. Canada is seriously considering this decision and the implications for its relations with the United States.
Canada has already fully paid for four aircraft and purchased spare parts for eight others. The F-35s will be delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where the first Canadian pilots, ground crews, and maintenance specialists will be trained next year.
Canada in the F-35 program
Canada is a partner in the Joint Strike Fighter program, which has spent approximately $500 million since 1997, with Canadian companies receiving F-35 contracts worth over $1,8 billion. In 2010, the government decided to purchase 65 F-35 fighters without a competitive bid, but in 2015, this plan was abandoned in favor of an open competition.
CF-18 Hornet fighter jets depart Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base (MK) in Romania for their return to Canada during Operation REASSURANCE, December 1, 2022.
Finally, on January 9, 2023, the government announced its intention to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin in a deal valued at the time at $13,2 billion. This was part of the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP), designed to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's fleet of aging CF-188 Hornets (Canadian-built F/A-18s). Deliveries of the first 16 aircraft are expected to begin in early 2026.
Then-Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair hinted in March 2025, while announcing "potential alternatives" to the F-35, that the plan could change, with Ottawa possibly accepting the first batch of F-35s while simultaneously diversifying the rest of the fleet. It was reported that Canada might consider European suppliers, particularly the Swedish Saab Gripen, as a primary contender.
The Royal Canadian Air Force currently operates 70–75 CF-188A/B+ aircraft and has acquired 25 even older F/A-18A/B aircraft (18 units) from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Of these, 12 are single-seat F/A-18As, six are two-seat "B" versions, and the remaining seven are unairworthy Hornets that will be dismantled for spare parts and components. They are expected to continue flying until the early 2030s.
Only 16 F-35s and no more purchases will be made.
On the Canadian television show Rosemary Barton, Stephen Fuhr told the host that Prime Minister Mark Carney "will make a decision on the contract when it's ready." Currently, only the first batch has been confirmed, as, according to Fuhr's spokesperson, "Canada is contractually obligated to deliver 16 aircraft, which are in various stages of production at the manufacturer."
"Infrastructure is being built at two main operating bases. And when Carney is ready to make a decision, he will," Fuhr continued. He also denied any connection between the F-35 decision and Canada's desire to reach a trade agreement with President Donald Trump. "No, I'm not considering that. Again, we are a sovereign nation. We will make our own decisions and stand firm," he said.
An RCAF CF-18 Hornet fighter jet at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania (MK)
The CBC also cited a June report from the Auditor General of Canada (the equivalent of the U.S. Government Accountability Office), which noted a significant increase in the cost of 88 F-35As, from $19 billion to $27,7 billion. The Auditor General cited "inflation and increased global demand for munitions" as two key reasons, as Canada is also expected to purchase missiles, such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder, and possibly air-to-ground munitions as well.
Additionally, at older Canadian bases—Bagaville Air Force Base, Canada, and Cold Lake, Alberta—the infrastructure required to support the F-35A Lightning II also requires upgrades to support these aircraft. This work is also behind schedule, potentially leading to overall cost overruns.
Mixed air fleet
The possibility of acquiring a European alternative, such as the Saab JAS-39 Gripen, also highlighted the logistical and infrastructural challenges of operating three different aircraft types, given differences in supply chains, operational systems, and training. Canadian political and military leaders are divided on the issue.
Stephen Fuhr is a mixed martial artist. fleet, telling CBC: "What happens if you have to stay in this space for months and months and years? Is the tool you're using up to the task? That's a very simplistic view. But we need a broad range of capabilities to handle all possible situations."
The CBC reported on October 7, 2025, quoting Deputy Defence Minister Stephanie Beck as telling a House of Commons committee that Canada is continuing "full steam" on the F-35 "until they hear otherwise." The CBC also reported that the new commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lieutenant General Jamie Spencer-Blanchet, was asked about a mixed fleet of aircraft, but "she partially deflected the question, saying the Air Force will need to operate a mixed fleet throughout the F-35's deployment, as the current CF-18s are expected to continue flying until the early 2030s."
However, Speiser-Blanchet noted that "operating two separate aircraft will be more costly and complex. This will require duplicating a certain amount of infrastructure and training."
The same report quotes retired Royal Canadian Air Force Major General Duff Sullivan, who supported the idea of a mixed fleet, citing the use of US Air Force F-22s and F-16s in Alaska, as well as Canadian CF-18s for continental defense. "So we have three different types of aircraft, but we are interoperable through tactics and procedures, not aircraft type."
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