F-35

Then-defence minister Peter MacKay climbed into a fake F-35 cockpit before smiling for the cameras and flashing a thumbs up. The date was July 16, 2010, ...

“The Liberal government spent a good five years trying to find ways to square what was an unsquareable promise,” he said. Still, even if that is true, experts say there is no denying the costs incurred. “Basically, it is much more advanced and mature than it was in 2010.” In many ways, it seemed there was little to celebrate after 12 years of political controversy and mismanagement. Fast-forward to Monday and the scene was very different. Then-defence minister Peter MacKay climbed into a fake F-35 cockpit before smiling for the cameras and flashing a thumbs up.

The Canadian government has chosen the F-35 as its preferred replacement for the air force's four-decade-old CF-18 fighters and will open negotiations with ...

I think it's one thing to say at the end of the day you end up with the same plane but really when you look at it, we are basing this decision on fact and on evidence, based on all the evaluations that have been done." The government of former prime minister Stephen Harper signalled its intention to sole-source a contract to buy 65 F-35s in the summer of 2010. "I think the competition will absolutely drive the bidders to come forward with a better position. It also represents a major reversal for the Liberal government — which pledged in 2015 to never buy the F-35. Under the federal government's procurement system, Ottawa chooses an aircraft and then tries to negotiate a contract with the manufacturer. The minister said that she and Anand were not informed who the winning bidder was until just before the announcement.

Canada plans to buy 88 new fighter jets to replace its CF-18s.

Defence Minister Anita Anand has said the decision to pick the F-35 was done without political interference. Tassi said Canada will get a better deal now. Delivery of the first aircraft would be scheduled for 2025 if an agreement is reached.

Le Canada a choisi le meilleur avion de chasse, le plus cher, le plus avancé technologiquement.

Heureusement, l’OTAN et les États-Unis semblent à bout de patience. Donc, ne rêvons pas trop vite. Le plus meilleur processus de sélection jamais mis de l’avant. Il est tellement bon qu’il a mis 6 ans à accoucher de son choix !

Le Canada envisage d'acheter 88 nouveaux avions de chasse pour remplacer ses CF-18, le gouvernement ayant prévu jusqu'à 19 milliards pour l'achat. ( ...

Le député Pierre Paul-Hus, ancien membre de la réserve des Forces armées canadiennes, a soutenu que les libéraux « ont gaspillé du temps et de l’argent des contribuables » pour sauver la face. Le gouvernement Trudeau a aussi acheté 18 CF-18 australiens, qui ont exigé des mises à niveau importantes. Ce n’est pas la dernière étape. Il y a l’étape de la signature des contrats, mais c’est une étape importante », a affirmé la ministre Tassi. « La décision aujourd’hui arrive à un bon moment. Nous n’avons fait aucun compromis à aucune étape parce que le processus était extrêmement important. Les États-Unis et de nombreux autres alliés du Canada utilisent déjà cet avion furtif.

The announcement comes amid escalating questions about the demands placed on the Canadian Forces in the midst of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The original fighter jet replacement project had been budgeted in 2017 at $19 billion to acquire 88 jets. As a cornerstone for interoperability with NORAD and NATO, the F-35 will strengthen Canada’s operational capability with our allies.” That left just Lockheed Martin and Saab as contenders. Canada’s fleet of Boeing CF-18 fighter jets is ageing. “I agreed with the recommendation. Defence Minister Anita Anand said Monday that Canadians are now facing a “new reality” and that the Royal Canadian Air Force needs a jet that is “flexible” and “agile.”

Canada has picked Lockheed Martin Corp as the preferred bidder to supply 88 new fighter jets, Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi said Monday, ...

It has proven to be a mature, capable and interoperable aircraft and that is why we are moving to the finalization phase of this procurement," Defense Minister Anita Anand, speaking alongside Tassi, told reporters. Ottawa says the contract could be worth up to $19 billion Canadian dollars (about $15 billion). "The F-35 is in operational use by NORAD and NATO partners in missions around the globe.

Ottawa starts negotiating solely with Lockheed Martin on a contract to supply 88 combat aircraft, federal ministers say.

“This announcement is a far cry from the commitment and clarity Canadians expect from their federal government.” A Canadian government source said an added benefit of picking the F-35 is that it will help Canada-U.S. relations. “That comes to a savings of nearly $2-billion, which comfortably covers the Hornet extension and secondhand Hornets,” Mr. Choi said. The Globe is not naming them because they were not authorized to discuss Canada-U.S. relations publicly. Conservative defence critic Kerry-Lynne Findlay and Conservative procurement critic Pierre Paul-Hus said the Liberals are not moving fast enough to buy the warplanes. The government said Monday the price tag for the 88 aircraft is still being finalized. “The United States government has put something like half a trillion dollars into developing this airplane. In the past 12 years, Canada has spent significantly to keep its existing combat aircraft force ready for action. It restarted the procurement process in 2012 after a damning audit of its plans for the sole-sourced purchase. The announcement Monday caps a tumultuous, 12-year saga during which the federal government has struggled to pick a fighter plane. She said she, Ms. Anand and Mr. Trudeau did not know until Monday that Lockheed Martin had been selected as the top-ranked bidder. Canada’s lengthy fighter jet replacement process began in 2010, when the former Conservative government announced it would buy the F-35 without a competitive bidding process.

Canada announced plans to buy 88 US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets to replace its aging fleet, and meet new threats including from Russia.

And Canada bought 18 used Australian F-18 jets to fill an air force interim capability gap. “Why? Because… the world changed on February 24th,” she said in reference to the start of Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Canada has one of the greatest air spaces in the world and we have to make sure that our next fleet of fighter jets is flexible, agile, and able to meet a wide spectrum of threats,” she said.

Government and industry sources have told The Canadian Press the negotiations with manufacturer Lockheed Martin will be announced at a news conference this ...

That had prompted questions about the Gripen's compatibility with U.S. aircraft. “I agreed with the recommendation. By 2032, the CF-18s will have been around for 50 years. When they will start to arrive in Canada? And were the past 12 years of debate and delays worth it? And I can tell you that it's rigorous. This morning, officials informed me that the top-ranked bidder is Lockheed Martin, and officials will now enter into the finalization phase of the process with Lockheed Martin.” “There's a difference from speculating and saying in a sole-source contract: `We think that this bidder is going to give us the best deal that we can possibly get,' and actually going through the process,” she said. The Liberals promised in 2015 not to buy the F-35, but to instead launch an open competition to replace the CF-18s. They later planned to buy 18 Super Hornets without a competition as an “interim” measure until a full competition could be launched. Tassi and Anand emphasized the negotiations do not mean a deal for the F-35 is done, and that the government retains the option to talk with Saab about its Gripen fighter should discussions with Lockheed Martin stall. Officials did express optimism that a deal will be finalized in the next seven months, and that the first F-35 will arrive by 2025 and the last around 2032. The government will now launch formal negotiations with the company this week for the purchase of 88 F-35s to replace Canada's CF-18s, with officials anticipating the talks will take about seven months and result in a final contract by the end of the year. Despite what Anand described as a “rigorous” competition designed to ensure Canada gets the best fighter jet at the lowest cost with the most economic benefits, a senior procurement official indicated the scope of the negotiations will be broad.

Canada is entering into the finalisation phase to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets from the US government and Lockheed Martin, Defence Minister Anita Anand ...

Since 1997, Canada has been investing in the Joint Strike Fighter Program, which has provided Canadian industry with the opportunity to become a part of the F-35 supply chain, and which provides for guaranteed access to the F-35. Canada has been preparing for the two main operating bases for the fighter aircraft, 4 Wing Cold Lake and 3 Wing Bagotville, by awarding two contracts to undertake infrastructure upgrades to support the delivery of these future fighters, it said, adding that this infrastructure will support the long-term maintenance and operation of these new aircraft. According to the statement, Canada will work toward the delivery of aircraft as early as 2025.

TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian government has selected Lockheed Martin Corp. and the F-35 as the preferred bidder in its competition to buy a new fighter jet, ...

Tassi said Canada will get a better deal now. Delivery of the first aircraft would be scheduled for 2025 if an agreement is reached. If an agreement is not reached the government has the option to enter into talks with Saab, whose Gripen fighter came second to the F-35 in the competition.