this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025
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Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked for a review of Canada’s plan to purchase a fleet of F-35 fighter jets.

The deal with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government is for 88 planes at a cost of about US$85 million each.

A spokesperson for Defence Minister Bill Blair said Carney has asked Blair to look into whether the F-35 contract is the best investment for Canada, or if there are better options.

β€œWe need to do our homework given the changing environment, and make sure that the contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces,” Blair’s press secretary Laurent de Casanove said.

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[–] xye@lemm.ee 3 points 4 hours ago

I’m glad you’re doing this, but ultimately sad because love is irrational and I love the F-35.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

Prime Minister Carney, I have several better solutions. Cancel the F-35 and examine the Saab JAS-39 Gripen, Dassault Rafael, or the Eurofighter Typhoon.

[–] AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com 44 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Can I interest you in a Eurofighter Typhoon?

[–] Frostbeard@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 26 minutes ago) (2 children)

Tbf. The F35 owns the sky. The Typhoon wins in a dog fight, but the way the F35 operates it eliminates the threat long before the dog fight. I would love for a European fifth generation replacing the F35 tho'

[–] Pixel@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Dogfights aren't a thing anymore in modern aviation. There's a reason it was barely considered in the procurement process that led to the F-35 acquisition. Sure hope other countries step up to the plate to build viable exportable alternatives to the F-35.

[–] drop_table_username@lemmy.world 0 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

They said this before Vietnam and it was wrong. Ironically if truly stealth fighters with low radar and ir profiles were to engage each other in the air they would probably end up using guns primarily again as radar/ir guided missiles wouldn't be reliable in this event.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 7 points 7 hours ago

Only if the F-35 is fully operational. $2 trillion later and the damn thing is still a maintenance pig.

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 13 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Me personally? I'd love to say yes, but I'm a bit skint atm.....could I get it on IOU?

[–] AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com 5 points 15 hours ago

Okay, make some space in the drive and I'll bring it over later.

[–] Punchshark@lemmy.ca 86 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Fuck yeah! Canada will vote with its dollar!

[–] hikuro93@lemmy.ca 65 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Heck yeah. Go Carney.

With love from Portugal. πŸ‡΅πŸ‡ΉπŸ€πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

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[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 29 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Canada could do the funniest thing rn by buying J-35s at half the price.

[–] BetaBlake@lemmy.world 28 points 23 hours ago (13 children)

It would be funny, but damn I would not want to buy military equipment from china

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 9 points 16 hours ago

USA: We want to annex Canada. We are not joking

Canadians: Ooh China is very scary.

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[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 8 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

Yeah, those are definitely safe from tampering.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 6 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

The purpose of buying jets from someone other than America is to reduce America's influence over Canada, why would China sabotage that?

Edit: Why is this controversial? Do you think America tampers with the weapons we send to Taiwan?

[–] homesnatch@lemm.ee 9 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The US can remotely disable an F-35.. China, I'd expect can do the same for a J-35.

[–] wizzor@sopuli.xyz 11 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I don't think the above poster doubts their ability, only that they might be less incentivized to do so compared to, say a country that has repeatedly voiced their wish to annex Canada.

[–] homesnatch@lemm.ee 6 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Nobody expects China to remotely disable J-35's on a whim... But they might do it as they prepare to invade Taiwan.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

Is Canada planning to go to war with China if they annex Taiwan?

[–] brax@sh.itjust.works 47 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Seems stupid to buy defense resources from a country that could become hostile. Do any European companies have anything to offer? I get that GOS and a lot of resources are still probably going to come from the USA but right now, the less the better.

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 37 points 1 day ago (4 children)

It also seems stupid to keep importing on a mass scale the culture, news, entertainment, media, and media platforms of a country that wants to invade Canada. Yet here we are.

[–] fourish@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I would be thrilled if all American social media was blocked 100%. Sweep the trolls back into their caves.

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[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)
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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 38 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There was the "kill switch" rumour recently that trump (any president) can remotely disable any/all f35s they wanted to

It's probably not true, but the truth is just as disasterous for foreign buyers.

A shutdown of parts out of US does essentially the same and is much easier to do on a whim and withhold the solution in negotiations.

People weren't just buying US because "we're the best" it's because we could be relied on for support, because no one fucksnwith the US military industrial complex

trump is tho, and that's a hell of a lot more dangerous for a politician than pissing off day traders

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 26 points 1 day ago (5 children)

They require maintenance in the US. How well would that work if the US was invading us?

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[–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 day ago (3 children)

It always seemed strange that Canada would agree (how much arm twisting?) to buy a plane that won't work well in our Arctic. We are committed to buying 16 jets but it would probably be better to buy the rest elsewhere or put our money into homegrown solutions. Maybe drones or other machines.

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 25 points 23 hours ago

Excuse me sir, may I interest you in Gripen? Cold weather tested, fascist free, and oh so stylish. Book your test flight today!

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[–] Sixtyforce@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago

He's keeping up decorum but yeah these jets are done. You can't buy military equipment from an enemy and the jets would have to be serviced in the USA over their lifetime.

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