Canada Receives Its First F-35 Jets From U.S., as Full Order Remains Under Review
The Royal Canadian Air Force will train pilots on the jets while Ottawa reviews whether to proceed with the full 88-plane order.
- The Royal Canadian Air Force accepted its first two CF-35A stealth fighters on Friday at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, for pilot training operations.
- Canada agreed in January 2023 to purchase 88 F-35As for about $19 billion, but Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review in March 2025, limiting current funding to 16 aircraft.
- Defense Minister David McGuinty announced nearly C$4 billion for fighter infrastructure at Cold Lake on October 7, while the RCAF plans to base its first eight F-35s at Luke through 2027.
- Options under discussion include integrating Saab Gripen fighters into a potential mixed fleet, though McGuinty has not set a timeline for completing the government review of the full purchase.
- Former foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy warned that Washington controls software used by F-35s, while U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra recently hailed the jets as "the best fighter in the world.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
Canada receives its first F-35 jets from U.S., as full order remains under review
OTTAWA - Canada has received its first pair of new F-35 fighter jets, with Ottawa still deliberating on how many of the American planes it will buy.
Canada gets its first two CF-35A stealth fighters
The Royal Canadian Air Force has taken delivery of its first two CF-35A stealth fighters, the Canadian version of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, the service announced. The jets will stay at Luke, a major U.S. Air Force training base for F-35 pilots from the United States […]
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) took delivery of its first two fifth-generation CF-35A Lightning II fighters on October 23, marking the start of the transition from the CF-18 Hornet to the new type. The aircraft were delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where they will remain for the training of Canadian pilots and technicians. They are the first of […] The article Canada: First Two CF-35As Received – Total Order Remains Open appeare…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 73% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
