Canada says it’s reconsidering multibillion dollar F-35 buy as Trump ratchets up trade war

WASHINGTON — Amid escalating tensions with the United States, the Canadian military said while it is committed to the first 16 F-35As it’s on contract to buy from American defense giant Lockheed Martin, it is actively re-evaluating the rest of the multi-billion-dollar order.

“At this time, the contract to purchase the F-35 remains in place and Canada has made a legal commitment of funds for the first 16 aircraft. The Prime Minister has also asked the Minister of National Defence to work with CAF/DND [Canadian Armed Forces/Department of National Defence] to determine if the F-35 contract, as it stands, is the best investment for Canada, and if there are other options that could better meet Canada’s needs,” Laurent de Casanove, press secretary for Canadian defense minister Bill Blair, said in a statement to Breaking Defense today.

“To be clear, we are not cancelling the F-35 contract, but we 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,” de Casanove added. 

The statement follows comments from Blair on March 14 to Canadian public broadcaster CBC that Ottawa planned to review the F-35 buy, marking one of the first acts by Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was sworn in earlier that day.

After years of back-and-forth that sparked national controversy, Canada eventually inked a $19 billion CAD (at the time worth $14.2 billion USD) deal for 88 of F-35As in 2023. The first stealth fighters under the order are expected to be handed over next year. Ottawa’s reconsideration of the deal could open a door for alternatives like Sweden’s Saab, whose Gripen fighter was beat out by the F-35 for the competition to replace Canada’s legacy F-18 fleet.

In response to the Canadians’ comments, Lockheed Martin said the company “values our strong partnership and history with the Royal Canadian Air Force and looks forward to continuing that partnership into the future. The F-35 is the most advanced, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, enabling 21st Century Security and allied deterrence. Questions about foreign military sales of the F-35 are best addressed by the U.S. government.”

A spokesperson for the US F-35 Joint Program Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ottawa’s move to reevaluate the F-35 buy comes as Washington pursues more aggressive relations with its northern neighbor, as President Donald Trump threatens high tariffs and even annexation — renewing the electoral prospects of Carney’s Liberal Party, which he took over from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump’s sharper rhetoric against NATO allies is also driving a new wave of defense spending in Europe, as leaders grow concerned Washington may prove to be an unreliable partner.

Canada is officially the first customer to openly reevaluate its F-35 order in the Trump era, and it is an open question whether other nations may follow suit — potentially risking major disruptions in the aircraft’s international supply chain. Although reports recently circulated that Portugal may rule out replacing its aging F-16 aircraft with the F-35, the country’s defense ministry confirmed to Breaking Defense that the F-35 is still in play in Lisbon’s future fighter considerations, but that any procurement decisions must take into account the “current geopolitical context” with an eye toward strengthening Europe’s defense industrial base.

Tim Martin in Belfast contributed reporting.