Canada agrees $14 billion deal for F-35

Web Desk

11th Jan, 2023. 04:51 am
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NORAD is a joint US-Canadian organization that provides North America with air and missile defense.
Canada wants a military that is adaptable, nimble, and capable
The jets are available in three configurations

Canada wants a military that is adaptable, nimble, and capable of responding to a variety of unforeseen events,” said Anita Anand, Canada’s Defense Minister.

“As the rules-based international order is challenged around the world, the F-35 will be critical for protecting Canadians, boosting Arctic security and national sovereignty, and allowing Canada to meet its NATO, NORAD, and other duties well into the future,” according to the statement.

NORAD is a joint US-Canadian organization that provides North America with air and missile defense.

Lockheed Martin has experienced a surge in interest in the F-35 over the last year, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany, Switzerland, and Finland have agreed to buy F-35s in 2022, while NATO allies Greece and the Czech Republic have also expressed interest.

F-35s are also in or will soon be in the fleets of Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Poland, Belgium, and Singapore, in addition to the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The jets are available in three configurations: regular F-35A, short-takeoff and vertical landing F-35B, and aircraft carrier F-35C.

Canada will purchase the F-35A to replace its outdated CF-18s.

“Canada requires a fighter fleet to preserve the sovereignty of one of the world’s greatest tracts of airspace,” Anand added, referring to the country’s vast Arctic frontier.

According to the government, the $14.2 billion (19 billion Canadian dollars) price tag includes construction at two air bases in Alberta and Quebec, as well as supporting equipment and services.

In According to the statement, the program would create 3,300 employment every year for the next 25 years and add $310 million ($425 million Canadian) to the country’s gross domestic product.

Meanwhile the government, as an early member of the F-35 program, Canadian industry has received $2.8 billion in contracts connected to the fighter jet’s construction to date.