Defence Division will get approval to spend $7-billion on 16 F-35 fighter jets, sources sayDecember 20, 2022

The Division of Nationwide Defence lately obtained quiet approval to spend $7-billion on 16 F-35 fighter jets and associated gear.

Two defence sources, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate issues not but made public, stated a funding request despatched to the Treasury Board bought the inexperienced gentle earlier this month.

The Canadian Press additionally seen a doc summarizing this request to Treasury Board, which is the division that controls the federal purse strings, and independently verified its accuracy.

The funding approval got here after months of negotiations with the U.S. authorities and Lockheed Martin after the F-35 beat out Sweden’s Saab Gripen in a contest earlier this 12 months.

Whereas the federal authorities has stated it plans to purchase 88 new fighter jets to interchange its getting old CF-18s between 2026 and 2032, the sources stated Canada will probably be buying F-35s in blocks over the following few years.

Canada wanted to make an preliminary order by the top of the calendar 12 months to make sure its deliberate supply schedule stays on monitor, they added.

The Treasury Board approval covers an preliminary set of 16 F-35s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, in addition to spare elements, weapons and varied startup prices related to acquiring new jets, comparable to constructing new services.

The Liberal authorities was anticipated to make an announcement two weeks in the past, based on sources, however now the information shouldn’t be anticipated to be formally introduced earlier than January.

Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek’s workplace declined to remark particularly on the Treasury Board approval on Tuesday, referring as a substitute to the general resolution to purchase 88 fighter jets.

“As outlined in Canada’s defence coverage Sturdy, Safe, Engaged, Canada will probably be buying 88 superior fighter plane,” spokesman Olivier Pilon wrote in an e-mail.

“We stay up for offering an replace on this necessary challenge shortly.”

Lockheed Martin declined to remark. So did the U.S. Protection Division’s F-35 workplace, which is accountable for the stealth fighter program. They as a substitute referred inquiries to the Canadian authorities.

Canada’s decade-long seek for a brand new fighter jet to interchange its getting old CF-18s got here full circle in March when the Liberal authorities introduced negotiations with U.S. defence big Lockheed Martin to buy the F-35.

Officers on the time anticipated talks would take about seven months and result in a last contract by the top of the 12 months.

But the Liberal authorities additionally emphasised on the time that the negotiations didn’t imply a deal for the F-35 was executed, with the federal government retaining the choice to speak with Saab about its Gripen fighter ought to discussions with Lockheed Martin stall.

The federal government had initially anticipated spending $19-billion on Canada’s subsequent fighter jet fleet, however it was not evident on the time what would – and wouldn’t – be included. Defence Minister Anita Anand stated in March that the fee could be “additional refined.”

The acquisition of F-35s in tranches shouldn’t be distinctive, says U.S.-based analyst Richard Aboulafia, one of many world’s main F-35 consultants.

For instance, whereas Britain beforehand dedicated to purchasing a complete of 138 F-35s, its preliminary order was for less than 48. Australia has taken an analogous strategy by initially ordering solely 14 of the stealth fighters earlier than later confirming one other 58.

The explanations for such a phased strategy range primarily based on every nation’s budgetary course of and their respective army’s capacity to just accept and help the transition to a brand new plane. It’s also primarily based on Lockheed Martin’s manufacturing schedule and different orders.

Stephen Harper’s Conservative authorities first dedicated to purchasing 65 F-35s with out a competitors in 2010, earlier than considerations concerning the stealth fighter’s price and capabilities compelled it again to the drafting board.

The Liberals promised in 2015 to not purchase the F-35, however to as a substitute launch an open competitors to interchange the CF-18s. They later deliberate to purchase 18 Tremendous Hornets with out a competitors as an “interim” measure till a full competitors could possibly be launched.

Some on the time questioned that plan, suggesting the Liberals had been looking for a option to lock Canada into the Tremendous Hornet with out opening itself as much as a authorized problem from Lockheed Martin or some other jet makers.

However the authorities cancelled the plan after Boeing launched a commerce dispute with Montreal aerospace agency Bombardier. Ottawa initiated the present bidding course of in July, 2019, at which level the Tremendous Hornet and F-35 had been allowed to compete.

Within the meantime, the federal government has been compelled to speculate lots of of hundreds of thousands of extra {dollars} into the CF-18 fleet to maintain it flying till a alternative might be delivered. By 2032, the CF-18s may have been round for 50 years.

The Canadian Press reported final week that Canada won’t ship fighter jets to patrol NATO airspace for Russian incursions subsequent 12 months, the primary time that Canadian CF-18s will probably be absent from the skies over Europe since 2017.

The choice was partly blamed on the necessity to improve the CF-18s to make sure they will proceed to struggle and defend themselves from adversaries till they are often changed by F-35s.