By Canadian Press

Plan to buy more fighter jets puts Canada on hook for bigger share of F-35 costs

Jan 30, 2019 | 11:30 AM

OTTAWA — Canada is being forced to shoulder a bigger share of the costs of developing F-35 fighter jets even though it has not decided whether it will actually buy any.

Canada is one of nine partner countries in the F-35 project, all of which are required to cover a portion of the stealth fighter’s development costs to stay at the table.

Each country pays based on the number of F-35s it’s expecting to buy, and Canada’s pitched in more than half-a-billion dollars over the last 20 years, including $54 million last year.

But that amount was based on the Stephen Harper government’s plan to buy 65 new fighter jets to replace Canada’s aging CF-18s, which the Trudeau government has since officially increased to 88.

National

India trashes Canada for linking home minister to Sikh activist plot

A few minutes ago

FSIN

Chief Bobby Cameron re-elected for fourth term as FSIN Chief

Oct 31, 2024

Economy

Economy stalled in August, Q3 growth looks to fall short of Bank of Canada estimates

Oct 31, 2024

Even though Canada has not committed that those 88 jets will be F-35s, Defence Department officials say that change means it will have to pay more to remain a partner — including about $72 million this year.

The government has said it plans to keep Canada in the F-35 development effort until a replacement for the CF-18s is selected, which won’t happen for two or three more years.

The Canadian Press