$30,000,000,000 Question: Canada’s F-35 Debate Seems Paralyzed

submitted by Scotty to canada 39 points | 20 comments https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/03/30000000000-question-canadas-f-35-debate-seems-paralyzed Archived link * While 16 F-35 fighters remain contractually committed for delivery starting this year, the full 88-jet procurement is stalled amidst trade friction with the Trump administration. * Rising program costs—now estimated at $30 billion—have reopened the door for Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen E. * The Gripen offers superior industrial benefits, including 12,600 domestic jobs and Arctic-optimized maintenance. * Ottawa must now balance the F-35’s unmatched NORAD interoperability against the Gripen’s economic sovereignty as the aging CF-18 Hornet fleet reaches its structur