Canadian defense minister Peter MacKay last week underscored Canada’s commitment to the F-35 strike fighter and the need for timely procurement of the stealth aircraft. “It’s clear that it’s the intention of the government of Canada to proceed with the purchase. This is a solid decision,” said MacKay during a press conference with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Ottawa during Gates’ official Canada visit. Last July, the Canadian government announced its intent to procure 65 F-35s to replace its aging CF-18s. Responding to calls by Canada’s Liberal Party to cancel those plans, MacKay voiced fears that “in addition to losing a preferential place in the production line,” Canada would face an “operational gap” as the CF-18s reach the end of their service lives. “There is a very . . . sweet spot in terms of the delivery time,” he noted during the Jan. 27 briefing. (Gates-MacKay transcript)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
