What Would It Take for Canada to Build Its Own Fighter Jets Again?

By Wesley Wark – The Walrus

What happens when you lob a grenade into one of the costliest and most momentous defence deals in decades? This is precisely what Mark Carney, as newly minted prime minister, did when he directed then defence minister Bill Blair to review Canada’s purchase of American F-35 fighter jets and explore rival options.

The debate over replacing Canada’s aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets has dragged on for decades. Fighter aircraft are a mainstay of modern militaries, used for air defence, combat, reconnaissance, and ground support. One hundred and thirty eight CF-18s first entered service in 1982. Their obsolescence is both an embarrassment and a liability. A recent military assessment noted that 60 percent of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s inventory is unserviceable.