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2w ago

Canada’s F-35 Purchase Under Review as Costs Surge and Readiness Gaps Persist

The review follows Auditor General findings that the program’s budget has swelled by nearly 50 percent with key infrastructure and personnel gaps remaining

A ground crew member of the F-35A Lightning II fighter demonstration team works on a jet following its arrival at the airport Wednesday September 4, 2019 in Ottawa. The jet is part of a demonstration team in town for a weekend air show. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jet flies at the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Auditor General of Canada, Karen Hogan, and the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Jerry V. DeMarco, hold a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 10, 2025., after jointly delivering 8 performance audit reports to the House of Commons. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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Overview

  • Auditor General Karen Hogan reported acquisition costs rose from $19 billion to $27.7 billion due to inflation, currency shifts and increased munitions demand.
  • An additional $5.5 billion in expenses for base upgrades at Cold Lake and Bagotville and advanced weapons is not included in the current price tag.
  • Construction of two new squadron facilities is three years behind schedule with redesigns needed to meet US security requirements.
  • Canada remains short of qualified pilots for the F-35 fleet despite warnings since 2018 and has yet to finalize a detailed interim operations plan.
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney has ordered a full review of the F-35 purchase in response to cost overruns and US reliability concerns, with results expected this summer.