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6d ago

U.S. Warns NORAD Could Change if Canada Scales Back F‑35 Purchase

Ottawa is reassessing the 88‑jet program after costs rose from about $19 billion to reported totals as high as $27.7 billion.

U.S. F-35 fighter jets are parked on the tarmac as military personnel walk among the aircraft at José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.
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Overview

  • Defence Minister David McGuinty said the F‑35 acquisition remains under review, citing considerations such as interoperability and industrial benefits.
  • U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra warned the United States would "fill those gaps," including more frequent U.S. fighter operations in Canadian airspace, and said NORAD would need to be altered if Canada reduces or changes its fleet plan.
  • Canada agreed in 2022 to buy 88 F‑35As, has funded or paid for an initial 16 aircraft, and earlier reporting indicated those jets were slated for delivery beginning in 2026.
  • Saab has pitched a package centered on the Gripen E and GlobalEye, offering in‑Canada production and thousands of jobs, though Hoekstra argued the Gripen would be less interoperable with U.S. forces.
  • Former national security officials and analysts described the ambassador’s remarks as pressure rather than settled U.S. policy, and no formal change to NORAD arrangements has been announced.