Equipment Procurement

Re: The F-35 is the wrong plane for the job in Canada, Washington think-tank says

I was troubled by a recent column in the Vancouver Sun regarding Canada’s procurement of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Please allow me this opportunity to clarify the facts.

Canada must have aircraft that are capable of defending our sovereignty and fulfilling our commitments to North American security. Yet our fleet of CF-18s, procured in the early 1980s, will reach the end of their lifespan by the end of this decade. Our aircraft must be replaced.

Through a process launched in the late 1990s, the Government of Canada determined that the F-35 is the best ─ and only ─ aircraft that meets Canada’s needs. Critically, these are the only fifth generation aircraft that are truly interoperable with a number of our close military allies; including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy and others.

A few months ago, no one could have predicted that Canada’s Armed Forces would be flying over the skies of Libya to protect civilians under threat from their own government. Libya reminds us that our Canadian Forces must be prepared to respond with the equipment necessary to deal with unforeseen circumstances as they emerge.

Canada’s participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program ensures the government is giving our Canadian Forces the equipment they need to protect our interests well into this century.

The Honourable Julian Fantino, P.C., M.P.
Associate Minister of National Defence