Canada invests $19B for 88 F-35 fighter jets, procures Australian F-18s to supplement existing fleet

Defence Minister Anita Anand announced on Monday that Canada will be investing $19 billion for 88 “state-of-the-art” F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin with Pratt and Whitney to replace its aging CF-18 aircraft. Anand says the F-35 is the “most advanced on the market” and will use Canadian parts in its production. The first four F-35s will be delivered by 2026, while the full fleet will be ready by the end of 2032. Anand also announced that Canada has procured Australian F-18s to supplement its existing fleet of CF-18s.