Canada's years-long search for new fighter jets came full circle on Monday, January 9, 2023, as Defence Minister Anita Anand officially confirmed the planned purchase of a fleet of F-35s to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's aging CF-18s.
A senior Canadian general in charge of protecting North American airspace says Russia has the capability to strike this continent, bolstering the need for improved defensive systems.
While the federal government is pressing ahead with plans to buy billions of dollars worth of much-needed equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence's top procurement official says COVID-19 is further slowing down some already delayed purchases.
American officials will need to certify the fighter jet Canada buys at the end of a multibillion-dollar procurement that's started and stopped and started again for more than a decade, ensuring that it's fit to plug into the U.S.'s highest-security intelligence systems.
The Canadian military is looking to contract out some maintenance work on the country's aging CF-18 fighter jets as well as training to help address a shortage of experienced technicians.
New court documents show public servants discussing the risk to taxpayers as successive federal governments have turned to sole-source contracts to buy desperately needed equipment for the Canadian Forces and others.
The Trudeau government pressed ahead with its plan to buy second-hand fighter jets from Australia on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, despite withering fire from the federal auditor general, who warned that the military might not have anybody to fly them.
Although the Trudeau government launched its long term plan for modernizing the military last week, more immediate realities are tugging for attention on the Liberals' list of defence priorities.
P.M. Justin Trudeau came out swinging Friday, May 19, 2017 against the U.S. government over its investigation into a trade dispute between U.S. aerospace giant Boeing and Canadian rival Bombardier.