Canada is still reviewing plan to buy U.S. fighter jets, defence minister says

National Defence Minister David McGuinty responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Canada is still reviewing its plan to buy 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Defence Minister David McGuinty said on Monday, adding that Ottawa could also purchase some foreign planes.

Ottawa unveiled the $19 billion (US$13.9 billion) deal in early 2023. But in March 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney requested the review by military officials on the grounds that Canada was over-reliant on the U.S. defence industry.

The review was supposed to be complete by around September but has been delayed amid increasing tension with the United States over trade and suggestions Canada might split the fleet, cutting back on the F-35s and buying some Gripen jets from Swedish company Saab.

“The review of the purchase of the F-35s is continuing... We are taking the necessary time to study very, very closely the question of the fighter fleet,” McGuinty told the Senate’s defence committee.

“The question of other jets from other countries is something that is on the table, that is part of the review,” he added, but gave no indication of when a decision might be made.

Ottawa has made a legal commitment of funds for the first 16 F-35 aircraft. Last August, Reuters reported that Canadian defence ministry officials had strongly made the case that Ottawa should stick to a plan to buy the F-35s.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bill Berkrot.