Canada: The Canadian government has announced that it has finalised an agreement with the United States and weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets in order to upgrade the country’s ageing fleet.

Defence Minister Ms. Anita Anand stated that the $14.2 billion ($19 billion Canadian) deal marked the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 30 years.

“As our world grows darker with Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and China’s increasingly assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, this project has taken on heightened significance, especially given the importance of interoperability with our allies,” Ms. Anand remarked.

The agreement comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Justin Trudeau is set to meet with US President Mr. Joe Biden and Mexican President Mr. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at a “Three Amigos” summit in Mexico City.

The North American country has been trying for more than a decade to replace its fleet of ageing Boeing CF-18 fighters, some of which are more than 40 years old.

The first four F-35 aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2026, with full operational capacity for the fleet expected between 2032 and 2034.

The $14.2 billion ($19 billion Canadian) budget for the project includes the cost of infrastructure setup, weapons, and other related expenses, as well as the cost of planes, which is estimated to be around $85 million ($114 million Canadian) each. The full life cycle of the program is expected to cost $52 billion ($70 billion Canadian).

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