Canada receives its first F-35 jets from U.S., as full order remains under review
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
OTTAWA – Canada has received its first pair of new F-35 fighter jets, with Ottawa still deliberating on how many of the American planes it will buy.
The Royal Canadian Air Force announced receiving the two Lockheed Martin jets Friday on social media with a photo from Phoenix showing one plane with a maple-leaf roundel.
The air force could not immediately say when it will start training pilots with the new planes, which U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra recently hailed as “the best fighter in the world.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused plans to proceed with a planned order for 88 of these stealth fighter jets, and it may instead have a mixed fleet that includes Gripen jets made by Saab.
Carney launched a review of the purchase amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated trade and annexation threats, and the review was supposed to have concluded a year ago.
Last year, Trump mused about providing allies with jets that have limited capabilities in order to maintain American supremacy, and former foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy warns in a Saturday blog post that Washington controls software used by F-35 jets.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2026.