Edith HejbergOut of the 88 promised F-35 jets, Canada has only paid for and received 16.
The United States has issued a stern warning to Canada: follow through on the deal to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets or risk a dramatic shift in North American defense cooperation.
The threat came from U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, who made it clear that a cancelled purchase could jeopardize the long-standing NORAD agreement.
NORAD at risk if deal falls through
Hoekstra told CBC that if Canada backs out of the multibillion-dollar agreement, “NORAD would have to be altered.”
This binational defense partnership, dating back to the Cold War, is responsible for monitoring and defending the skies over both Canada and the U.S.
Only 16 jets delivered so far
Out of the 88 promised F-35 jets, Canada has only paid for and received 16. The potential cancellation of the remaining order has raised concerns in Washington, particularly about how North America’s air defenses would be maintained without Canada’s full contribution.
American jets could patrol Canadian skies
“If Canada is no longer going to provide that [air defense] capability,” Hoekstra said, “then we have to fill those gaps.”
That could mean U.S. Air Force jets patrolling Canadian airspace, an idea some in Canada see as a threat to national sovereignty.
Canada explores alternatives to the F-35
Canada is now considering switching to Sweden’s Saab-made Gripen fighter jet, which costs a similar amount.
The move has been fuelled by concerns over the F-35’s reliance on U.S.-controlled replacement parts and the broader geopolitical risks of depending too heavily on American technology.
Critics call U.S. threat political pressure
A Canadian national security official dismissed the ambassador’s remarks as a “political pressure tactic,” accusing the U.S. of leveraging the NORAD alliance to secure an arms deal.
The official said the tactic was less about defense and more about boosting American defense contractors.
Ambassador slams Gripen as ‘inferior’
Hoekstra didn’t hold back, calling the Gripen an “inferior product” and arguing that it lacks the interoperability of the F-35.
He warned that choosing a non-American jet would weaken joint defense capability and force the U.S. to rethink how it secures the continent.
The F-35’s global reputation is shifting
While the F-35 has long been seen as a top-tier platform, capable of adapting to carrier takeoffs or strike missions, its reputation is under review.
Some allies are growing uneasy with the control the U.S. retains over maintenance and operational readiness.
Former Canadian adviser urges caution
Vincent Rigby, former national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said Hoekstra’s comments shouldn’t be dismissed but also shouldn’t be taken as the official stance of the U.S. government or Pentagon.
He called them “off-the-cuff remarks.”
Europe grows wary of U.S. arms deals
In Europe, criticism of the F-35 program is mounting. Danish defence committee chair Rasmus Jarlov has openly urged allies to reconsider buying U.S.-made jets, citing political instability and American overreach, such as Trump’s past attempt to buy Greenland from Denmark.
Fears over U.S. parts control
Jarlov warned that the F-35’s need for constant repairs makes buyers overly dependent on American spare parts.
“The Americans have all the power of actually destroying our air force just by shutting down [parts] supplies,” he said, highlighting a growing strategic concern.
Swedish Gripen gains momentum in Europe
Sweden’s Gripen has become a key component of Eastern Europe’s air defense, praised for its performance, reliability, and independence from American oversight. Its rising popularity could tempt Canada to pivot away from the F-35, despite U.S. pressure.
