Canada is reconsidering the purchase of F-35s amid tensions with the United States, even though payment for the first 16 aircraft has already been made.

This is reported by CBC.

This was stated by Canada’s new Defense Minister Bill Blair, just a few hours after he was reappointed to this position as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet.

According to him, Canada is already actively considering potential alternatives to the American F-35 and plans to hold talks with other aircraft manufacturers.

In January 2023, Canada signed a contract with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of 88 F-35 fighters. The deal was worth approximately $14.2 billion.

The first four aircraft are due to arrive in 2026, with full operational capability expected between 2032 and 2034.

“It is the fighter that has been identified by our air force as the platform that they need, but we are also looking at other alternatives – whether all the fighters need to be F-35s,” Blair stated.

He suggests that the first aircraft may be accepted, and the rest will be replaced by European-made machines. For example, the Swedish Saab Gripen, which took second place in the competition.

“The prime minister asked me to go and study these issues, as well as discuss them with other sources, in particular, where there may be opportunities to assemble these fighters in Canada,” the defense minister said.

However, as the publication notes, if Canada does not make a full purchase under the contract, some form of penalty is envisaged. It remains unclear how much the withdrawal from the contract will cost.

Another factor is that Canadian aerospace companies are part of the fighter jet supply chain. This brought $1.3 billion to the country’s economy between 1997 and 2021.

Portugal’s Defense Minister Nuno Melo recently stated that the country ruled out the purchase of F-35 fighter jets due to the unpredictability of US policy and the current geopolitical situation.