Canada F-35 Deliveries Begin With First Two Stealth Fighters as Ottawa Weighs a Smaller Order

The Royal Canadian Air Force accepted its first two Lockheed Martin CF-35A fighters at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona on October 22, 2026, beginning deliveries under Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project. The initial aircraft will support Canadian personnel training in the United States, with eight fighters expected to be assigned there before deliveries to Cold Lake begin in 2028. Ottawa originally planned to procure 88 F-35As to replace its CF-18s, but the government is reviewing the remaining 72 aircraft beyond its initial commitment. The handover is an early delivery milestone rather than the beginning of operational fighter service in Canada.