Canada keeps purchase of 72 additional F-35 fighters under review as U.S. trade tensions fuel calls to cancel planned order

Canada is still reviewing whether to acquire the remaining 72 F-35As planned for its 88-aircraft fighter fleet, while the first 16 jets remain committed. Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered the reassessment amid strained trade relations with the United States and domestic calls to consider alternatives. Officials are weighing cost, industrial benefits and the interoperability requirements of NATO and NORAD, with a decision expected within the coming months. The review has not cancelled the wider purchase, selected another aircraft or changed the existing commitment for the initial tranche, leaving the fleet's final composition unresolved.