Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, has ordered a review of the country’s plan to buy new F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
The government in Ottawa is looking at alternatives to a deal it has signed with the U.S. authorities and manufacturer Lockheed Martin amid a trade war between the two North American states, the Canadian Press website reported.
There are fears the U.S. could limit access to jet components and crucial software for the F-35s as President Donald Trump oversees a shift in U.S. defense and trade policy.
Earlier this week, Portugal’s defense minister said he had decided against buying American-built jets, suggesting it was not the “best option” for the Iberian nation.
The situation in Canada is different, because the country has already struck an agreement with its neighbor to buy 88 F-35s for around $85 million each. A spokesperson for the Canadian defense ministry said the country has legally committed to purchasing 16 of the planes.
“We need to do our homework given the changing environment, and make sure that the contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces,” Laurent de Casanove from the defense ministry told the Canadian Press.
Trump’s return to the White House in January has prompted a dramatic realignment in global politics, with the 78-year-old Republican slapping tariffs on trade with the U.S.’s nearest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, among other countries.
There are fears the U.S. could limit access to jet components and crucial software for the F-35s as President Donald Trump oversees a shift in U.S. defense and trade policy.
Earlier this week, Portugal’s defense minister said he had decided against buying American-built jets, suggesting it was not the “best option” for the Iberian nation.
The situation in Canada is different, because the country has already struck an agreement with its neighbor to buy 88 F-35s for around $85 million each. A spokesperson for the Canadian defense ministry said the country has legally committed to purchasing 16 of the planes.
“We need to do our homework given the changing environment, and make sure that the contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces,” Laurent de Casanove from the defense ministry told the Canadian Press.
Trump’s return to the White House in January has prompted a dramatic realignment in global politics, with the 78-year-old Republican slapping tariffs on trade with the U.S.’s nearest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, among other countries.
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