this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025
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Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked for a review of Canada’s plan to purchase a fleet of F-35 fighter jets.

The deal with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government is for 88 planes at a cost of about US$85 million each.

A spokesperson for Defence Minister Bill Blair said Carney has asked Blair to look into whether the F-35 contract is the best investment for Canada, or if there are better options.

β€œWe 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,” Blair’s press secretary Laurent de Casanove said.

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[–] Punchshark@lemmy.ca 85 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Fuck yeah! Canada will vote with its dollar!

[–] hikuro93@lemmy.ca 63 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Heck yeah. Go Carney.

With love from Portugal. πŸ‡΅πŸ‡ΉπŸ€πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

[–] Kyle_The_G@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

Welcome to the carnival!

or

CARNAGE!

[–] brax@sh.itjust.works 46 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Seems stupid to buy defense resources from a country that could become hostile. Do any European companies have anything to offer? I get that GOS and a lot of resources are still probably going to come from the USA but right now, the less the better.

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 37 points 1 day ago (4 children)

It also seems stupid to keep importing on a mass scale the culture, news, entertainment, media, and media platforms of a country that wants to invade Canada. Yet here we are.

[–] fourish@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I would be thrilled if all American social media was blocked 100%. Sweep the trolls back into their caves.

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago

I’d love that too.

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[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)
[–] slingstone@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I read somewhere they operate with a licensed American engine, and that some European nations are trying to replace it with a non-American one.... Yeah, it's a development of an F-18 engine.

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[–] AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com 44 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Can I interest you in a Eurofighter Typhoon?

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 13 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Me personally? I'd love to say yes, but I'm a bit skint atm.....could I get it on IOU?

[–] AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com 5 points 17 hours ago

Okay, make some space in the drive and I'll bring it over later.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There was the "kill switch" rumour recently that trump (any president) can remotely disable any/all f35s they wanted to

It's probably not true, but the truth is just as disasterous for foreign buyers.

A shutdown of parts out of US does essentially the same and is much easier to do on a whim and withhold the solution in negotiations.

People weren't just buying US because "we're the best" it's because we could be relied on for support, because no one fucksnwith the US military industrial complex

trump is tho, and that's a hell of a lot more dangerous for a politician than pissing off day traders

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 day ago (4 children)

They require maintenance in the US. How well would that work if the US was invading us?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

...

Yes, that is the point I am making, and the argument your government is making for canceling the contract.

If trump were to cut off logistical support for that or any other whim, they would have to be mothballed.

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 day ago

The SAAB would be much better as they allow local parts manufacture and local maintenance.

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[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 29 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Canada could do the funniest thing rn by buying J-35s at half the price.

[–] BetaBlake@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It would be funny, but damn I would not want to buy military equipment from china

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 9 points 17 hours ago

USA: We want to annex Canada. We are not joking

Canadians: Ooh China is very scary.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (11 children)

China is Canada's second biggest trade partner, unless they're planning to follow America to war with China, what's the problem? Especially because it's for a military that was designed for the singular purpose of defending itself from an American invasion over the last 70 years.

[–] AnarchoDakosaurus@toast.ooo 7 points 20 hours ago

The Canadian public isint ready to swallow it yet but that's where it's going to end up at. China and Iran have been preparing for this scenario for the last 20+ years.

They have all the kit and more needed, and in the right quantity too. In time. People still don't really belive Trump would push the button. The closer he gets the more open to this reality people will become.

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[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 8 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

Yeah, those are definitely safe from tampering.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 6 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

The purpose of buying jets from someone other than America is to reduce America's influence over Canada, why would China sabotage that?

Edit: Why is this controversial? Do you think America tampers with the weapons we send to Taiwan?

[–] homesnatch@lemm.ee 9 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

The US can remotely disable an F-35.. China, I'd expect can do the same for a J-35.

[–] wizzor@sopuli.xyz 11 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I don't think the above poster doubts their ability, only that they might be less incentivized to do so compared to, say a country that has repeatedly voiced their wish to annex Canada.

[–] homesnatch@lemm.ee 6 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Nobody expects China to remotely disable J-35's on a whim... But they might do it as they prepare to invade Taiwan.

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[–] Tm12@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 day ago

Something we can train on and maintain within our borders please.

[–] Sixtyforce@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago

He's keeping up decorum but yeah these jets are done. You can't buy military equipment from an enemy and the jets would have to be serviced in the USA over their lifetime.

[–] nao@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 day ago

maybe don't rely on fighter jets than can possibly be disabled remotely by someone talking about invading you

[–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It always seemed strange that Canada would agree (how much arm twisting?) to buy a plane that won't work well in our Arctic. We are committed to buying 16 jets but it would probably be better to buy the rest elsewhere or put our money into homegrown solutions. Maybe drones or other machines.

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago

Excuse me sir, may I interest you in Gripen? Cold weather tested, fascist free, and oh so stylish. Book your test flight today!

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Maybe we should be looking at what we need for city close quarters defenses and guerilla fighting.

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[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago

Messing with the military industrial complex is not the smartest move for Trump. All that will do is turn the military against him.

[–] DogPeePoo@lemm.ee 16 points 1 day ago

Lockheed Martin β€” ”We specialize in destroying the lives of brown people, come fly with us”

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