this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 65 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

And the Gripen will be built here in Canada!!!!

[–] assaultpotato@sh.itjust.works 27 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

To be fair, we've manufactured a lot of parts for other country's F35s so far. That's quite standard for defense contracts. Still, if Saab commits to bringing more guaranteed manufacturing jobs than the F35 program, it could be worth it. If this gives us a leg up in F35 manufacturing bids, that could also be worth it. Feels like a strong play regardless of outcome.

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 40 points 15 hours ago

I fucking hope so

[–] Toto@lemmy.world 35 points 15 hours ago
[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 28 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Now that the US is sending them to Saudi, how secure will they be from investigation by foreign adversaries?

Plus, the entire supply chain system of relying on the US for software and hardware updates, having to physically send the planes to the US for maintenance, all while the US continues to talk about annexing us is completely fucking bonkers.

Even without the annexation threats the setup would be stupid.

I know it’s a fancy and advanced plane, but knowing how the US military industrial complex works I’m pretty sure you’re paying a high multiplier for no reason too.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Super advanced, so advanced that Iran shot what 3 down?

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 14 points 11 hours ago (4 children)

There have been no confirmed downings of F-35's.

While it's fully possible that the US is lying about that, it's equally possible that the claims from Iran are also lies, because half of military action is information and misinformation. I wouldn't lean on foreign propaganda any more than I would domestic propaganda.

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[–] mysticpickle@lemmy.ca 24 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The Gripen is certainly not as advanced as F-35 but its operating costs per flight hour are only 1/5th of the F-35 which is definitely a big consideration when you don't have a US-sized defense budget.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 hours ago

What role does the jet have to fulfill? Fight off enemy planes in an invasion? If it's the US that invades you wouldn't want US tech, but it doesn't really matter, the US would win. Russia invading? At this point they're down to kites and helium balloons, right?

If it's to fulfill a role within NATO, a Gripen is probably just as good as an F-35, because any enemy of NATO's will almost certainly be many generations behind. China wouldn't be, but neither Canada directly nor NATO is likely to get into a direct fighting war with China. Only maybe if Canada wanted to help defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression could that possibly happen. But, because Taiwan's a small island, Canada's Navy would probably be the main force involved.

In a few decades, things might already have changed. Missiles and drones might have made fighter jets essentially obsolete. So, it doesn't make too much sense to buy something that's massively expensive just because it's the most up-to-date thing right now.

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 14 hours ago

Canada should never trust any US military contractor ever again

[–] ragepaw@lemmy.ca 17 points 15 hours ago

Thing the article conveniently leaves out, at least one of the "retired air force officers" works at (or did, seems to be some obfuscation) Lockheed Martin.

Of course they are against switching, they will lose their cushy lobbyist jobs.

[–] Kyle_The_G@lemmy.world 17 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I've been commenting on a bunch of threads the best way to deal with a bully is to tell them to fuck off and go play with everyone else in the playground. Glad we're taking the first few steps in the right direction.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

the best way to deal with a bully is to tell them to fuck off

Works best when the bully isn't stupid rich and surrounded by psychopath security guards.

A big reason why oil-rich oligarchies buy American military hardware is to avoid getting the heavy end of the "regime change" stick bounced off their heads.

[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 14 points 15 hours ago
[–] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 14 points 14 hours ago
[–] psvrh@lemmy.ca 12 points 15 hours ago
[–] frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 4 hours ago

Try searching Google with "f-35 sales before:2024-11-01". Countries were lining up to buy them. Boeing had a years long manufacturing backlog.

No matter how you, personally, feel about the F-35 and the US military-industrial complex, Trump wants to both increase exports in general and tout US military strength. Most of NATO running with the F-35 would have been great for both of those. He could have succeeded at it by doing nothing. Complete failure of his own goals.

[–] RandomStickman@fedia.io 10 points 14 hours ago

Euro canards my beloved

[–] remon@ani.social 10 points 15 hours ago

I hope they do it! It's one of the few countries that can do it without hurting itself too much.

[–] mintiefresh@piefed.social 9 points 14 hours ago

Elbows up!!

[–] potatoguy@lemmy.eco.br 9 points 14 hours ago

The Gripen is quite interesting, who would have guessed that licensing fighter jets for manufacturing on other countries (Embraer is building them too, Colombia bought some, other countries seem to want it too) would be a good strategy?

I'll wait 50 years for a Gripen to be sold on Aliexpress for 150 thousand dollars, 250 thousand with replacement parts with a cool paint job.

[–] Sunshine@piefed.ca 8 points 12 hours ago

MAGA would hate Canada escaping their abuse.

[–] CaptainPedantic@lemmy.world 8 points 15 hours ago

Damn that's a sexy plane. Delta wing and canards? Hell yeah.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 8 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I have no idea about the technical aspects but, with Murica not being an ally anymore, the F35 basically needing permission from Lockheed Martin to take off, and the F35 tech in the hands of the Saudi's and soon China... the F35s are worthless

[–] decipher_jeanne@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 7 hours ago (3 children)

Okay so just to clarify what the software lockdown on F-35 means is that other country except the USA aren't allowed to create update to the software. Exception for Israel and maybe the UK (don't quote me) are allowed to modify the software themselves.

It doesn't mean a instant kill switch. But it does mean that if the USA decides to block someone from update it's much harder for a country to make their own update.

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[–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 6 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Wasn't a major problem with the F35 that they can't fly in the Canadian north? Shouldn't we have at least some of our fleet that can be used throughout Canadian territory in our defense?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 7 points 8 hours ago

I think they work fine as long as the hydraulic fluid is actually hydraulic fluid, and not water.

Don't leave your drums outside in the rain.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] lime@feddit.nu 6 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

hey now be fair

List of accidents and incidents involving the JAS 39 Gripen

although given the JAS has a 23-year head start, i gotta say the F-35 has made a fantastic grab for the lead.

[–] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 hours ago

Yes. We don’t want the fascist us F35’s keep them and stick em where the sun don’t shine.

[–] org2001@lemmy.radio 3 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (2 children)

You do realize that the Gripen Fighter Jet uses General Electric Engines ... USA still has control over Sweden's Gripen Fighter Jets ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen

[–] similideano@piefed.social 12 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

U~~S~~K

I sure do hope British politics doesn't take a turn for the batshit insane over the next few years.

[–] decipher_jeanne@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Well then they are fucked. Maybe France's Snecma is an option and the Japanese also have engines. Pretty much everything else is Licensed copy of American engine or Chinese/Russian which are obvious no.

I think turkey was looking into making their own jet engines. But Erdogan Turkey is about as good of an option as trump USA.

[–] djsp@feddit.org 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Maybe France's Snecma is an option

The company was called "Snecma" until 2016, when the board finally grew tired of repeating they do not manufacture smegma /s.

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[–] lime@feddit.nu 4 points 6 hours ago

they were originally made in sweden on license by volvo aerospace. now that's part of bae systems, but the entire thing is modular and if worse comes to worst, the drawings are probably still around.

[–] krooklochurm@lemmy.ca 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

If we MUST get the jets from the US perhaps they'd consider a trade of some fighter jets for deez nutz

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 hour ago

I hope we snub those unhinged fash. Fuck them.

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