Spare parts for Canada's F-35 fleet will be controlled by the U.S.
Article content
The little-known arrangement illustrates the extent of the control the U.S. retains over F-35s even when they are purchased by other nations.
Article content
Lawmakers in Denmark faced the spare parts issue in March when the U.S. government took components stored in that country for Danish F-35s and shipped them to Israel, reported Berlingske, a Danish national newspaper. The Danish government acknowledged it had no way to block the U.S. decision, which violated the country's foreign policy for the region.
Article content
At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump was talking about seizing Greenland from Denmark, sparking concern about the vulnerability of the F-35.
Article content
Article content
But a U.S. Government Accountability Office report in 2023 revealed the rules governing the F-35 parts. The report noted that the parts are the property of the U.S. government until they are installed on another nation's aircraft.
Article content
Department of National Defence spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin noted in an email that F-35 spare parts are centrally managed by the U.S. 'for the benefit of all customers.'
Article content
Canada will own the parts but only once they are installed on Canadian F-35s, she confirmed.
Article content
'When pooled sustainment spares are incorporated into an F-35 air vehicle or other end item, title to the spare transfers to the participant who has title to the air vehicle or end item,' she added in an email.
Article content
Spare parts will be stored principally at bases in Cold Lake, Alta., and Bagotville, Que., in dedicated warehouses, Poulin said.
Article content
DND and the Canadian Forces did not answer whether it has examined if the spare parts issue compromises Canadian national security or operational effectiveness.
Article content
Prime Minister Mark Carney has ordered a review of Canada's $19-billion F-35 purchase in the wake of threats against Canadian sovereignty by Trump. The U.S. has become increasingly hostile to Canada, with the American president threatening to damage the economy and make this country into the 51st state.
Article content
Article content
At this point, Canada has only financially committed to purchasing the first 16 jets. The entire order was for 88 F-35s, which are manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Article content
The Canadian Forces and DND are examining whether the remaining 72 F-35s should be bought but it is expected they will recommend to Carney that the acquisition proceed as planned.
Article content
Carney's government hopes to bring in a policy which emphasizes defence purchases from Canadian firms as well as European countries. European defence firms say they could offer Canada fighter jets to replace the F-35. At least one has proposed previously to build the planes in Canada.
Article content
A number of Canadian defence industry executives have complained that Canadian military leaders appear tone deaf to the threat that Trump poses to the country. They have called for the Canadian Forces to acquire more equipment from Canadian sources.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
7 minutes ago
- Global News
Retaliate against Trump's tariffs? Why Ford wants Carney to ‘hit back'
Now is not the time to 'roll over,' Ontario Premier Doug Ford is telling Prime Minister Mark Carney as Canada prepares to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's latest trade war escalation. And he's not the only one, even as others are split on whether to retaliate. 'Canada shouldn't settle for anything less than the right deal. Now is not the time to roll over. We need to stand our ground,' Ford said in a statement released on social media on Thursday, just hours after Trump increased the tariffs on Canadian goods from 25 per cent to 35 per cent. Ford called for further retaliation. 'The federal government needs to hit back with a 50 per cent tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'Canada has what the United States needs: oil and gas, critical minerals, steel and aluminum, electricity, potash and uranium. We're America's number one customer and keep millions of Americans working,' the Ontario premier said, urging Carney to 'maximize our leverage and stand strong.' Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston indicated that his province is considering retaliatory measures of its own. 'Our government will continue its part to support our province and the rest of Canada. Make no mistake: at the provincial level, we will not hesitate to implement retaliatory measures again if they are needed,' Houston said in a statement. Canada's largest private sector union echoed Ford's call for action. 'I agree with Premier Ford that we have to be prepared to use any and all leverage to win as much as we can in these circumstances. And I believe Canada has more strength and more leverage than any other nation in dealing with the United States,' Lana Payne, president of Unifor, told Global News. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The president will continue to demand more and more and so we have to draw a line in the sand and push back hard but also make sure that we're protecting these workers and these industries.' Payne said retaliation could come in many forms. 'It can be more retaliation in terms of tariffs on the U.S. It could mean export controls. It can mean that we stockpile critical minerals. It could mean any number of things. We just have to understand that we have a lot of leverage,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'We have to be willing to use it. We have put it all on the table and be strategic about what it is that we do here.' 5:48 Canadian Chamber of Commerce on Trump tariff increase 'Play the long game' Business groups, however, are urging caution. Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said that while he acknowledges there may be strong public support for further retaliatory tariffs, it could further raise trade uncertainty. Story continues below advertisement 'At this stage, though, it is difficult to say whether retaliation from Canada would cause this to escalate and worsen or potentially get better. I urge the government to use caution,' Kelly said. 'We saw that movie with China and the U.S., where tariffs went up over a hundred per cent, and that's certainly not a good thing for the Canadian economy. I think we have to be smart about this, be patient, and play the long game.' Business groups say any retaliatory measures should be applied very selectively and temporarily. 'Any retaliatory tariffs should be surgical, targeted and temporary so that they do as little harm to Canadian businesses as possible — and only enacted in unison with the larger pursuit of diversifying trade and getting big projects built,' said Matthew Holmes, executive vice-president at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Some experts say it is unlikely that Carney will hit back against Trump's latest escalation. 'Trump cited retaliatory tariffs as a justification for upping the ante, so it's doubtful that Canada will respond by raising the rates it has been applying to U.S. imports,' said Clay Jarvis, financial expert at NerdWallet Canada. 'If that's the case, Canadian consumers shouldn't see prices on American goods spike. But it's not as if the status quo has been all that affordable. Canadians have been paying more for food, cars, clothes and appliances for months.' Story continues below advertisement A Royal Bank of Canada report on Friday said that while the increased 35 per cent tariffs would be 'impactful,' they were not the worst-case scenario for Canada. 'Tariffs on Canadian goods announced by the U.S. on July 31 do not significantly alter Canada's economic outlook,' the report by RBC economists Nathan Janzen and Claire Fan said. This is because the increased tariffs maintain the exemption for goods traded in compliance with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA). Kelly urged Carney not to 'rush into a deal' since the exemption on CUSMA-compliant goods from tariffs gives Canada a bit of a cushion. 'A bad deal is a lot worse than no deal at all,' he said.
Toronto Star
7 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Premiers Smith, Moe disappointed by Trump's tariffs but most exports remain duty-free
REGINA - The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan say they're disappointed by higher tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump but pleased the majority of their exports won't face duties. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement remains in place, allowing 95 per cent of his province's exports to move into the United States tariff-free.
Edmonton Journal
7 minutes ago
- Edmonton Journal
Enbridge sees strong demand in U.S., hurdles in Canada
Article content Calgary pipeline giants Enbridge Inc. and TC Energy Corp. say they're seeing stronger customer demand in the United States, even as Canadian politicians push for nation-building infrastructure north of the border. Article content François Poirier, the chief executive of TC Energy, said its returns in the U.S. 'are meaningfully higher than in Canada,' which means it will focus on the much larger market, despite hopes for a pipeline project on its home turf. Article content Article content 'Canada gas has to compete for capital with the other business units in the company,' Poirier said this week during a conference call on quarterly earnings. Article content Article content For its part, Enbridge says federal energy policies are still standing in the way of a possible major new pipeline in Canada, while its customers are looking for relatively smaller and faster projects in the United States. Article content The pipeline operator, which was behind the ill-fated Northern Gateway project that would have taken Alberta oil to British Columbia's northern coast, said Friday policies such as a tanker ban are holding back investment. Article content 'The issue is one of government policy' Article content 'We have been a proponent of such a project in the past and, in fact, invested several $100 million dollars to get there,' Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel told analysts in a conference call. Article content Article content 'So the issue is not one of there being a proponent. The issue is one of government policy setting the conditions for that to get investment to occur. Let's be honest, the government has not done that yet, and it's not clear they intend to, at least from our perspective.' Article content Article content The Carney government's recent Bill C-5 gives Ottawa the ability to fast-track infrastructure projects it deems vital for the national economy, but has yet to announce a list of projects. Article content The controversial bill grants the government the authority to override existing laws, theoretically including the ban on oil tankers on the northwest coast of B.C., which would allow for export to Pacific markets.
