Canada Announces Procurement of the F-35 Lightning II

The Government of Canada has announced its intention to procure the 5th generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft in the scope of the Future Fighter Capability Project, Lockheed Martin writes in a press release. The Royal Canadian Air Force is to receive 88 F-35A multirole stealth fighters, a sustainment solution tailored to Canada’s sovereign requirements and a comprehensive training program.

The F-35 is expected to strengthen Canada’s operational capability with its allies and interoperability with NORAD and NATO.

To date, the F-35 operates from 27 bases worldwide, with nine nations operating F-35s on their home soil. There are more than 890 F-35s in service today, with more than 1,870 pilots and 13,500 maintainers trained on the aircraft.

JH