Canada Expands Fighter Fleet to 140 Jets With F-35s and Gripens, June 09

Canada is evaluating a major expansion of its fighter fleet from the original 88-aircraft plan to approximately 140 jets. The proposal pairs 72 to 88 American F-35A stealth fighters with up to 72 Swedish Saab Gripen E aircraft assembled in Canada. The Carney administration initiated this review in March 2025 to reduce dependence on U.S. military supply chains and boost domestic aerospace manufacturing.

The Mixed Fleet Strategy

The proposed 140-aircraft framework creates a three-tier fighter structure. F-35As would handle low-observable stealth missions, Gripen Es would conduct routine air defense, and Saab GlobalEye aircraft would provide airborne early warning. This layout represents a return to Cold War-era operational capacity to address NORAD commitments, Arctic surveillance, and NATO territorial sovereignty requirements.

Canada currently holds firm orders for 16 F-35s and has begun paying for 14 additional aircraft. The remaining 72 F-35s remain under review. Saab’s Gripen proposal could create up to 9,000 jobs and become Canada’s largest defense industrial program.

Saab’s Sovereignty-Focused Offer

Saab revised its Gripen proposal to address Canadian concerns over operational independence. The package includes 72 Gripen E/F aircraft, six GlobalEye surveillance platforms, domestic manufacturing in Canada, full technology transfer, access to mission system source codes, sovereign control over operational data, and independent maintenance capability.

These terms directly counter criticisms of the F-35 program, where Canada worries that software updates, spare parts, and upgrades remain dependent on U.S. approval. Saab’s offer explicitly targets this vulnerability.

Strategic Shift Away From Washington

Canada’s defense policy has undergone its most sweeping reorientation in a generation since Mark Carney became Prime Minister in March 2025. Ottawa has signed defense deals on four continents, with deliberate diversification away from Washington. The February 2026 Defence-Industrial Strategy centers on strategic autonomy and tighter integration with European supply chains.

Canada plans to lift defense spending to 2% of GDP in 2025-26 and reach 5% by 2035, backed by a C$180 billion acquisition envelope over ten years. On June 3, Canada and Poland signed a Letter of Intent covering joint defense-industrial cooperation, ammunition production, and emerging technologies, explicitly invoking the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative to fund joint projects.

Political Uncertainty Remains

The F-35 review follows diplomatic and trade tensions with the Trump administration. Sources indicate that Prime Minister Carney holds final authority over the fighter decision, and the outcome could become part of negotiations to renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

Some Canadian military officials have expressed reservations about the Gripen plan. However, Ottawa remains focused on using defense spending to support Canada’s industrial sector and reduce vulnerability to U.S. policy shifts.

Final Thoughts

Canada’s proposed 140-jet fleet signals a fundamental reorientation of defense procurement toward European partnerships and domestic manufacturing. The decision rests with Prime Minister Carney and will reshape both Canada’s air force structure and its geopolitical alignment.

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