Canada Moves Toward Mixed Gripen‑F‑35 Fighter Fleet

Canada is reconsidering its fighter‑jet procurement plan, shifting from an all‑F‑35 purchase to a hybrid fleet that would combine roughly 60 Saab Gripen E/F aircraft with about 30 Lockheed Martin F‑35A fighters. The proposal aims to lower dependence on U.S. defense supply chains, reduce overall costs, and boost domestic aerospace participation through technology transfers and industrial partnerships with Saab.

The mixed‑fleet concept also supports Canada’s broader defence‑industrial strategy, which includes a multibillion‑dollar deal for Saab GlobalEye airborne early‑warning aircraft and a target of increasing defence spending to about 5 % of GDP by 2035. Final decisions are expected after the November 2026 U.S. mid‑term elections, as Ottawa seeks to balance NATO and NORAD obligations with a more sovereign defence posture.