Friday, July 16, 2010

Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay announced a C$9 billion dollar plan to buy 65 F-35 fighters on Friday morning. It would be the largest military purchase in the history of Canada. “I’m convinced the F-35 is good for Canada, good for Canadians, good for the Forces and good for Canadian industry,” said MacKay during a press conference.

F-35 aircraft would replace the current fleet of CF-18s. The Liberal Party officially opposed the deal , saying that it required further review. The Party stated that they would place the deal on hold if elected.

Canada is one of several nations that assisted in the development of the F-35 and has invested over 168 million CAD into the program for over a decade. The new fighters would replace current aircraft from 2017 onward.