Canada just quietly hopped on the HIMARS train.

[william]

With zero public announcement, Ottawa got added to a massive $1.1 billion U.S. contract with Lockheed Martin for M142 HIMARS rocket systems.17 launchers are being built by 2028, and Canada is one of the buyers (they originally wanted up to 26).

https://twitter.com/x/status/2050881804291465439

Canada’s F-35 Stealth Fighter Debate Is Trapped in Limbo​

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty told a Senate defense committee on April 27 that Ottawa has not set a timeline for deciding whether to proceed with its $19 billion CAD ($13.9 billion USD) plan to acquire 88 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. U.S. officials continue to warn that scaling back the purchase could complicate operations under North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Canada has already secured funding for the first 16 F-35s, with additional payments recently made to preserve production slots for future jets.

Ottawa also continues to face pressure from RCAF officials who have repeatedly stated that the fifth-generation F-35 is still Canada’s best option. Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna, a senior RCAF officer and operational commander within NORAD, heavily implied the F-35 was the right option during a December 2025 interview, saying that while it is a “sovereign decision” for Canada to make, he would say that NORAD needs an aircraft “that has overmatch over the adversaries.” The comment potentially rules out the Saab Gripen, a 4.5-generation fighter jet.

While Ottawa continues its review, several NATO allies have moved in the opposite direction, accelerating their own F-35A Lightning II procurements to address growing threats from Russia and China.

In recent months, countries including Germany and Finland have reaffirmed or expanded their F-35 commitments, citing the need for fifth-generation capabilities and seamless interoperability with U.S. forces.

In February, reports revealed how German officials were considering a follow-on order of up to 35 additional F-35s on top of their original purchase.

Finland, meanwhile, has already begun taking delivery of its F-35s, with its first aircraft rolled out in December 2025 and additional jets arriving in the United States for pilot training in early 2026 ahead of their transfer to Finnish bases later this year.

In early 2023, Ottawa signed an agreement to purchase 88 aircraft from Lockheed Martin, but the plan was disrupted in March last year when Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a full review of the deal.

Canada's F-35 Stealth Fighter Debate Is Trapped in Limbo

Canada's $19 billion CAD plan to buy 88 F-35 Lightning IIs is still under review—with no decision in sight. Sweden's Saab is making aggressive pitches with the Gripen, including domestic assembly and 12,500 Canadian jobs. The U.S. is warning the move could complicate NORAD operations.

www.19fortyfive.com