Trump’s tariff mania shoots holes in economic case for buying F-35s: The Logic
Canada’s $19-billion plan to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin faces uncertainty as Trump’s tariffs threaten to undercut Canadian suppliers, raising concerns over the deal’s economic benefits, The Logic reported April 2.
“A lot of this is like the auto sector—it’s integrated, back-and-forth, complex manufacturing,” said David Perry, president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and a specialist in military procurement.
Canadian companies have secured $3.3 billion in F-35 contracts, but tariffs could make their parts too expensive. “We had economic opportunity that was consequential, but not assured legally,” Perry noted.
The government is reconsidering the deal, with Liberal Leader Mark Carney exploring “greater investment here in Canada, greater production here in Canada.”
The Swedish Gripen E offered local production, but Canada opted for the F-35.
With the Royal Canadian Air Force’s aging CF-18s needing urgent replacement, scrapping the deal is risky. “Bailing out would be a huge problem for Canada’s air force,” the article states.
Perry summed up the dilemma: “All the options here suck compared to getting in a time machine and going back to the 19th of January.”
