Supporters of Canada’s F-35 purchase point to the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of contracts that Canadian companies have earned by supplying parts for the U.S. aircraft. That, in turn, has sustained or created Canadian aerospace jobs. But on Feb. 28, the National Post reported that Trump has told Lockheed Martin he wants those jobs back in the U.S. when the Canadian contracts come up for renewal.
During the 2015 election campaign, Justin Trudeau vowed his government would never purchase the F-35.
As prime minister, Trudeau continued to point out the Canadian military had no need for the F-35 and he blamed the Conservatives for agreeing to purchase a problem-plagued fighter jet. But, with the 2023 announcement, the Liberals not only committed to the acquisition, but also increased the number of jets to be bought to 88 from the 65 the Conservatives had wanted.
If our European friends want to start a made in Europe defense plan, ordering a boatload of next generation fighter jets from them seems helpful…
Europe doesn’t have a 5th gen fighter, and they’re beholden enough to the US that they did nothing when we blew up their natural gas pipeline, forcing them to buy our natural gas at exorbitant prices, during winter and are trying to fund our war even after we’ve stopped. America’s other vassals aren’t going to help you stop America.
China exports the J-35, Russia exports the Su-57. Making Lockheed stock crater when even Canada abandons them would light a fire under more congress member’s asses than anything else you can do.
Then again, it’s not like GD, LM, and Boeing would ever let their politicians fuck up the bag.
We’ve already seen that Boeing is willing and able to cause accidental falls from balconies.