Canada signals intent to buy 88 F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Canada has opened final negotiations to buy 88 F-35 Stealth fighter jets from Lockheed Martin in a deal worth about $15 billion.

The jets will replace Canada’s aging fleet of CF-18 aircraft.

There is still an outside chance that if negotiations with American giant Lockheed Martin bog down, Canada could turn to a competitor, Swedish firm Saab, and its Gripen fighter jet. But it is unlikely.

It is likely an agreement will be struck between Canada and Lockheed Martin, ending a dozen years for searching for the CF-18 replacement.

The aircraft will be delivered “as early as 2025.”

The F-35 purchase was all but a done deal under the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who did not negotiate with any aircraft manufacturer other than Lockheed Martin.

But when Justin Trudeau won the 2015 election, he cancelled the purchase, calling it too expensive and opening up competition to all fighter jet manufacturers.

Some questioned Trudeau’s decision, because the Liberal government was forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the aging CF-18s in the air.