The fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter is the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, with over 1,200 produced and in service with more than 20 countries worldwide.

However, European nations are reevaluating their F-35 purchases due to concerns about strategic autonomy and a desire to strengthen their own defense industries.

Other factors include concerns about US influence and reliability due to political friction, such as President Trump’s demands on defense spending for NATO countries and trade policies, which have led to fears of restricted access to critical software, upgrades, and parts.

https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/europe-and-canada-are-finally-saying-no-to-the-f-35-stealth-fighter/

 

Canada cannot afford to delay the purchase. Our CF-18 fleet is ancient, some of the planes are more than 40 years old. They were to be replaced in the early 2000s, but politics and so on have been in the way.  We need F-35s yesterday!

4 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Canada cannot afford to delay the purchase. Our CF-18 fleet is ancient, some of the planes are more than 40 years old. They were to be replaced in the early 2000s, but politics and so on have been in the way.  We need F-35s yesterday!

You may have a point. Might be a deterrent to Trump's trying to turn it into the 51st state.

From what I have read about the F 35, it is not that reliable, it is incredibly expensive to maintain and  incredibly expensive to maintain per flying hour.

 

There are rumours that the USA has built in some override functions to prevent free and full activity, though whether that is true or not, I have no idea.

 

It is a good idea for countries to build up their own defence industries, even at the expense of the USA which can no longer, IMHO, be considered as a reliable ally under Trump.

2 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

You may have a point. Might be a deterrent to Trump's trying to turn it into the 51st state.

Nobody believes the nonsense about 51st state. That was just Trump trolling, and sadly many people in Canada took the bait.  He is better off leaving Canada as is. Plus, it would be an economic drag on the US to let us in.The US would get vast resources, but also vast whining and socialism. 

2 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Nobody believes the nonsense about 51st state. That was just Trump trolling, and sadly many people in Canada took the bait.  He is better off leaving Canada as is. Plus, it would be an economic drag on the US to let us in.The US would get vast resources, but also vast whining and socialism. 

Another person who claims to be a mind reader for Donald Trump. But if it was trolling, wasn't it moronic for him to do engage in it? 

And we need 'defence' from what, exactly? Militaries are wasted money. Use it to improve social services, provide free tertiary education also.

2 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

And we need 'defence' from what, exactly?

 

China and Russia?

2 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

And we need 'defence' from what, exactly? Militaries are wasted money. Use it to improve social services, provide free tertiary education also.

In Canada, we need it to protect the Arctic from encroachment by Russia and China. Also to patrol the oceans and prevent drug/human smuggling.  Plus fulfil our obligations to NATO, which sadly have been ignored for the past decade.

30 minutes ago, billd766 said:

There are rumours that the USA has built in some override functions to prevent free and full activity, though whether that is true or not, I have no idea.

 

I don't believe that to be the case. However, maintenance for many things has to be done in the US. So that's as good as an override button.

1 hour ago, Alan Zweibel said:

The fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter is the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha........

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I don't believe that to be the case. However, maintenance for many things has to be done in the US. So that's as good as an override button.

 

https://theaviationist.com/2025/03/10/f-35-kill-switch-myth/

 

The “kill switch” narrative posits that the U.S. can deactivate or limit the combat functions of F-35s sold to allied nations, effectively holding a veto over their military operations. This concern has echoed in X discussions, with users claiming, “Europeans are now worried if there is a kill switch in all the American weapons sold to Europe! (Answer: Yes ).”

However, the fact that the F-35 is a software-defined weapon system (roughly made of +8 million lines of code) of highly networked nature, reliant on systems like the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), its successor Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), and software updates, has raised legitimate questions about U.S. influence over allied operations.

By the way, as of now, Israel is the only country permitted to operate a fully independent system for its F-35I Adir.

 

So, while they can's disable the F-35 from taking off and flying, without the software updates, which they can stop at any time, you have a flying dud.

They'd be better of with Sukhois.  

45 minutes ago, connda said:

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha........

This is the kind of  comment that I would expect from an ignoramus.

2 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

The fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter is the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, with over 1,200 produced and in service with more than 20 countries worldwide.

However, European nations are reevaluating their F-35 purchases due to concerns about strategic autonomy and a desire to strengthen their own defense industries.

Other factors include concerns about US influence and reliability due to political friction, such as President Trump’s demands on defense spending for NATO countries and trade policies, which have led to fears of restricted access to critical software, upgrades, and parts.

https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/europe-and-canada-are-finally-saying-no-to-the-f-35-stealth-fighter/

 

Face it, it’s too costly for the eurozone.

2 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

The fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter is the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world

With a mission success rate of 51%, inability to start or fly in sub-zero temperature or rain, requiring air conditioned and heated hangar, and 2 hours turn around time among lots of other issues, I would say... NAH!!!

 

There are better solutions, like JAS39 that defeated F-35 in war games on several occasions.... there goes the perceived stealth.

2 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Canada cannot afford to delay the purchase. Our CF-18 fleet is ancient, some of the planes are more than 40 years old. They were to be replaced in the early 2000s, but politics and so on have been in the way.  We need F-35s yesterday!

No we do not.  Cancel and re-evaluate.  We should seriously consider alternatives just due to the price alone.

On 11/10/2025 at 12:06 PM, Hanaguma said:

In Canada, we need it to protect the Arctic from encroachment by Russia and China. Also to patrol the oceans and prevent drug/human smuggling.  Plus fulfil our obligations to NATO, which sadly have been ignored for the past decade.

We already have a Coast Guard and Navy icebreakers to patrol the Arctic from encroachment. Though it's difficult to see how the Arctic could be encroached upon: deep-sea mining, oil platforms? Basically, we're just there to assert our sovereignty over none-of-it (that's a joke, Son). "Patrol the oceans"--we're spending money on that, why?

"Drug smuggling", oh yeah, with 30 million population? "Human smuggling"--and where are these humans coming from or going to? These all sound like American problems, not ours.

 

Canada has not fulfilled its NATO obligations? What balderdash! You must be talking about the deadbeats down South.