Canada’s connections to the F-35

F-35A, the variant Canada is purchasing, flys from Eielson, Alaska, to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 2018. [Darin Russell/Lockheed Martin]

Despite more recent media speculation that Canada may abandon its $27.7 billion purchase of 88 of the fighter jets from U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin—seemingly sparked by mid-November discussions with Swedish government officials related to general military co-operation and the country’s Gripen aircraft built by Saab—details suggest the initial tranche of F-35s are still set to arrive as scheduled in 2028.

Training slots for Canadian pilots have been booked in 2026 at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and F-35-related upgrades are being made at 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alberta and 3 Wing Bagotville in Quebec.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had ordered a review of the purchase in March 2025 in response to trade tensions with the U.S. and a sense the country’s military procurement was too reliant on American defence industry. But the report, originally expected at the end of August, has still not been released.

Worth noting amid the media conjecture, is that while F-35s are primarily assembled in Fort Worth, Texas, more than 30 Canadian companies are currently producing parts for the aircraft, most notably Magellan Aerospace, which is manufacturing the tail assembly for the F-35A (the variant Canada is buying) at its Winnipeg factory. This chart details a selection* of key made-in-Canada components of what’s considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet—whether the country decides to buy/fly it or not.

*Due to operational security, a full list of Canadian companies contributing parts to the F-35 is not readily available. Other manufacturers may also produce parts indicated here or more not shown.