Pentagon briefing suggests Canada about to buy at least four F-35 jets

A​ leaked, classified, high-level Pentagon briefing – dated Oct. 27 – ​by the top U.S. Air Force general heading the F-35 program to the secretary of the Air Force reveals Ottawa wants four F-35s next year and confirms the Harper government must deliver a signed “letter of intent” by “mid-November” to secure the deal.​

Canadian military and ex-military sources familiar with pro-F-35 lobbying inside the Canadian military confirmed they were aware of the government’s back-channel efforts to secure four of the warplanes as soon as possible and use them to anchor a commitment to purchase scores more of the controversial fighter-bomber that is massively over budget and more than seven years behind schedule.

If Canada makes good on the signed letter of intent, four F-35s, currently being produced to specifications for the U.S. Air Force, will be delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2015. Canada will then “payback with LRIP 9 aircraft” which means Low-Rate Initial Production two years later, according to the Pentagon document.

Read more