Canada Receives First Two F-35 Jets as Prime Minister Pauses Full Order
Canada has taken delivery of its first two F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, but Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused the planned purchase of 88 additional aircraft pending a review launched amid trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Canada has received its first two F-35 fighter jets from the United States. The Royal Canadian Air Force announced the arrival of the Lockheed Martin-built aircraft on social media on Friday, sharing a photograph taken in Phoenix that showed one of the planes bearing a maple-leaf roundel. 
Despite the delivery, Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused plans to proceed with the ordered purchase of 88 stealth fighter jets. Carney launched a review of the acquisition amid repeated trade and annexation threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. The review was originally scheduled to conclude a year ago but remains under deliberation.
The pause could result in Canada operating a mixed fleet that includes Gripen jets manufactured by Saab, rather than relying solely on the F-35. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra recently described the F-35 as “the best fighter in the world.”
Concerns about the aircraft have also been raised domestically. In a blog post published Saturday, former foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy warned that Washington controls the software used by the F-35 jets. 
The Royal Canadian Air Force could not immediately say when it will begin training pilots with the newly delivered planes.