Close Menu
    Kanada

    John Ivison: Quellen zufolge erwägt Ottawa für die Hälfte der Flotte schwedische Jets statt F-35


    John Ivison: Quellen zufolge erwägt Ottawa für die Hälfte der Flotte schwedische Jets statt F-35

    https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-ivison-sources-say-ottawa-considering-swedish-jets-over-f-35s-for-half-of-fleet

    View 39 Comments

    39 Kommentare

    1. NZafe on

      That seems like a natural response when your old military supplier has threatened annexation.

    3. Fickle_Razzmatazz664 on

      This was always the balance I’d hope we would strike. We can’t go without the F-35 entirely but neither can we be almost solely dependent on it. This sends a message without totally burning the bridge.

      My remaining concern is what this means for hangars and infrastructure though – do we need two parallel sets, one for each jet? That sounds expensive.

    4. the_crumb_dumpster on

      Seems to be a balanced approach and a compromise.

      I’m sure the Reddit defense analysts and Saab/Lockheed marketing team will be here promptly to argue otherwise.

    5. gwelfguy on

      This is the way. Canada can neither afford to rely on the F35 exclusively nor walk away from the contract. Use the Gripens for the routine heavy lifting, and the F-35s for serious threats.

    6. Trolkarlen on

      You want to be far less dependent on the US going forward. After 16 years of Bush and Trump, the US just can’t be trusted.

    7. MMEMMR on

      Half of the original F-35 order to meet NORAD Requirements/placate the Americans; but even more Gripens to increase our airforce size beyond 88 fighters overall to boost military spending to help attain that magical 5% of GDP spend on military/defence. 

    8. nutano on

      I think in any case having more than a single source – especially that comes from a nation that has shown their leadership can be flaky and unstable and has openly suggested they would take us over – is not a bad idea.

      While it does bring more over head no doubt, having 2 different supply chains for parts and support is a good idea, especially when it comes to something as important as national defense.

    9. Perfect-Cherry-4118 on

      It is also a setup for local production of Grippen for export jointly with SAAB.

    10. EmergencyWorld6057 on

      As someone in the RCAF, it’s still F-35s btw.

      There has been zero information said about any Gripen as if there were any changes, it would be passed onto the CO of the squadrons so we can prepare to send techs and pilots elsewhere.

      Also the idea of running a dual fleet of fighters is already having techs change to another platform, nobody here wants a 4th gen aircraft, techs and pilots want to fly and work on the latest and greatest.

      The idea of buying an aircraft due to politics and not based on performance is pissing off alot of military members.

    11. DigiDAD on

      Didn’t Saab want Canada to commit to 72 planes in order to enable the number of Canadian jobs they forecast?

    14. Grand-Selection4456 on

      Buying small numbers of a wide variety of equipment is just silly. Why would we want to have 30 American planes and 30 Swedish planes, it is a logistical nightmare. We need to buy MORE equipment, make sure it is standardized to the highest degree possible, and accept that we need to have a real military.

      So why don’t we buy the original 88 F-35s and also purchase 150-200 Grippens and have a proper airforce that can ensure arctic sovereignty and fulfill all of our NATO goals?

      Why stop there, while we are at it how about we build 2 nuclear powered aircraft carriers (one for each coast) and equip and train our air force to fly off them.

    15. OneMoreTime998 on

      Yes, please. I’d rather our tax dollars do to the Swedes than the Americans.

    16. toterra on

      I really wish the idiots at Boeing hadn’t screwed the relationship resulting in the cancellation of the super hornets. IMHO they were arguably the best solution for Canada. Two engines makes sense in the arctic. Being a Navy aircraft also meant a bit more resiliency from weather conditions. Throw in a couple of Growlers and the lack of stealthiness becomes less of an issue (see what happened in Venezuela with non stealthy helecoptors penetrating their airspace)

    17. GHR-5H_Grasshopper on

      If the government wants to cut the F-35 order as payback to political interference then the answer should be to invest in a 6th gen program, likely the GCAP, instead of wasting money on something that won’t be very useful and will cost a lot over 40 years. Cutting a squadron of F-35s and getting 64-72 planes and preparing for 3 additional squadrons in 15-20 years would be a long term plan that would benefit the RCAF instead of sticking them with 3-4 squadrons of outdated aircraft that they can only use when they’re not at any risk.

      Nothing in this article is new, though, and there’s been no discussion that I’ve heard of any squadron expansions so the 40-80 mix is probably speculation.

    18. flashtastic on

      For a split second my brain always sees “Jonovision” when this guy is in the headlines 😂

    19. Correct-Shine-1692 on

      Before all the “aerospace experts” come along and explain how the f-35 is the best jet. America has used military contracts as leverage against us for ages. Lockheed Martin prices and timelines for parts from constantly increase creating perpetual delays on our current equipment. Converting our entire fleet to American jets is a security risk and they will use it as leverage against us down the road.

    24. prob_wont_reply_2u on

      Let’s just prove that Bruce Fanjoys out of context billboard of PP saying we’re stupid.

      Nobody is buying the Swedish plane, except for Brazil. There will be no parts available in 50 years when we are still flying these things, but there will be thousands of F35s to get parts from.

      Edit: The US also has the power to veto any Gripen sales.

    25. Perfect-Cherry-4118 on

      Sell the F-35 for spares to other operators over time. Expand Grippen fleet.

    26. Gecks777 on

      I’d be happier with a lot more Grippens, but this would work. Gripens for rapid response to foreign incursions at home and force projection in the Canadian Arctic, and F-35s for foreign engagement alongside allies against tech-capable adversaries like Russia. Keeps the Americans (relatively) happy in the short term and hedges against the possibility of a friendly US government at some point in the future, while also giving us a reasonable fleet of jets that can fly and fight for Canada even if the US government is actively hostile to our objectives. Gaining the industrial benefits the Swedes are offering is no small thing either.

    28. GetBackReality on

      I like the idea of buying equipment from a country we can trust and respect!

    30. RefrigeratorOk648 on

      Nothing wrong in this – yes there will be increased costs but Denmark are regretting buying and only having F35s

      >
      Denmark’s military officials are now expressing deep regret over their decision to purchase the American Weapons which include F-35 Lightning II, one of the most advanced stealth fighter jets in the world.

      >Concerns Over the F-35 Choice

      >One of the primary fears is that Denmark’s reliance on American weapons places its national security in the hands of a foreign power. Since the F-35 is produced and maintained by the U.S., Denmark is dependent on American support for spare parts, software updates, and servicing.

      >If relations between the two countries were to sour, Denmark could face difficulties keeping its fleet operational. Without the ability to maintain or repair the jets independently, Denmark’s air force could be weakened overnight.

      [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/denmark-s-defense-chief-slams-f-35-deal-we-should-avoid-american-weapons/ar-AA1BBDkA](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/denmark-s-defense-chief-slams-f-35-deal-we-should-avoid-american-weapons/ar-AA1BBDkA)

    31. casillero on

      Anything but American please. It’s unfortunate. We love our Volvos and everyone i know loved their Saabs when they were around!

    32. Zulakki on

      With all the talk of new weapons like missile defense Lasers, drones and LARM and such ramping up these days, are Jets really the answer they once were? after purchase, maintenance and training, all that to just get blown up in under a second by some random mishap. Maybe i’ve watched top gun: maverick too much but jets seem like their days are numbered with tech coming out

    33. Black-Zero on

      with the US the way it is there is no way to know if the f35s are not programmed with sleeper malware.

      Trump is the type to have a kill switch on them so the US can just brick them whenever they want.

    34. AtomicVGZ on

      That math isn’t mathing guys. Saab set out a requirement for Canada to buy **72** Gripen E/F in order to qualify for a assembly plant domestically. A 44/44 split just doesn’t work.

      It wouldn’t surprise me if this „source“ was Joly. Her riding would reap the most benefits.

    35. hyperforms9988 on

      For folks who know better about this sort of thing… I know it’s not ideal to operate 2 completely different fighters at the same time, but because of where we are geographically, is there some sense in running 2 different fighters for 2 different climates? Like if one of the fighters were to be primarily for arctic operations and they’re spec’d out for that purpose while the other is for everything else. It’s not like you couldn’t use the arctic fighters for non-arctic missions, but the arctic’s a bit of a different use-case versus the rest of the planet. There’s not much up there. The infrastructure you need to have for an F-35 isn’t the same as it is for a Gripen. The runway needs, technicians, etc.

    38. SunflaresAteMyLunch on

      Most of my life was spent within earshot of the factory where they build Gripen. Whenever I hear a fighter jet fly overhead, I get all nostalgic…

    39. redux44 on

      Whatever quality advantage F-35 has is dwarfed by the giant shit show happening in the US. Any opportunity there is to reduce trade with US must be taken.

    Leave A Reply