Canada has been a key partner since the inception of the Joint Strike Fighter competition, with Canadian industry playing an integral role in the global F-35 supply chain and has gaining significant technical expertise over the past 15-plus year involvement in the F-35 production.
“We are extremely proud of our longstanding partnership with Canada, which has played a key role in the F-35’s development,” said Greg Ulmer, F-35 Program Executive Vice President. “The 5th Generation F-35 would transform the Royal Canadian Air Force fleet and deliver the capabilities necessary to safeguard Canadian skies. The F-35’s unique mix of stealth and sensor technology will enable the Royal Canadian Air Force to modernise their contribution to NORAD operations, ensure Arctic sovereignty and meet increasingly sophisticated global threats.”
The program will continue to bring manufacturing and production opportunities to Canada, with an estimated 150,000 jobs supported over the life of the program. The F-35 program connects Canadian industry to a global supply chain supporting a growing fleet that will deliver more than 3,200 aircraft and delivers sustainment well past 2060.
To date, the F-35 operates from 24 bases worldwide. More than 1,040 pilots and over 9,340 maintainers are trained. Nine nations operate the F-35 from their home soil and six services have employed F-35s in combat operations.
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