Aviation News – Canadian officials are weighing a shift toward a mixed fighter fleet that could pair fewer F-35As with Sweden’s Saab Gripen E, a move that would reshape the country’s future air combat capability. The proposal matters as Ottawa reassesses cost, flexibility and industrial participation in its fighter replacement program.
The review follows Canada’s 2022 decision to acquire 88 F-35s, a plan that officials now say may not be fully implemented. Defense Minister David McGuinty confirmed that no final decision has been made, as policymakers evaluate options that could see Saab account for roughly half of the program’s total value through a parallel Gripen E purchase.
A mixed fleet would combine the stealth and sensor fusion of the F-35 with the Gripen E’s lower operating costs and high availability. Supporters argue the approach could bolt greater flexibility onto Canada’s air force, allowing it to tailor aircraft use across domestic sovereignty missions, NATO operations and Arctic patrols.
