National Defence to spend $6.3 billion on air-to-air missiles for F-35 warplanes

The Canadian government plans to spend more than $6 billion on missiles and bombs for its newly-ordered Lockheed Martin F-35 warplanes.

David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen reports: “The $6.3 billion will be for new advanced air-to-air missiles that would cover short, medium and long-ranges, according to National Defence. In addition, some of the money will be earmarked for new still-to-be-determined weapons projects for the stealth fighters. The budget also covers maintenance of the weapons stockpiles.”

Pugliese also notes: “The U.S. and Canada are now in negotiations for a separate delivery of weapons that will be included with the first F-35s. That will involve short and medium-range missiles as well as smart bombs to be used against ground targets.”

Air-to-air missiles and “smart bombs”

AMRAAMS missile

Although the Ottawa Citizen article does not specify, the air-to-air missiles likely include the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles or AMRAAMs.

The EurAsian Times has reported: “The F-35 can carry four AIM-120 AAMRAMs in its internal carriage, a new generation all-weather weapon manufactured by Raytheon. The AIM-120 is a beyond-visual-range, all-weather air-to-air missile with active radar and an inertial reference unit.”

The US Air Force adds: “Range: 20+ miles (17.38+ nautical miles); Speed: Supersonic; Warhead: Blast fragmentation; Unit Cost: $386,000.”

AIM 9X Sidewinder missile

Raytheon also says the F-35 can carry the AIM 9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile.

GBU-53/B StormBreaker bomb

The “smart bomb” noted in the Ottawa Citizen article likely refers to the GBU-53/B StormBreaker smart bomb produced by Raytheon Technologies.

Defense News explains: “The 204-pound StormBreaker is a relatively small weapon measuring 69 inches long and about 7 inches in diameter. The weapon has a 105-pound warhead. It can strike stationary targets up to 69 miles away and moving targets up to 45 miles away using a combination of millimeter wave active radar homing, semi-active laser guidance, infrared homing, GPS-coupled inertial guidance and data link technology.”

JASSM and LRASM missiles

And Lockheed Martin says: “The F-35 carries weapons internally in stealth configuration, or externally in permissive environments. All variants of the F-35 will carry JASSM or LRASM, providing increased reach, lethality and survivability against heavily-protected, strategic targets and increasing the ability to deter near-peer adversaries.”

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM): “a long-range, conventional, air-to-ground precision standoff missile”

Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM): “long-range anti-surface cruise missile”

Raytheon describes in more detail the types of bombs and missiles the F-35 can carry here.

Retired Air Force Colonel on the F-35

In this recent webinar organized by World Beyond War, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, and the No Fighter Jet Coalition, Paul Maillet highlighted:

“The F-35 is not a peacekeeping aircraft. It is an aircraft that is designed to drop bombs and kill people. If all we wanted to do was control our airspace, you know, somebody shows up in the airspace and be able to go out there and say hello, which is what we did in NORAD a lot and monitor that, the F-35 is not suitable for that. There are very inexpensive ways that we can do that, similar to the way Coast Guards patrol the oceans.”

Maillet has also previously told Defence Minister Anita Anand:

“I am sure you understand that this aircraft has only one purpose and that is to kill or destroy infrastructure. It is, or will be, a nuclear weapon capable, air-to-air and air- to-ground attack aircraft optimized to war fighting. This contributes solely to war.”

We continue to follow this with concern.

Further reading: How much will Canada spend on bombs, missiles and bullets for its new F-35 warplanes? (January 24, 2023)