Portugal cancels purchase of F-35 fighter jets, planned purchase coming under scrutiny in Germany and Canada
Poder Aereo reports: “Portugal’s Minister of National Defence, Nuno Melo, announced that the country will not acquire F-35 fighters from the United States, considering the current geopolitical context and the unpredictability of US policy.”
“The minister emphasized that … allied predictability is a crucial factor in deciding on the replacement of combat aircraft.”
The article also notes: “[Melo] mentioned that European production alternatives are being considered, also aiming at economic benefits for Portugal.”
In an interview with Publico, Melo also commented: “And this ally of ours, which for decades has always been predictable, may bring limitations in use, maintenance, components, everything that has to do with ensuring that aircraft will be operational and will be used in all kinds of scenarios.”
Under scrutiny in Germany
EU Today also reported this past weekend: “Germany’s planned acquisition of 35 American F-35 fighter jets has come under scrutiny following concerns that the United States, under President Donald Trump, could disable the aircraft remotely.”
For now though, as Euronews reports: “A spokesperson from the German ministry of defence, however, told Euronews Next that there is no plan to cancel the purchase of F-35 fighter jets in light of the concerns raised.”
Calls to reconsider in Canada
About a month ago, CBC reported: “The government’s facing calls to reconsider or cancel major Canadian contracts with the U.S. including a more than $19-billion deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets with U.S. defence company Lockheed-Martin.”
At that time, Global News noted: “One of the biggest joint Canada-U.S. projects, the $73.9 billion purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets, is not a contract that would be ripped up, according to [Bill Blair] the minister [of defence].”
That article added: “Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters … that the government was only looking at limiting non-defence federal contracts to Canadian firms as part of any retaliation.”
As new Liberal leader Mark Carney is sworn in as prime minister tomorrow (March 14), Duclos has reportedly been dropped from cabinet.
Carney has not commented specifically on the planned F-35 purchase yet, but in early-February, CBC reported that: “Carney said 80 per cent of defence purchases made by this country involve the U.S. and that has to change.”
Social media post by Andrew Coyne.
Interview with Lloyd Axworthy.
Quip by Parliament Hill journalist Glen E. McGregor.
If not cancelled, fewer fighter jets for Canada?
Boyko Nikolov has argued in this commentary that Canada will not cancel the F-35 purchase, but concedes: “Some critics might argue that Trump’s unpredictability makes relying on American tech a liability. What if he slaps export controls on F-35 parts or strong-arms Canada into concessions? It’s a fair question.”
He then notes: “But the reality is that the program’s too big and too multinational for even Trump to derail.”
That said, Brent M. Eastwood, the Senior Defense Editor at the National Security Journal, suggests: “It would be a surprise if Canada purchased the full batch of 88 airplanes. The political will is not there. Defense policy will change with a different prime minister after elections are held.”
Eastwood concludes: “The desire to buy the F-35 may fade, or disappear entirely. The deal is too expensive, and funds must be left to rejuvenate other service branches. Canada’s military bureaucracy does not lend itself well to large military purchases. Canada might end up buying only a handful of F-35s.”
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