1 week Ago By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen
French aircraft manufacturer Dassault is eying Canada and Portugal as potential new customers for its Rafale fighter jet as both nations have second thoughts about the U.S.-built F-35 aircraft.
Company CEO Eric Trappier said in a recent interview with the French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that Dassault was increasing its production of planes, adding that it was “ready to provide its services” to any country wanting to avoid the F-35. It’s the latest salvo in the high-stakes game to outfit nations with fighter jets. Canada plans to spend $19 billion on the F-35 stealth fighter, which is built in the United States.
But now Canada and some other nations that have been considering the F-35 are having second thoughts because of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump has upended the international order, rewarding Russia and threatening allies, including Canada. The purchase of the F-35 carries significant risk in that the Americans control many aspects of the aircraft, defence analysts say. Allies who get on the wrong side of Trump could find themselves cut off from parts and upgrades, making their expensive fighter jets worthless.
At this point, Canada is only committed to buying 16 F-35s, and the prime minister has ordered a review of what other options might be available. Besides Rafale, Canada also has the options of acquiring the Swedish-built Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is manufactured by a group of European defence firms. Rafale, Eurofighter and Gripen were all contenders for Canada’s earlier fighter jet competition, but Rafale and Eurofighter dropped out when it became increasingly apparent the Royal Canadian Air Force wanted the F-35.
Gripen continued in the competition, coming second to the F-35. Saab, the firm that makes Gripen, had promised to build planes in Canada. It also pitched Canada on the ability of the Gripen to operate in the far north.
Per Alriksson of Saab Aeronautics told the Ottawa Citizen in 2019 that the Gripen was designed specifically for operations in the Arctic. Alriksson said the Gripen E could operate from remote airfields in the north, landing and taking off on runways less than 800 metres in length. It has a quick turnaround time for missions, with technicians able to reload and refuel the planes in 10 minutes.
“It is pretty good in operating in dispersed locations, as you have in Canada,” he added. The twin-engine Eurofighter is operated by three NATO countries as well as other nations. More-advanced versions are to be delivered to Spain and Germany over the next five to 10 years.
Rafale has operated with fighter jets from NATO nations and is in service with a number of countries. The twin-engine jet fighter is combat-proven in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. Critics point out that Gripen, Eurofighter and Rafale all have drawbacks that make them less than ideal candidates for the RCAF.
Older technology is top of the list, the critics point out. Retired Lt. Gen.
Yvan Blondin, former commander of the RCAF, concedes the F-35 is the best plane for Canada’s operational needs. That was why Blondin recommended the previous Conservative government purchase the jet built by Lockheed Martin. But Blondin points out that more is at play at this point.
The U.S. can no longer be trusted as an ally, he argues.
The Americans control critical aspects of the planes, putting any nation operating the F-35 at risk of the whims of an increasingly erratic U.S. government.
Building Canada’s future fighter jet force solely on the F-35 today, hoping for a change in U.S. attitudes, would be irresponsible, Blondin argued in a March 25 post on LinkedIn .
The retired fighter pilot says there is time before Canada has to commit to buying the remaining 72 F-35 aircraft from the Americans. “We may find, for example, that 36 F-35 and 150 other fighter aircraft such as Rafale or Gripen could be a better strategic, economic and military posture while investing heavily in 6th-gen developments,” he added. Those sixth-generation developments Blondin refers to are the new fighter jets being proposed to replace the F-35.
In late March, the U.S. announced that Boeing had been awarded a contract to develop what is being called the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter platform, also known as the F-47.
That aircraft could eventually be sold to U.S. allies.
But Trump also announced that any of the planes purchased by other nations would be equipped with lesser capabilities as the U.S. couldn’t trust its allies.
“It probably makes sense because, someday, maybe they’re not our allies,” Trump said. It remains to be seen if any other countries would want to take a chance on operating such a future American fighter jet considering the recent shift in the U.S.
towards its once allied nations. There would be other avenues for Canada. Britain, Italy and Japan have joined forces to develop what they are calling the Global Combat Air Program.
This sixth generation fighter would be designed to replace Japan’s F-2 fighter and the Eurofighter now flown by the United Kingdom and Italy. The plan would be to have the advanced aircraft flying by 2027 and in service by 2035. The new plane would be supplemented by drones and would also have an option of being pilotless.
Flight Global aviation magazine has reported that Australia has expressed interest in joining the program. On March 25, British Member of Parliament David Chadwick asked whether the United Kingdom had considered inviting Canada to contribute to the Global Combat Air Program. Maria Eagle, Britain’s Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry, responded that the program was open to Canada’s participation.
David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe.
