Elon Musk, who has been picked by incoming US President Donald Trump to cut federal spending, has called for the F-35 program to be cancelled. How will that affect Canada’s F-35 purchase? (USAF photo)
By Tim Ryan
The F-35 program continues to be in the news. Elon Musk, who has been picked by incoming US President Donald Trump to cut federal spending, has called for the F-35 program to be cancelled.
“Some US weapons systems are good, albeit overpriced but please, in the name of all that is holy, let us stop the worst military value for money in history that is the F-35 program!”, he wrote on Nov. 26 on X, the social media platform.
If Musk gets his way it is unclear how a program cancellation will affect Canada’s F-35 order but obviously it will have significant impact.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government announced that L3Harris MAS from Mirabel, Quebec is its strategic partner in a potential F-35 airframe depot. The company will work with the federal government and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) in the U.S. to investigate requirements for the establishment of a depot. The agreement will provide a means to progress timely discussions, including on the scope and costs associated with setting up and operating such a facility, and on how to best position Canada to demonstrate best value, to secure future opportunities in the F-35 enterprise, according to the federal government.
L3Harris MAS is the only supplier in Canada that has been conducting the full range of maintenance, repair and overhaul services for Canada’s CF-188 Hornet fighter jet airframes.
Federal officials say the company has proven experience with Canada’s current CF-188 fleet and is an industrial leader in one of the world’s largest aerospace clusters with a significant Canadian footprint. “Based on these facts, Canada is confident that L3Harris MAS has the capability, capacity and extensive industrial network of suppliers, partners and recruiting sources required to enable the company to successfully manage airframe heavy maintenance depot work for the CF-35A enterprise,” the government noted in a news release.
The Canadian Commercial Corporation or CCC announced that it had arranged a deal with the Pentagon for StandardAero. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is worth over $80 million from the United States Department of Defense for engine repair services by StandardAero. Under CCC’s contract, StandardAero will repair 501-K34 Turbine Engines used by the U.S. Navy surface fleet. The 501-K34 is used in a variety of ships for power generation and mechanical drive applications.
StandardAero has performed over $160 million in MRO services for the United States Air Force, Navy, and Army. Additionally, they have engaged in contracts to maintain, repair, and overhaul Rolls-Royce T56 Series III engines that power the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps' fleets of C-130s, C-2, P-3, and EP-3 aircraft. StandardAero also supports the CFM56-7B engines used in the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft fleet.
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