Canadian general who recommended F-35 deal now calls for purchase of other jets

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: Ottawacitizen.com

The air force general who recommended Canada buy the F-35 fighter jet now says the purchase should no longer go forward as planned because the U.S. has become so untrustworthy. Retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, who headed the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2012 to 2015, argues that the American-built F-35 was the best fighter jet for Canada to operate in a world where alliances were anchored by the United States.

But all that has changed with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. “Reliance on a US defence umbrella, a critical factor since the end of WW2 for so many countries, is no longer guaranteed,” Blondin wrote in a March 25 post on LinkedIn. “No affected country can afford to close its eyes and hope that 2026 or 2028 elections in the US will bring everything back to ‘normal’… and not happen again. The toothpaste cannot go back in the tube.” Trump has threatened to harm Canada’s economy and has talked about annexing this country. He has mulled about seizing Greenland and the Panama Canal and under his administration the U.S. has cozied up to Russia.

Blondin wrote that because of the U.S., Canada was now fighting for its very existence. The retired general, a former fighter pilot, recommended to Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper that Canada purchase the F-35 from Lockheed Martin. Harper’s government announced the acquisition but eventually that was put on hold because of the increasing cost and technical problems associated with the F-35.

The Liberal government announced in 2023 it was spending $19 billion to buy 88 F-35s. But Canada has only financially committed to purchasing the first 16 jets. Blondin said the problem with the F-35 was not the aircraft itself; it was the complete control the Americans had over all aspects of the plane. “The reality is that, without U.S. consent, no country can hope to operate the F-35 for long,” Blondin said. He said building Canada’s future fighter force solely on the F-35 would be “irresponsible.”

Read more: https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service/defence-watch/canadian-general-f-35-fighter-jet-deal

[Cheezoholic]

1. When I was younger, as US fighter jets became increasingly complex with built in computer systems

I had this (unrealistic) theory that since China made most computer chips that possibly they embedded a hidden "kill" switch within those chips used by USAF, or the military in general for that matter. If and when they decide to go toe to toe with us they'd "flip" that switch and suddenly all of our fighter jets would just fall out of the sky. Little did i know that crazy fantasy then could eventually become us with that ability over the advanced equipment we sold to our allies.

Too much pondering, it's time for fishing lol.