An F-35A Lightning II fighter jet practises for an air show appearance in Ottawa, in September, 2019.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canada is expected to buy close to $4-billion in air strike munitions from the United States government in a sale disclosed Thursday on the eve of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s next meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington.
These are the type of bombs that can be carried by fighter jets such as Canada’s aging CF-18s or the new U.S.-made F-35s to carry out precision-strikes.
Canada begins taking delivery of new F-35 fighters starting in 2026 but is reconsidering how big an order it wants in light of the increasingly unpredictable United States government under Donald Trump.
The Canadian government had no immediate comment on the deal but military experts such as Canadian Global Affairs Institute president David Perry said the Carney government’s signficant increase in military funding this year means the Air Force has more resources to conduct training. A portion of the sale is for practice bombs.
The U.S. State Department announced Thursday it has approved the sale of these weapons to Canada and notified Congress of the transaction under rules governing foreign military sales.
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The deal is a reminder of how reliant Canada is on the United States for military equipment even as Mr. Carney talks of reducing reliance on the U.S. Canada purchases about 75 per cent of its defence gear from its southern neighbour.
“The proposed sale will improve Canada’s credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region, ensure interoperability with U.S. forces, and strengthen Canada’s ability to contribute to shared continental defense,” the State Department said in a press release.
It said the suppliers of the weapons are The Boeing Company and RTX Corporation.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the military capability of a NATO Ally that is an important force for ensuring political stability and economic progress and is a contributor to military, peacekeeping, and humanitarian operations around the world,” the State Department said.
Mr. Carney will have a brief meeting Friday in Washington with Mr. Trump as the U.S. President talks of leaving the trilateral USMCA trade deal. The meeting will take place as the two leaders gather for the final FIFA World Cup draw.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.