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 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 Mr. Trump. Fighter pilots begin training on the aircraft in the United States.
The Department of National Defence said the air-to-surface weapons are for use in the CF-18s, F-35s as well as some for SkyGuardian drones and P8 Poseidon patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
“The Royal Canadian Air Force is planning to acquire Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Small Diameter Bombs from the U.S. Government through the Foreign Military Sales program,” spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin said in a statement.
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David Perry, President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said the Carney government’s significant 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 and some of the purchase is kits to convert unguided munitions into guided ones that use GPS or lasers to steer toward a target with high accuracy.
The information became public Thursday because the U.S. State Department publicly announced the sale of these weapons to Canada and notified Congress of the transaction under rules governing foreign military sales.
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.