Canada has received its first two F-35A fighter aircraft, but uncertainty over its planned 88-aircraft purchase continues. With the CF-18 Hornet fleet approaching retirement in 2032, Ottawa faces pressure to finalise its replacement strategy while evaluating Saab’s Gripen E proposal and preparing for future sixth-generation combat aircraft.
Royal Canadian Air Force
US Air Force F-16 fighters returned to air defense alert duty at Eareckson Air Station on Alaska’s remote Shemya Island in October 2026. The deployment brought together American and Canadian fighter units under NORAD, strengthened coverage across the North Pacific and demonstrated the strategic value of the island’s runway and Cobra Dane radar installation.
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) first F-35A Lightning II has completed its maiden flight at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (FWH), Fort Worth, Texas.