I've been preaching this perspective for months now. Buy enough F35s to meet our obligation re NORAD. Because it's a joint project with the U.S. it's in their best interest to keep the things flying. Buy the planes that our Nordic neighbors have, because we are a Northern nation with similar goals. The fact that they are willing to share the technology and let Canada build them says an awful lot about the difference in world view from the U.S. Most of us have had a different perspective on life than our southern neighbors, and that's becoming larger and more apparent. We need to plant the flag in our own country!
🇨🇦💙 Add in China imposing strict export controls and licensing requirements, blocking rare earths for foreign military use like in U.S. F-35s but allowing case by case approvals. 🤔 One F35 contains 418 Kg or rare earth, One Arleigh Burke DDG -51 destroyer contains 2600 Kg of rare earth, One Virginia Class submarine contains 4600 Kg of rare earth. Recently, the pentagon issued a tender for $500 million in alloy-grade cobalt. Not one country made a bid. The tender was retracted.
Exactamundo. In today’s world we have to get granular.
Right now I’m following gallium and tungsten specifically. They are metallic elements with contrasting properties with combined uses in advanced materials. Gallium melts near room temperature, while tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal.
This is where it gets interesting. They pair in coatings, like gallium on tungsten for oxidation resistance or tungsten-doped gallium oxide for stable thin films in electronics.
Canada has access to both tungsten and gallium resources, through deposits like the Mactung tungsten project in Yukon and gallium-bearing sites in Ontario and Quebec. Uses? Protective coatings, lubrication and electrodes for high temperature sensors.
Side Note: I first heard about tungsten in the Rita Hayworth movie Gilda. Her crooked husband was selling tungsten to Nazis. Canada’s Rio Tinto just started gallium extraction at its Vaudreuil refinery in Quebec.
The F-35 deal reminds me of the downside of owning a Tesla… Tesla only allows their dealers to work on it or provide parts and software updates. Imagine having a country that elected Trump (twice!) having that sort of control over Canadian fighter inventory.
It seems that there are those in the higher up positions of the Air Force who seriously want the F-35 and only the F-35. The Gripen more than satisfies our needs in many respects. Yes, meet our commitments for NORAD with the US but with as few F-35s as possible. By the way, the F-35 is already acquiring the moniker "The Hangar Queen", according to some. How true that really is, I'm not sure.
Ron... there’s definitely a split on this, no question.
Some in the Air Force are looking at capability at the high end…
and the F-35 is built for that kind of integrated, next-gen warfare.
But the other side of the argument is exactly what you’re pointing to... fit for purpose.
We’re not projecting power halfway around the world every day.
We’re defending a massive northern country, meeting NORAD commitments, and managing Arctic sovereignty.
That doesn’t always require the most expensive tool in the box.
On the “Hangar Queen” label...
there have been real concerns about maintenance time and readiness rates, but like you said, it’s not black and white. Every advanced platform comes with trade-offs.
Which brings us back to the bigger point...
👉 Capability vs cost
👉 Performance vs availability
👉 Power vs independence
That’s why the mixed fleet idea keeps gaining traction… it’s not perfect, but it spreads the risk.
I've been preaching this perspective for months now. Buy enough F35s to meet our obligation re NORAD. Because it's a joint project with the U.S. it's in their best interest to keep the things flying. Buy the planes that our Nordic neighbors have, because we are a Northern nation with similar goals. The fact that they are willing to share the technology and let Canada build them says an awful lot about the difference in world view from the U.S. Most of us have had a different perspective on life than our southern neighbors, and that's becoming larger and more apparent. We need to plant the flag in our own country!
Jim... you’ve been ahead of the curve on this.
The part people miss is exactly what you said… this isn’t just about performance, it’s about control and alignment.
NORAD? Sure... that’s a joint system, and we play our part.
But everything outside of that? We should not be outsourcing our entire capability.
The Nordic angle matters more than people think too.
Similar geography, similar operational reality… and a very different mindset when it comes to sharing technology vs controlling it.
That gap in worldview you mentioned?
It’s not subtle anymore.
Feels like Canada is finally starting to price that into its decisions.
I think Carney is moving away slowly to keep the orange man in check, while Canada becomes more independant.
🇨🇦💙 Add in China imposing strict export controls and licensing requirements, blocking rare earths for foreign military use like in U.S. F-35s but allowing case by case approvals. 🤔 One F35 contains 418 Kg or rare earth, One Arleigh Burke DDG -51 destroyer contains 2600 Kg of rare earth, One Virginia Class submarine contains 4600 Kg of rare earth. Recently, the pentagon issued a tender for $500 million in alloy-grade cobalt. Not one country made a bid. The tender was retracted.
Roxy... that’s a huge piece of the puzzle most people never see.
Everyone talks about jets and specs… but the real choke point is materials.
If your aircraft depends on rare earths and supply chains you don’t control, you’re not just buying a jet... you’re buying exposure.
Those numbers you dropped are wild too…
people don’t realize how resource-heavy modern defence systems actually are.
And that cobalt tender getting zero bids?
That’s the market quietly saying, “good luck.”
This is exactly why diversification... not just in aircraft, but in supply chains... is becoming a strategic necessity.
The conversation is shifting from what we buy… to what we can sustain when things get tight.
Exactamundo. In today’s world we have to get granular.
Right now I’m following gallium and tungsten specifically. They are metallic elements with contrasting properties with combined uses in advanced materials. Gallium melts near room temperature, while tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal.
This is where it gets interesting. They pair in coatings, like gallium on tungsten for oxidation resistance or tungsten-doped gallium oxide for stable thin films in electronics.
Canada has access to both tungsten and gallium resources, through deposits like the Mactung tungsten project in Yukon and gallium-bearing sites in Ontario and Quebec. Uses? Protective coatings, lubrication and electrodes for high temperature sensors.
Side Note: I first heard about tungsten in the Rita Hayworth movie Gilda. Her crooked husband was selling tungsten to Nazis. Canada’s Rio Tinto just started gallium extraction at its Vaudreuil refinery in Quebec.
The F-35 deal reminds me of the downside of owning a Tesla… Tesla only allows their dealers to work on it or provide parts and software updates. Imagine having a country that elected Trump (twice!) having that sort of control over Canadian fighter inventory.
Pikabill... that Tesla comparison actually nails it.
It’s not about whether the product is good… it’s about who controls the ecosystem around it.
When maintenance, parts, and software all run through one country, you’re not just buying equipment... you’re buying into their system.
And systems come with leverage.
That’s the part Canada is starting to wake up to.
Performance matters…
But control matters more when things get tense.
Good point indeed! You are thinking like Carney is acting :)
Wow!!! This is awesome news!!! Thank you for the post again Fred :)
Owning is important. Be your own master.
It seems that there are those in the higher up positions of the Air Force who seriously want the F-35 and only the F-35. The Gripen more than satisfies our needs in many respects. Yes, meet our commitments for NORAD with the US but with as few F-35s as possible. By the way, the F-35 is already acquiring the moniker "The Hangar Queen", according to some. How true that really is, I'm not sure.
Ron... there’s definitely a split on this, no question.
Some in the Air Force are looking at capability at the high end…
and the F-35 is built for that kind of integrated, next-gen warfare.
But the other side of the argument is exactly what you’re pointing to... fit for purpose.
We’re not projecting power halfway around the world every day.
We’re defending a massive northern country, meeting NORAD commitments, and managing Arctic sovereignty.
That doesn’t always require the most expensive tool in the box.
On the “Hangar Queen” label...
there have been real concerns about maintenance time and readiness rates, but like you said, it’s not black and white. Every advanced platform comes with trade-offs.
Which brings us back to the bigger point...
👉 Capability vs cost
👉 Performance vs availability
👉 Power vs independence
That’s why the mixed fleet idea keeps gaining traction… it’s not perfect, but it spreads the risk.
I always appreciate how clear and succinctly you present the issues. No word salad. No hedging. Just the straightforward reality. TKX Fred!