The real elephant in the room that we are all ignoring is that the only country that could feasibly attack us, to the point where we were using war planes, is the U.S. In that case it doesn't matter what we fly. In that scenario if we fly planes designed and controlled by the enemy we have even less opportunity to defend ourselves.
At least if we choose a plan that provides jobs, control and aircraft then we are in charge of our own destiny, as far as that's possible. The F-35 contract serves as leverage in trade talks and we should keep it on the table as long as possible. The Global Eye aircraft already use a Bombardier-built plane and are an obvious choice for surveillance, to maintain jobs and reputation.
The Gripen provides Canadian manufacturing and provides an aircraft that will ensure our readiness to maintain our NATO obligations and patrol our Northern frontier. It's not if, it's when. In my mind it comes after the CUSMA decisions are made. Let's be a country again; Canada strong.
Thankfully for Canada we have someone who has a head, and an intelligent one at that, leading this country. Thanks to Trump, Canada has been forced to grow up, if I can use that term, and assert itself and Mark Carney is just the man to lead it. I will be shocked to no end, as will many other Canadians, if Canada goes all in on the F-35. The Saab option is so much better for Canada on so many different levels.
Yes Fred, I guess if we want to find the silver lining in this whole affair, it's that Trump inadvertently pushed Canada to seek greater independence. As much as I hate to admit it, I'll thank him for that.
I don't know if I would trust the integrity of any aircraft or electrical equipment that potentially has software with a potentially hidden Trojan Horse embedded in it that performs surveillance on the operator or country that purchased it. Palintir comes to mind here.
Another great episode Fred! haha Couldn't resist the word, because, like soap operas, one becomes tuned in to your posts & if they don't arrive, we wait & wait haha. Never sure we can trust the word of others, because we know you research & know of what you speak. Thank you for that :)
Complete with plot twists, corporate villains, tariff cliffhangers, nervous allies, and the occasional exploding supply chain.
But honestly, I appreciate that more than you know.
There’s a mountain of noise out there right now, and I try very hard to separate the emotional theatre from the structural shifts happening underneath it all.
Hahahaha "As The Trade War Turns" LOL too funny. It fits though! You might have to approach a major network & we'll watch your 15 minutes of fame every night, sort of like Don Cherry! I kind of miss his antics :)
While I was optimistic until recently, I’m afraid the Government will cave in on both. Recent moves by the Government seems to indicate that they are not serious about the purchases of military gear from the US.
The CAF brass does not want the GlobalEye or the Gripen and they will use the chip on CUSMA, they want what the big boys have, their military partner that they can’t see as a potential adversary. They use things like compatibility as a shield, too many of the retired CAF brass are working for US contractors, too many staff embedded in US operations have been brainwashed, too much lust for everything American.
The other part that F-35 fanboys are not acknowledging is that even the USAF is hedging its aircraft mix away from solely operating F-35s. They have been placing and then upping the orders for F-15 EX planes on the side. They will use the F-15EXs as low operating, low maintenance alternatives for missions that do not absolutely require the F-35s. Why wouldn't we do the same?
Hey Fred, the GlobalEye doesn’t look anything like what you have on your AI poster. Sorry I can’t post a picture or a link in the reply but check the wikipedia page for the picture.
The real elephant in the room that we are all ignoring is that the only country that could feasibly attack us, to the point where we were using war planes, is the U.S. In that case it doesn't matter what we fly. In that scenario if we fly planes designed and controlled by the enemy we have even less opportunity to defend ourselves.
At least if we choose a plan that provides jobs, control and aircraft then we are in charge of our own destiny, as far as that's possible. The F-35 contract serves as leverage in trade talks and we should keep it on the table as long as possible. The Global Eye aircraft already use a Bombardier-built plane and are an obvious choice for surveillance, to maintain jobs and reputation.
The Gripen provides Canadian manufacturing and provides an aircraft that will ensure our readiness to maintain our NATO obligations and patrol our Northern frontier. It's not if, it's when. In my mind it comes after the CUSMA decisions are made. Let's be a country again; Canada strong.
That’s the uncomfortable reality sitting underneath this entire debate, Jim.
Most Canadians grew up assuming our military purchases were purely about interoperability and alliance management.
Now people are starting to ask a different question...
“What happens if the alliance itself becomes unstable?”
That changes the procurement conversation fast.
And you’re right about leverage.
Once you buy deeply integrated systems, you’re not just buying aircraft anymore...
you’re buying dependency on software, parts, approvals, maintenance chains,
and political goodwill.
That’s why this story suddenly feels bigger than planes.
It feels like Canada trying to rediscover where the steering wheel is.
Perfectly stated and understandable.
Thankfully for Canada we have someone who has a head, and an intelligent one at that, leading this country. Thanks to Trump, Canada has been forced to grow up, if I can use that term, and assert itself and Mark Carney is just the man to lead it. I will be shocked to no end, as will many other Canadians, if Canada goes all in on the F-35. The Saab option is so much better for Canada on so many different levels.
A lot of Canadians seem to be arriving at the same conclusion, Ron.
Not necessarily because they suddenly became military aviation experts overnight…
but because trust changed.
That’s the real shift underneath all this.
Five years ago, most people probably would’ve viewed U.S. procurement as the automatic safe choice.
Now people are weighing industrial independence, supply-chain control, political leverage, Arctic readiness, domestic jobs,
and long-term sovereignty right alongside aircraft capability.
Trump may not have intended it, but the pressure campaign accelerated a conversation Canada had been avoiding for years...
“What does strategic independence actually look like in practice?”
And once a country starts asking that question seriously…
procurement stops being routine.
Yes Fred, I guess if we want to find the silver lining in this whole affair, it's that Trump inadvertently pushed Canada to seek greater independence. As much as I hate to admit it, I'll thank him for that.
Mark Carney is a very astute man. I would bet money on him buying into Saab, but he will keep the F35’s on line as long as is necessary .
I think that’s very close to the strategy we’re watching unfold, Penny.
Keep the F-35 file alive long enough to preserve leverage…
while quietly expanding Canada’s options everywhere else.
That gives Ottawa negotiating room without forcing an immediate rupture with Washington.
And politically, Saab offers something the U.S. currently can’t package as effectively...
Canadian jobs, Canadian industrial participation, and a visible move toward resilience instead of dependency.
Carney strikes me as someone who understands that procurement decisions are never just about equipment.
They’re about positioning.
I don't know if I would trust the integrity of any aircraft or electrical equipment that potentially has software with a potentially hidden Trojan Horse embedded in it that performs surveillance on the operator or country that purchased it. Palintir comes to mind here.
That concern isn’t paranoia anymore, Carole.
Modern military systems aren’t just machines...
they’re flying software ecosystems connected to supply chains, updates, diagnostics,
satellite systems, data networks, and remote support infrastructure.
Which means the real question is no longer...
“Who built the aircraft?”
It’s...
“Who controls the code?”
And once countries start worrying about embedded dependency, surveillance exposure, remote lockouts, or political pressure through technology access…
procurement stops being a shopping exercise and starts becoming a sovereignty issue.
That’s exactly why this debate suddenly feels so emotionally charged.
Another great episode Fred! haha Couldn't resist the word, because, like soap operas, one becomes tuned in to your posts & if they don't arrive, we wait & wait haha. Never sure we can trust the word of others, because we know you research & know of what you speak. Thank you for that :)
Haha… “episode” actually fits what's happening better than folks probably realize, Patsy. 😄
At this point I’m basically writing...
“As The Trade War Turns…”
Complete with plot twists, corporate villains, tariff cliffhangers, nervous allies, and the occasional exploding supply chain.
But honestly, I appreciate that more than you know.
There’s a mountain of noise out there right now, and I try very hard to separate the emotional theatre from the structural shifts happening underneath it all.
That’s the part most headlines miss.
Hahahaha "As The Trade War Turns" LOL too funny. It fits though! You might have to approach a major network & we'll watch your 15 minutes of fame every night, sort of like Don Cherry! I kind of miss his antics :)
While I was optimistic until recently, I’m afraid the Government will cave in on both. Recent moves by the Government seems to indicate that they are not serious about the purchases of military gear from the US.
The CAF brass does not want the GlobalEye or the Gripen and they will use the chip on CUSMA, they want what the big boys have, their military partner that they can’t see as a potential adversary. They use things like compatibility as a shield, too many of the retired CAF brass are working for US contractors, too many staff embedded in US operations have been brainwashed, too much lust for everything American.
Solid.
The other part that F-35 fanboys are not acknowledging is that even the USAF is hedging its aircraft mix away from solely operating F-35s. They have been placing and then upping the orders for F-15 EX planes on the side. They will use the F-15EXs as low operating, low maintenance alternatives for missions that do not absolutely require the F-35s. Why wouldn't we do the same?
Bring back the Avro Arrow!
Hey Fred, the GlobalEye doesn’t look anything like what you have on your AI poster. Sorry I can’t post a picture or a link in the reply but check the wikipedia page for the picture.