I don’t know that we’re necessarily need to “run” two fighters, but it’s clear that there is no single platform that meets all sovereignty requirements. I don’t know what the split should be, but we can neither have zero air force, nor one that is completely ineffective against 1 of our top 3 threats. Buy some planes that come with technology transfer, and start looking at the next 30 year window.

Or quickly hop on board one of the Future Combat Air System / Global Combat Air Program.

The F35 is simply the best air weapons platform available — that’s why the military wants them. But the whole episode speaks to the need for a native air defense industry. We have ship building.

The gripen is the only option that comes with technology transfer, so regardless of how many F35 we get, or how inferior the gripen is comparatively, we have to diversify — even if the short maintenance costs are higher.

The real concern is not “which aircraft to buy” — its “in 20 years will Canada be able to even arm itself in a world of disrupted supply chains?”

Agreed that drones are tactically important, but tanks and fighters ships are strategically important, and will never go out of style.