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National Post

DND to start construction on new F-35 hangars despite review

Article content 'We'll be taking possession of those 16 F-35 fighter jets in the next several months, by the new year at the latest,' McGuinty told journalists on June 10. Article content That, however, isn't true. Article content The DND statement to the Ottawa Citizen noted that Canada would receive its first four jets in 2026, followed by four in 2027 and four in 2028. The first eight will go to Luke Air Force Base in the United States to enable the training of Canadian pilots, and the first aircraft will come to Canada in 2028, according to the statement. Article content Auditor General Karen Hogan revealed June 10 that the cost of Canada's F-35 purchase had skyrocketed by nearly 50 per cent from $19 billion to $27.7 billion. Article content Another $5.5 billion will be needed to achieve full operation capability for the planes, Hogan added. Article content Part of the increase was because of U.S. concerns over the original design of hangars and other facilities for the stealth fighters to be built at Cold Lake and Bagotville. Those facilities had to be redesigned. Article content Article content Some retired military officers as well as defence analysts from DND-funded think tanks have argued that Canada should proceed with its entire F-35 purchase because it needs to remain a strong ally of the U.S. Article content But retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, the air force general who recommended Canada buy the F-35 fighter jet, now says the purchase should no longer go forward as planned because the U.S. has become so untrustworthy. Article content Critics have pointed out that the U.S. also controls all aspects of software upgrades needed for the F-35 to continue flying. That, in turn, could pose a security risk because of the U.S. shift to a more hostile relationship with Canada.