The United States has officially warned Canada that it is not yet ready to properly house and support the advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets. This warning comes from a new report released by Canada’s auditor general on June 10, 2025.
U.S. Sounds Alarm on Canada’s F-35 Plans
The F-35 is a special type of fighter aircraft designed by the U.S. government. It has stealth features, meaning it can avoid detection by enemy radar. Canada decided to buy 88 of these high-tech jets as part of a military upgrade. The deal was announced in January 2023 and costs around $19 billion.
However, according to the report, the buildings and hangars Canada is building for these jets at two key airbases—Cold Lake in Alberta and Bagotville in Quebec—don’t meet the required standards. These standards are set by the U.S. to protect the secret technology in the F-35s. Because of this, Canada now has to redesign these buildings, which means extra time and extra costs.
The Americans have the right to inspect and approve all facilities that will store the F-35s, even in other countries. This is part of the international agreement tied to the F-35 program. In this case, U.S. officials found that Canada’s preparations were not enough.
Red Flag Raised Over Canada’s Readiness
The U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Program Office is responsible for overseeing the F-35 program, including the ones being sold to other countries. In June 2024, this office did an inspection of how ready Canada was to receive the jets. They looked at an interim operations plan—a temporary setup until everything is fully built.
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The result of that review was serious. The report gave Canada a “RED” rating. In military project terms, a red rating means that there are major problems that are not solved yet. These issues need the attention of senior leaders.
Auditor General Karen Hogan explained in the report that several important things were still missing. These included the final designs for the buildings and support systems that are supposed to maintain and protect the jets.
Because of these gaps and other difficulties, the total cost of Canada’s F-35 program has now gone up. It is no longer $19 billion—it has increased to $27.7 billion. That’s almost 50% more than originally planned.
The auditor general also noted that another $5.5 billion will be needed to make sure the jets reach full operating capability. That means not just having the jets on Canadian soil, but having everything ready so they can be used fully in missions and training.
Concerns Over U.S. Control and Security Risks
Even though Canada is set to receive its first 16 F-35s in the coming months, there are other serious concerns being raised. Some experts believe Canada is giving up too much control by choosing the F-35.
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One of those experts is retired Lieutenant-General Yvan Blondin. He used to support buying the F-35s, but now says Canada should not go forward with the deal in its current form. He says the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner.
Another issue is that the U.S. owns all the spare parts for the F-35s, even when those parts are stored on Canadian soil. This was first reported by the Ottawa Citizen in early May. It means that if a replacement part is needed, permission or approval from the U.S. is required.
Alan Williams, a former defense procurement chief, and several military experts have warned that this could pose a strategic risk. If the U.S. ever decides to delay or withhold parts, the fighter jets could be grounded.
When asked whether the Department of National Defiance (DND) or the Canadian Armed Forces have looked into this issue, no answer was given. Officials did not say if they checked whether this could hurt Canada’s ability to use the jets or affect national security.
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Still, the DND has responded to the auditor general’s report. In a statement, they said they accept the findings and are working to follow the advice given to improve the F-35 program.
On June 11, Defense Minister David McGuinty said the department is reviewing the full F-35 plan and will release that review during the summer. He blamed cost increases on inflation and the pandemic but confirmed that Canada would soon take delivery of its first batch of 16 fighter jets.
These jets are expected to arrive in Canada before the full support system is ready, which makes the U.S. warning even more important.
