Defense Minister Peter MacKay says military needs to “meet the threats of the 21st century”
Last Friday, Defense Minister Peter MacKay announced the Canadian government is planning to spent 9 billion dollars on fighter jets. The money will go to 65 new F-35 Lightening aircraft, a single-seat, single-engine stealth machine which performs close air support for ground troops, bombing and air defense missions. MacKay said that the fleet, which is planned to begin replacing the old fleet of F-18s in 2016, will “meet the threats of the 21st century.” The jets are to be built by Lockheed Martin following a development process that involved eight other countries whose companies, research laboratories and universities competed to win different design contracts.