Well that is a stupid statement...
Well that is a response as classy as the current US admin...
As for what Canada should get, en bon français, I'm with
@Archibald for Rafales + Meteors, or even Typhoons + Meteors as second choice cause it's fully European too.
But I'm afraid it would be as realistic as Canada restarting the Arrow program.
And the fact that both Dassault and Airbus decided to withdraw from the competition shows that they realised this.
I get the impression that Canada is rather stuck in its relations with the United States, having gave up any attempt at independent strategic defence policy since a long time. But they’re not the only ones in this situation, I'm still amazed at Denmark ordering more F-35s for example.
Now what happens if Canada go full F-35 ?
Pro = Trump happy, may cool down a bit on his trade war (for a time). Canadian Air Force get the super duper "5th gen" magic fighter almost every NATO member is "required" to buy to be a good club member for the US and everybody happy, and from what I read here, they even make fortunes making F-35 pieces.
Cons = They really do come across as wimps bending knees to US while being insulted and threatened by the same (not that some politicians have not taken that path already... see my example with Denmark above).
They get an advanced fighter for sure, but with the capacities they really need, I doubt, plus quite expensive to operate, whatever LM marketing says.
It doesn't guarantee that the problem with the US will go away and that the current admin will not restart insults/threats/trade war as soon as the current US admin have a tamtrum.
Nor does this guarantee that, should these problems worsen, the current US administration would not prevent Canada from using or receiving these F-35s.
IMO This further increases Canada’s dependence on the United States, as it adds yet another factor that ties its policy to the will of the United States. Furthermore, I think it is rather naïve to believe that all the relationship problems with the United States will disappear as soon as the current administration leaves office. We are no longer in a ‘normal’ situation; I doubt that the ‘good old days’ will return any time soon.
What happens if they go for Gripens ?
Pro = they are moving away slightly from their ties/dependence on the US in defence matters, which on the long term is beneficial, having less dependence always is. They get a decent NATO compatible jet, quite cheaper to acquire and operate, with some cooperation with a country/manufacturer with far fewer levers at its disposal to tell them what to do and also certainly more willing to be more balanced about what Canada could do in the cooperation.
They finally can replace these CF-18s...
Cons = They surely causes the wrath of the White House, but in what form that will come ? US could indeed block Gripen sales due to that engine. In that case, it causes the whole drama to continue for more years, and the CF-18s have to soldier on longer yet.
They get a decent jet fighter, but a bit limited as a light single engined one, with obviously less capacities than a F-35.
To sum up, there is an easy short term path, be a good US vassal and get the F-35 , but don't expect to be anything more than that, and don't expect trouble with your powerful neighbour will go away in the long term.
Or there is a more difficult path, get a decent but less capable jet, be ready for serious tensions for displeasing your powerful neighbour, but at least you start to build your own independent defence policy, which makes you less dependent of that neighbour, which on the long term can be beneficial.
Anyway, just my two € cents.
