Opinion: Canada does not need the F-35 to defend itself, mainly because no one is threatening us. We are not threatened, not because we have combat aircraft, but because we share a border with the United States, and it is in their interest to defend us.
Recent claims made by Defence Minister, Anita Anand, about the F-35 fighter jet, its capabilities, and why Canada should purchase it, are fundamentally dishonest.We are not threatened, not because we have combat aircraft, but because we share a border with the United States, and it is in their interest to defend us.A conventional attack would require aircraft carriers, large quantities of transport ships and aircraft, not to mention hundreds of thousands of ground troops and all their equipment.
While that may seem impressive, the range of the aircraft depreciates considerably when it’s required to carry weapons , or perform an interception. That range is called a combat radius, and the F-35’s is only about 1,400 kilometres. Given the aircraft’s limited range, it’s unlikely they’ll be intercepting anything, unless we build new bases in the Arctic.
Not that it would matter: stealth is useful principally in offensive operations and isn’t advantageous if we’re being attacked. It is peculiar that Anand has highlighted the F-35’s stealth capabilities in the context of defending Canada. When Canada acquired the F-18, about two-thirds of the fleet were flown directly to West Germany. Their mission was to provide a combination of air defence and ground attack roles to the Canadian mechanized brigade then stationed there. The remaining aircraft in Canada were used for training. On occasion, they would be dispatched to intercept Soviet bombers, which were likewise engaged in training missions.
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