Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, holds a media availability on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Canada’s defence minister is set to provide an update today on the military’s plans to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets.
No details on Anita Anand’s morning announcement were immediately available, but information disclosed last month shed some light on what lies in store.
The Canadian Press previously reported that the Department of National Defence received approval to spend $7 billion on 16 F-35 fighter jets along with related gear, technology and facilities.
The expected move is part of a decade-long effort to buy 88 fighter jets to replace aging CF-18s.
Experts have long argued upgrades to the fighter jet fleet and its associated infrastructure are necessary given the state of the Air Force’s current equipment and facilities.
Anand’s announcement is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2023.
