Do-Over On F-35

Canadian sticker shock over a new, independent $30 billion cost estimate for Ottawa's planned acquisition of 60 F-35s has put Canada's participation in the Joint Strike Fighter in question, with the government's "national fighter procurement secretariat" today announcing plans for how it will evaluate alternative aircraft to replace its aging CF-18s.

In reaction, the Defense Department did not dispute the findings of accounting firm KPMG's review of Canada's F-35 costs. "The model which produced the latest Canadian acquisition cost estimates aligns with similar U.S. cost estimates," said Joe Dellavedova, spokesman for the F-35 joint program office.

Rona Ambrose, Canada's minister of public works and government services, said in a statement today that the release of the terms of reference for the re-evaluation of alternative fighter aircraft demonstrates "that we are serious about looking at all available options to replace the CF-18s."

Dellavedova said the Canadian fighter review "is very similar to the review the U.S. performed in 2010," when the Pentagon was required by law to recertify the F-35 program's necessity in order to avoid termination in the wake of cost growth disclosures. "The U.S. review determined that there is no alternative to the F-35 that can provide the necessary capability at lower cost," Dellavedova said.