By Trendsetter Tribune 
The United States has warned that Canada’s reconsideration of its planned purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets could trigger major changes to the decades-old NORAD defense agreement.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said that if Canada buys fewer jets, the U.S. would be forced to “fill those gaps,” potentially leading to more frequent American military operations in Canadian airspace. That, he cautioned, could require altering NORAD’s current framework.
“NORAD would have to be altered,” Hoekstra told CBC News, stressing that reduced interoperability would weaken joint defense capabilities.
Canada agreed in 2022 to buy 88 Lockheed Martin F-35A jets, but rising costs have fueled second thoughts. A 2025 audit found the program’s price ballooned to $27.7 billion, up from an original estimate of $19 billion. Only 16 jets have been fully funded so far.
As tensions with Washington grow—partly due to U.S. tariff threats under President Donald Trump—Prime Minister Mark Carney has ordered a review. Canadian officials are now exploring alternatives, including Sweden’s Saab Gripen jets, which could be manufactured domestically and create thousands of jobs.
Hoekstra pushed back, warning that choosing a less “interoperable” aircraft would directly affect continental defense. The message was clear: fewer F-35s could mean more U.S. control of North American skies—and a rewritten NORAD deal.