Unclear when Ottawa will complete fighter jet review: Saab CEO

By Canadian Press on March 24, 2026.

OTTAWA — A year after the Liberal government launched a review of plans to buy a fleet of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, even the competition doesn’t know when exactly Ottawa will reach a final decision.

Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the review of the U.S.-made jet in March last year amid the ongoing trade war with President Donald Trump — and Carney later said he expected the review to conclude by the end of summer.

But Micael Johansson, the CEO of rival jet maker Saab, told The Canadian Press on Monday the timeline for the review to be concluded remains unclear to him.

Johansson says the federal government has asked his company “lots of questions” about the Gripen-E fighter jet.

Those included questions about setting up a Gripen production hub in Canada, what the capabilities of the fighter jet are now and how it would integrate into the air force.

Cabinet ministers have insisted for months the review of the procurement of 88 F-35s remains alive, although the Liberal government has largely stopped bringing it up on its own.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 24, 2026.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press