# defense procurement

U.S. Ambassador Threatens Ottawa: Spurn F‑35s and U.S. Fighters Will Patrol Canadian Skies More Often

U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra warned that Canada’s decision not to buy 88 F‑35 fighters would force changes to North American defence arrangements and lead to more frequent U.S. fighter operations in Canadian airspace. The remarks intensify a fraught Canadian procurement debate over interoperability, cost and sovereignty, and highlight the diplomatic leverage Washington can exert over allied defence choices.