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Canada’s first F-35A flies as Ottawa reviews planned 88-jet fleet

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Canada’s first F-35A Lightning II completed its maiden flight on Sept. 23 at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility. The flight marks a milestone in the Royal Canadian Air Force’s effort to replace its CF-188 Hornet fleet, even as Ottawa continues reviewing the size and composition of its planned 88-aircraft buy.

Discovered 2026-09-23T11:20:08.551003-07:00 | 2026-09-23T11:20:08.551003-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The maiden flight advances Canada’s effort to replace its CF-188 Hornet fleet with the F-35A, but the planned 88-aircraft purchase remains under review.
  • The program’s size and composition are not yet settled, creating continued uncertainty for Lockheed Martin’s Canadian production and delivery planning.
  • The first aircraft’s flight is a tangible milestone in modernizing the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fighter fleet and Canada’s air-defense capability.

Reported By

Air Data News aviationnews.eu f-16.net defence-blog.com news.ssbcrack.com The Aviationist
Sources Tracked
6
First Seen
2026-09-23T11:20:08.551003-07:00
Latest Update
2026-09-24T05:16:20.136041-07:00
Coverage
Defense

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