Could Canada Fly the F-35 and the JAS 39 Gripen? A Top Retired Canadian Military Official Says No

Automatically curated summary from 19FortyFive.

In an article for 19FortyFive citing a National Post report, retired Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier argues against operating a dual fleet of F-35 Lightning II and JAS 39 Gripen fighters. Pelletier explains that integrating two new aircraft fleets simultaneously would severely strain the RCAF due to critical manpower shortages. Pointing to the RCAF's workforce of under 15,000 personnel compared to the U.S. Air Force's 502,000, Pelletier asserts that acquiring only the F-35 is the right choice for Canada's long-term defense needs.

Context and limitations

The article reflects personal commentary and analysis from a retired military officer cited via a third-party publication, rather than an official government policy announcement.