Always on Target
Canada’s first F-35 has flown—what comes next for the fleet and the Canadian companies behind it? The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II built for Canada completed its maiden flight on September 23, 2026. Aircraft AR-1 departed Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, beside the manufacturer’s assembly complex. The Aviationist documented the
F-35 parts diversion: how did stealth components reach Chinese government custody? UPDATE — September 25, 2026: The F-35 parts diversion has entered a more serious phase. Bloomberg, citing two people briefed on the incident, says the Chinese government took possession of the diverted components. The parts had not been returned as of September 24. United
Could A3-001 become Bombardier’s next military-aircraft opportunity? Saab fighter drone: According to The Aviationist’s report, Saab unveiled A3-001, a full-scale model of a low-observable autonomous combat aircraft, to media on August 21, 2026. Then Saab placed the concept on public display at Malmen Air Base in Linköping, Sweden, on August 22. No Canadian company is
Mirabel defence hub: is one Quebec site quietly becoming the industrial hinge between Canada’s fighter review and its airborne-surveillance competition? On April 21, 2026, MAS, an L3Harris company, and Lockheed Martin announced a new framework to pursue an F-35 Air Vehicle Depot in Canada. Yet a February 2026 L3Harris paper had already placed the same
Canada F-35 review: is Lockheed Martin coming to Quebec, Canada, to make threats? Canada F-35 review: According to Montreal daily La Presse on April 20, 2026, representatives of Lockheed Martin are due at L3Harris beside Montréal–Mirabel International Airport (YMX/CYMX) in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, for a public move tied to the proposed F-35 maintenance-centre project. Moreover,
Who controls a fighter that wins by sharing information faster than it fires weapons? F-35 data sovereignty: In early 2025 and through late 2025, public debate sharpened across Europe about “kill switches,” software dependence, and what sovereignty means when combat power rides on code, encryption, and cloud-connected sustainment. Meanwhile, real-world tests kept pushing the jet
Gripen deal Canada: does an “85%” rumour mean Ottawa is ready to sign—or just ready to signal? Earlier, on November 14, 2025, Reuters reported that Saab was in talks with the Canadian government and Bombardier about building the Saab JAS 39 Gripen under licence in Canada, with talk of roughly 10,000 jobs and Bombardier confirming
What canceling the F-35 could cost Canadian industry — and why the Gripen alternative may deliver more jobs, control, and long-term value. Sylvain FaustOriginally completed March 14, 2025 F-35 Cancellation in Canada: Gripen vs Economic Fallout – Evaluation of the impact of canceling Canada’s F-35 contract on Canadian suppliers, analyzing financial and economic consequences, including
