Survey reveals Canadians prefer the Gripen fighter over the F-35A in future purchases

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Survey reveals Canadians prefer the Gripen fighter over the F-35A in future purchases
Survey reveals Canadians prefer the Gripen fighter over the F-35A in future purchases (X @front_ukrainian)

A recent survey indicates that the majority of Canadians prefer the country to begin acquiring Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters rather than continue investing in the F-35A Lightning II.

According to a poll conducted by EKOS, only a small portion of the population supports keeping the F-35 as Canada’s main combat aircraft after the initial delivery of 16 units already under contract.

The data show that 43% of respondents support adopting the Gripen in future purchases, while 29% favor the creation of a mixed fleet combining Swedish and American aircraft. Support for the Gripen surpasses that of the F-35 in all regions and provinces of the country, reinforcing the public perception that the Swedish model would be a more attractive alternative.

Despite this, the future of the F-35 program in Canada remains uncertain. While the government is considering reducing the original order of 88 aircraft, military leadership continues to argue for the need for fifth-generation fighters to counter global threats.

The debate is further intensified by a 45% increase in program costs and additional challenges related to pilot training, factors that are driving the evaluation of options such as the Gripen.

Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @front_ukrainian | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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