Pressure increases on Conservatives to stay or leave F-35 program

OTTAWA – The Harper government may have “hit the reset button” on the purchase of F-35s, but that doesn’t mean planning for the stealth fighter has been halted.

Indeed, Canada is facing a series of deadlines that will increase the pressure to stick with the controversial program or leave it behind.

Eight Canadian military officers continue to work on the multinational program in the U.S., at both the Pentagon and at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where they fill a variety of technical and planning roles.

An additional 16 military officers and civilians are also at work on the program in Canada, according to the public works secretariat, which is overseeing the replacement of the air force’s CF-18s.

The federal government recently cut a $36-million cheque to continue Canada’s participation in the development of the radar-evading jet, bringing the country’s total contribution to $332 million.

But internal documents show the complex multinational ties run deep, and the country is facing is a series of deadlines and important program milestones that could have repercussions for years to come.