The F-35, Joint strike search and rescue fighter

The recent 16 billion dollar purchase of F-35 stealth fighters is a triumph in buying American . While Canada needs more search and rescue planes to patrol the oceans the Canadian government decides to purchase stealth fighters. One wonders what kind of a changing role the Canadian air force has up its sleeve for these high tech seek and destroy weapons.

Perhaps the stealth and speed will allow our pilots to sneak up on sailors before they even get shipwrecked. The pilot can launch missiles at the pesky shoals or reefs blowing them up, preventing any marine disaster from ever happening.

Canadian Pilots flying the joint strike fighter solo over the arctic are assured that the fighters engine is more “robust” and unlikely to fail. Much like the Titanic was unsinkable. It will be cold comfort to a our pilots, reflecting on their emergency manual which said “relax, your jet engine is robust” as they eject in 50 below temperature.

Worse, the purchase of joint strike fighters protect American jobs, not Canadian ones, as the purchase of Bombardier search and rescue planes would have. Unfortunately when the Pentagon barks, we have to pay attention. This was true in the days of the Avro Arrow and now again with the F-35 joint strike fighter.