Canada's F-35 Acquisition Plans Still Unclear

An announcement about how Canada will proceed with its multibillion dollar fighter jet procurement is expected as early as June 10, even as conflicting reports emerge about whether the F-35 will be selected.
The Canadian government has confirmed it has received the review it ordered on replacement for the Air Force’s CF-18s. The report was written by senior government bureaucrats, with support from an outside panel of specialists.
Reuters reported on June 5 that the review concluded the government should not hold a competition and instead proceed with the purchase of the F-35. The same day, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that while a decision is expected sometime after June 10, the review did not specify which fighter aircraft the government should select.
Lockheed Martin Canada, said he had no information on whether the Reuters report, filed out of Washington, is accurate.
In 2010, Canada committed to purchasing 65 F-35s, but the acquisition soon became a political albatross.
The country’s auditor general produced a report in April 2012 that found Department of National Defence officials withheld key information from Parliament about the F-35, underestimated costs, and didn’t follow proper procurement rules.
defensenews