American F-35s could be serviced in Quebec starting in 2028-29, says L3Harris

Companies involved in the F-35 program are actively lobbying the governments of Canada and Quebec to promote potential economic benefits for the country, including maintenance facilities north of Montreal — but such benefits are only promised to materialize if the government makes good on its full order.

The facilities could service both Canadian and American fighter fleets, if public funds pay for security upgrades and the Americans sign off on the plan.

Several sources within the Canadian defence industry, including a Canadian representative for L3Harris, said it's becoming increasingly likely that the Americans will use the company's site in Mirabel, Que., to maintain a portion of their fleet.

"They see this as a win-win for the defence of North America, with Canada stepping up its game for NORAD and assisting the U.S. with surplus capacity to service F-35s when required," said Richard Foster, vice-president of L3Harris Technologies Canada.

Foster said that having U.S. F-35 fighter jets in Mirabel would be necessary to ensure the site's commercial viability. L3Harris currently supports the Royal Canadian Air Force's CF-18 fleet, which will soon start being phased out, in Mirabel.

"We would like to have everything in place to accept the first U.S. F-35s by 2028-29," said Foster, a former major-general in the Royal Canadian Air Force. "Those timelines would obviously have to be negotiated government to government, but from a business perspective, that’s what we would like to see."

L3Harris was named Canada’s "strategic partner" for F-35 maintenance last year.

However, as the Carney government is revising its fighter jet plans, F-35 advocates argue that the scale of the economic benefit depends on the Canadian acquisition of a full fleet of 88 aircraft.

For now, Ottawa is committed to acquiring 16 jets, leaving the future of the remaining order in play. In particular, the government is exploring the acquisition of Gripen fighter jets, which Swedish manufacturer Saab says could be assembled in Canada.

The back and forth between proponents of the F-35 and the Gripen is focused in large part on the aircraft's respective technical performance, as well as the economic benefits that each project brings to Canada.

Canada is preparing to start taking delivery of its first F-35s next year, which means that Canadian F-35s will not require major maintenance work until 2031, said Foster. He said Canadian F-35s would likely occupy five of 24 maintenance slots.

Representatives from Lockheed Martin are expected to visit the Mirabel facilities this week.

Foster said upgrading the facilities would cost up to $200 million, mainly to beef up security.

L3Harris is seeking funding for those upgrades from the governments of Canada and Quebec to preserve 1,500 direct and 3,500 indirect jobs over the long term, he said.

But for the Mirabel project to move forward, sources said Canada will need to purchase the full fleet of 88 F-35s and the United States will need to confirm that it will use the Mirabel facilities as an "overflow" centre when its sites in North Carolina and Utah are full.

Italy, Japan and Australia already have regional depots for F-35 maintenance.

A full order of 88 jets "helps [L3Harris] make the case to take on additional U.S. jets as a North American regional depot," said a source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

According to the federal lobbyist registry, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris have held several meetings with representatives of the Canadian government in recent weeks, including with senior officials from the Industry Department.

Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly says the government is evaluating the possibility of switching to the Gripen if Lockheed Martin does not improve its offer of economic benefits in Canada.

"I don't believe that we've had enough jobs created and industrial benefits done out of the F-35 contract," Joly said last month. "I think Canadians expect more, and we should get more."

Lockheed Martin has indicated that the economic benefits in Canada will be proportional to the number of F-35s that are ultimately acquired.

It said in a recent statement that spinoffs will "shrink if Canada ultimately purchases fewer than 88 aircraft."

According to Lockheed Martin vice-president Kristen Leroux, the company is ready to support the Canadian government's goal "to grow and position a sovereign Canadian defence industry as an economic driver."

The Quebec government is aware of L3Harris's project in Mirabel, but is also assessing the potential benefits to Quebec from the purchase of Gripen fighter jets.

A spokesperson for Quebec’s minister of economy, Christine Fréchette, says the decision regarding fighter jets is a federal responsibility, but that Quebec is closely monitoring the file.

"We want projects that will benefit Quebec," said the spokesperson, Catherine Pelletier.