Experts Say F-35 Startup Costs Will Be High Due to Infrastructure, Network Upgrades
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A U.S. F-35 fighter jet flies over the Eifel Mountains near Spangdahlem, Germany, Feb. 23, 2022. (The Canadian Press/AP-dpa, Harald Tittel)
Experts say they are not surprised that Canada intends to spend billions on an initial set of F-35s given the large startup costs associated with buying a new fighter jet.
The Canadian Press reported this week that the Department of National Defence has received authorization to spend $7 billion on 16 F-35s and associated gear.
That works out to about $450 million per plane, which is about four times more than expected and has left some wondering whether Canada is getting a good deal.
But the total also includes weapons and spare parts, new facilities to house and maintain the fighter jets and upgrades to the military’s computer network.
Experts say those infrastructure and network upgrades are necessary given the state of the Air Force’s current facilities and the advanced nature of the F–35 compared to the CF-18s.
They also say it will be expensive, and will likely account for most of the initial costs.
