Canada receives its first F-35 jets from U.S., as full order remains under review

The Royal Canadian Air Force accepts the first delivery of two Lockheed Martin CF-35A Lightning II, 5th-generation stealth multirole combat aircraft, one as shown in this handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout-Canadian Forces Combat Camera-Cpl Nicholas Brunshaw (Mandatory Credit)

OTTAWA — Canada has received its first pair of new F-35 fighter jets, with Ottawa still deliberating on how many of the American planes it will buy.

The Royal Canadian Air Force announced receiving the two Lockheed Martin jets Friday on social media with a photo from Phoenix showing one plane with a maple-leaf roundel.

The air force could not immediately say when it will start training pilots with the new planes, which U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra recently hailed as “the best fighter in the world.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused plans to proceed with a planned order for 88 of these stealth fighter jets, and it may instead have a mixed fleet that includes Gripen jets made by Saab.

Carney launched a review of the purchase amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated trade and annexation threats, and the review was supposed to have concluded a year ago.

Last year, Trump mused about providing allies with jets that have limited capabilities in order to maintain American supremacy, and former foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy warns in a Saturday blog post that Washington controls software used by F-35 jets.