Canadian General Sees F-35's Stealth As Strong Deterrent

The planned purchase of F-35 stealth fighter jets by Canada's military is a source of controversy since critic's claim that it is more plane than Canada needs. Not surprisingly, the head of Canada's Air Force supports the purchase.

Canada needs stealth fighter jets so its military can sneak up on an adversary at the edges of domestic airspace and use that potential for surprise as a deterrent, the head of the air force says.

Lieutenant-General André Deschamps, the chief of the air staff, responded to critics of the government’s planned purchase of high-tech F-35 stealth fighters by asserting that the aircraft will provide a needed capability for defence at home, and not just for fighting air battles abroad.

“If they can’t detect us and don’t know where we are, it dramatically changes their potential tactics. So it is a deterrent,” Gen. Deschamps said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

By: Shelldrake