Data shows F-35 was clear winner over Gripen in Canada’s fighter evaluation

Newly released internal data obtained by Radio-Canada shows that the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II was the overwhelming top-scoring aircraft in Canada’s fighter competition, outperforming Saab’s Gripen E by a wide margin across all major capability categories. 

The evaluation was conducted in 2021 as part of the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP), Canada’s second attempt in over a decade to replace its aging CF-18 fleet, following an earlier procurement effort that collapsed amid cost concerns and political controversy.  

The FFCP restarted the process with new requirements, independent scoring, and a commitment to a competitive, open tender. Dassault withdrew due to Five Eyes interoperability and security constraints; Airbus exited, arguing the terms favored the F-35; and Boeing’s Super Hornet was later disqualified, leaving only the F-35 and Gripen in the final evaluation.  

According to the Radio-Canada documents, the F-35 scored 57.1 out of 60 points (95%), while the Gripen E achieved 19.8 points (33%). Both aircraft met Canada’s mandatory requirements, but their performance diverged sharply once rated operational criteria were applied. Several experts, along with representatives from both competing manufacturers, told Radio-Canada they had never seen the precise evaluation figures before their release.

F-35 dominated all five rated categories 

According to the table obtained by Radio-Canada, the F-35 significantly outperformed the Gripen in every category: 

Category Weight F-35 Score (%) Gripen Score (%) Mission Performance 52% 97% 22% Upgradability 28% 100% 28% Sustainment 11% 85% 81% Technical Criteria 6% 86% 55% Capability Delivery 2% 67% 54% The most striking gap was in mission performance, where the F-35 scored nearly five times higher than the Gripen. Saab’s best performance was in sustainment, where the Gripen earned 81%, still trailing the F-35’s 85%. 

The F-35’s overall score, 57.113 points, placed it near the top of the evaluation scale, while the Gripen’s 19.762 fell below one-third of the achievable total. 

Scoring gap adds pressure to Canada’s fighter choices 

The data has emerged at a time when Ottawa is reviewing its decision to purchase 88 F-35s, following a directive from Prime Minister Mark Carney amid rising trade tensions with the United States. 

Former Royal Canadian Air Force commander Lieutenant-General Yvan Blondin (2012–2015) also reacted to the renewed debate during an interview on Montréal’s 98.5 FM, underlining the stakes involved in choosing a frontline combat aircraft. 

“If we send our sons and daughters into combat, it will be in these aircraft,” he said. “If you put them in an F-35 against Chinese or Russian jets in the Arctic, the aircraft scores 95%. If you put them in a Gripen, it’s 33%. That should be the first factor we consider when deciding which fighters to buy.” 

Saab still lobbying, pushing the industrial argument 

Despite the results, Saab continues to pitch the Gripen E to Ottawa, emphasizing: 

lower operating costs, 
rapid maintenance and dispersal capability, 
potential for Canadian industrial participation, 
possibility of local assembly in partnership with Bombardier. 
Those industrial benefits have taken on new relevance as Canada re-examines its procurement strategy. Saab is currently in discussions with Bombardier over a possible joint production arrangement, and Ottawa has signaled that industrial return remains a core criterion in its ongoing fighter review. 

However, with the newly revealed capability data showing such a decisive performance gap, advocates of a Gripen-based or mixed fleet may face a tougher argument. 

The Department of National Defence has reportedly completed its internal reassessment of the F-35 program, but the report has not yet been made public. 

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With Radio-Canada’s scoring chart now circulating widely, pressure is likely to grow on the government to justify any move away from a full F-35 fleet, or to explain how industrial policy will be balanced against operational capability. The post Data shows F-35 was clear winner over Gripen in Canada’s fighter evaluation appeared first on AeroTime.

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