How Rolls-Royce Just Changed Canada’s Fighter Jet Future | Gripen vs F-35

Canada’s fighter jet program is facing its biggest shake-up in decades — and a British engine maker may have just changed everything.
With the F-35 program suffering massive cost overruns, infrastructure delays, and pilot shortages, Canada is suddenly taking a second look at the Swedish Saab Gripen E, a jet once rejected but now more relevant than ever.

Rolls-Royce’s potential partnership with Saab could revolutionize the Gripen Fighter Jet — and give Canada something it hasn’t had in generations: true military and industrial independence.

What’s Going Wrong With Canada’s F-35 Deal?

• Original cost: $19 billion
• Updated cost: $27.7 billion for jets alone
• Total project cost: $33 billion
• Infrastructure delayed three years
• Not enough trained pilots
• U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program rates Canada as “Not Prepared”

Why the Gripen Fighter Jet Is Back

Canada previously rejected Saab’s Gripen E, but new details are pushing it back into the spotlight:
• 60% cheaper to operate than F-35
• Built for Arctic conditions
• Can take off from short / icy runways
• Cold-weather performance superior to stealth-reliant fighters
• Saab offered full technology transfer and Canadian manufacturing
• Potential 6,000 high-tech jobs in Montreal, Toronto & Vancouver

But Gripen has one fatal flaw…

The American Engine Problem (ITAR Control)

The current Gripen E uses the U.S.-made GE F414 engine, which gives Washington veto power over exports.
This is why the U.S. blocked:
• Colombia’s Gripen purchase
• Multiple other international deals

Canada sees this risk clearly:
No true independence if the engine is American.

Enter Rolls-Royce: A Potential Game-Changer

Rumors now suggest Saab and Rolls-Royce are exploring a new British engine for future Gripen models.
If true, it means:
• No more U.S. export restrictions
• No American veto power
• Fully sovereign Gripen fleet
• Opportunity for Canadian parts + Arctic-optimized development
• A major geopolitical shift in Western air power

Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction: Canada’s Fighter Jet Crisis Explained
What if Canada’s air power future is about to change forever? Discover how Rolls-Royce and Saab’s Gripen fighter jet are shaking up the defense world.
0:48 – Rolls-Royce Joins Saab: The Unexpected Game-Changer
How a British engine maker could rewrite Canada’s fighter jet strategy and challenge Washington’s dominance.
1:25 – Canada’s F-35 Deal: $19 Billion Turns Into $33 Billion
Breaking down the shocking cost overruns in Canada’s F-35 program, delays, and infrastructure issues revealed by the 2025 Auditor General report.
2:22 – The Gripen Fighter Returns: Sweden’s Jet Makes a Comeback
Why Saab’s Gripen E — once rejected — is now back in Canada’s defense conversation with powerful new appeal.
3:05 – Gripen vs F-35: Cost, Performance, and Arctic Capability
A side-by-side look at Gripen vs F-35, including cost per flight hour, cold weather operations, and short runway performance — perfect for Canada’s Arctic defense.
4:10 – Gripen’s Made-in-Canada Promise: Jobs and Industry Growth
How Saab proposed 6,000 Canadian jobs, local assembly, and technology transfer — from Montreal to Vancouver — giving Canada true aerospace independence.
5:05 – The Engine Problem: Why Gripen Depends on the U.S.
The hidden flaw in the Gripen’s design — its U.S.-made GE F414 engine — and how American export controls limit Sweden’s global sales.
6:02 – Colombia’s Gripen Deal Blocked: The American Veto in Action
How Washington stopped Saab’s $3.2 billion deal with Colombia, showing the global power of U.S. defense leverage.
6:45 – Canada’s Options: F-35 Loyalty or Gripen Independence
The dilemma: stick with the F-35 Lightning II or pursue a mixed fleet that includes the Gripen E — and what it means for Canadian sovereignty.
7:25 – Trump’s Pressure & Washington’s Control Over Canada
Exploring U.S. influence on Canada’s defense, from trade threats to engine export vetoes, and why Canada’s aerospace sector is at risk.
8:03 – Rolls-Royce Enters the Chat: A Path to Independence
Could a Rolls-Royce engine free the Gripen fighter jet from U.S. control? The potential for British-Canadian-Swedish cooperation in defense.
8:55 – Canada–Sweden Defense Partnership 2025: Arctic Cooperation
Inside the 2025 Canada–Sweden defense deal — research partnerships, Arctic security priorities, and talks of Gripen assembly in Canada.
9:35 – NATO, Independence, and Canada’s Future Air Strategy
How a Gripen–F-35 hybrid fleet could balance NORAD commitments with industrial sovereignty, reshaping Canada’s defense identity.
10:15 – The Core Truth: Fighter Jet Sovereignty and Engine Control
10:45 – Final Verdict: Gripen vs F-35 — Canada’s Defining Decision
11:11 – End Message: Canada’s Sky, Canada’s Choice


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