OTTAWA — Former Conservative defence minister Peter MacKay says he regrets his government didn't move ahead to replace Canada's aging fighter jets.
MacKay says new planes are badly needed and the F-35 is the right choice.
The Tories had pegged the F-35s as the replacement for the existing CF-18s, but the process bogged down over costs and technical concerns.
The Liberals said they wouldn't buy those planes and instead promised to hold an open competition to find a new jet.
But in order to fill what they say are capability gaps in the Royal Canadian Air Force, they may sole-source a different aircraft.
MacKay says the Lockheed-Martin F-35 still beats other planes on the market when it comes to meeting Canada's needs.
