A leaked 2021 scoring chart reveals the F-35 Lightning II crushed Sweden’s Gripen fighter jet in Canada’s internal military evaluation, putting pressure on Prime Minister Mark Carney to finalize the controversial purchase.
The Leaked Scorecard
On November 26, 2025, Radio-Canada obtained confidential Department of National Defence technical scoring statisticsfrom the original 2021 bid evaluation comparing the F-35 and Gripen.
The F-35 scored 95 percent on military capabilities, earning 57.1 points out of 60. By contrast, the Gripen-E finished with just 33 percent, netting only 19.8 points out of 60.
The gap was particularly significant in scoring for mission performance and the ability to upgrade the aircraft over its life cycle. The document was so confidential that even Saab, the company that builds the Gripen, had never seen it before.
Saab’s Counterarguments
Saab executives question the validity of the four-year-old evaluation, arguing that it fails to account for major developments since 2021.
The chart predates significant problems with the F-35 Block 4 variant—the version Canada is expected to purchase—which is at least $6 billion over budget and five years behind schedule according to a September 2025 US Government Accountability Office report.
Saab also claims the evaluation doesn’t reflect the latest Gripen upgrades and capabilities that have emerged since 2021.
The Cost Argument
Operating costs present a dramatic difference between the two aircraft. [The F-35’s operational cost per flight hour is $33,000](https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/05/analysis-why-canada-could-pick-the-jas-39-fighter-over-f-35/?_gl=1*144mu4a*_ga*MjAxODk5OTQyNC4xNzUxNDgyNjgz*_up*MQ..), while the Gripen’s hourly rate is $7,500 according to Saab’s claims.
For the Canadian Department of National Defence, which operates with a far smaller budget than the US Department of Defense, this cost differential is significant.
Political Complications
The leaked scorecard has put Prime Minister Mark Carney in a political bind. Defence Minister David McGuinty is an outspoken supporter of the F-35, while his Director of Communications publicly stated McGuinty was not involved in the leak.
Some analysts believe individuals within the DND and Royal Canadian Air Force leaked the document to pressure Carney to finalize the F-35 purchase. The RCAF brass, which conducted the technical scoring, has lobbied for years to purchase the American stealth jet.
Sovereignty Concerns
Critics warn that purchasing the F-35 would create dependence on the United States, which controls all software upgrades on the aircraft. Without those upgrades, no country can operate the Lightning II for long.
This concern has intensified during President Donald Trump’s administration, as Trump has discussed annexing Canada and seizing Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. Anti-F-35 voices argue the US is no longer as trustworthy an ally as it once was.
Historical Context
If Canada’s defence procurement system had worked according to the original timeline, the RCAF would have been flying F-35s since 2016. However, successive Conservative and Liberal governments delayed the decision for years.
In April 2024, the National Post alleged bias on the RCAF’s part, claiming the competition was rigged from the start to favor the Lockheed Martin product.
The Swedish Alternative
During a state visit to Canada by King Carl XVI Gustaf, Swedish officials and Saab executives promoted a structured proposal to meet part of Canada’s requirement with Gripen E or F aircraft assembled in the country, tied to job creation and technology transfer promises.
The Gripen offers certain advantages: it is designed for short takeoff and landing operations from improvised airstrips, and it has been designed for NATO interoperability through shared datalinks and standardized communication systems.
Canada currently plans to purchase 88 F-35A fighters, but the leaked evaluation and political pressure from Sweden have reopened the debate over whether to buy a mixed fleet or switch aircraft entirely.
