Det stilles spørsmål ved Trumps politikk vs. kjøp av amerikanske våpensystemer som F-35 - FlightGlobal

 

Mercurial Trump makes allies question US defence buys

A once unthinkable notion is being spoken aloud in capitals throughout the Western world.

Two months into the second administration of US President Donald Trump, leaders in Europe and Canada are openly questioning the continued wisdom of sourcing critical defence hardware from the USA. Long the guarantor of security on the continent, both in terms of personnel and materiel, Washington’s rapid devolution from trusted ally to unknown quantity leaves one’s head spinning.

The seismic shift comes as Trump continues to threaten traditional allies with trade sanctions and, in the case of Canada and Denmark, territorial annexation. Sitting beside NATO secretary general Mark Rutte in the White House last week, Trump mused about seizing Greenland over the continued objections of both Nuuk and Copenhagen.

“I think it will happen,” Trump said of annexing the semi-autonomous Arctic island administered by Copenhagen. “We need that for international security.”

While Rutte offered a fairly diplomatic response, officials with NATO member states are more blunt.

Portuguese defence minister Nuno Melo became the first senior leader to openly question the risks of joining the vaunted Lockheed Martin F-35 programme, a pillar of Washington’s overseas defence policy. 

“This ally of ours, which for decades has always been predictable, may bring limitations in use, maintenance, components – everything that has to do with ensuring that aircraft will be operational and will be used in all kinds of scenarios,” Melo said.

Lisbon is exploring a replacement for the Portuguese air force’s ageing Lockheed F-16As. While Melo declined to speculate on an alternative to the F-35, he acknowledged the existence of several European-made options – presumably the Dassault Aviation Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen E/F.

Source: US Air Force

Just a day after Melo’s comments were published, senior political figures in Canada signalled they may dump Ottawa’s $14 billion deal for 88 F-35As, as one of the world’s closest international partnerships crumbles in real time.

Defence minister Bill Blair, who was reappointed to his post by newly installed Prime Minister Mark Carney, on 14 March told the CBC that Ottawa is actively considering alternatives to the US-made stealth fighter and will hold talks with rival aircraft manufacturers.

Jagmeet Singh, leader of the minority New Democratic Party in Canadian parliament, expressed strong support for scrapping the F-35 acquisition.

“Purchasing from the [United] States at this time is not in our national security interest,” Singh told the CBC.

Canada selected the F-35 to replace its fleet of ageing Boeing F/A-18A Hornets in 2022, passing over a Boeing proposal for the newer F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and a Gripen E/F bid from Saab, which afterwards complained to parliament about the choice.

The Swedish company would no doubt relish the opportunity to supplant its American rival as the supplier of Canada’s future combat fleet.

In the world of rotorcraft, raising doubts about America’s reliability is becoming a marketing strategy. 

Leonardo Helicopters’ managing director Gian Piero Cutillo said last week it would not be “convenient for Europe” to buy military tiltrotors direct from the USA, rather than developing its own capability.

His comments come as Leonardo competes against fellow European airframer Airbus Helicopters and US manufacturer Sikorsky for a concept-phase project called the Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability being sponsored by six European members of NATO and Canada.

It is still too early to tell what this means for the US defence industry.

About two-thirds of European defence orders go to American companies, according to a 2024 report from the European Central Bank. Shifting suppliers on the continent will take time, and may not always be possible in the case of certain specialised items such as long-range munitions.

But just as Trump’s derision toward Canada united a disgruntled electorate around a dark horse candidate for prime minister, continued antagonism toward Europe could drive America’s allies to seek their fortunes – and spend their euros – elsewhere. 

While North America will continue to drive the week’s headlines, our eyes are turning toward Australia, which next week will host the 2025 Avalon air show outside Melbourne. The biannual show is running for its second iteration since the Covid-19 pandemic, amid escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region between Australia, China, Taiwan and the USA.

As always, keep up to speed with all the latest news as it happens by visiting the defence page at FlightGlobal.com.