From F-35 critic to procurement chief: Stephen Fuhr takes on Canada’s military overhaul

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 07, 2026

CANADA – He once drew criticism from fellow fighter pilots for opposing Canada’s purchase of the F-35. Now, Stephen Fuhr is the man helping decide how billions of dollars in military equipment will be spent.

The former Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 pilot is now Canada’s secretary of state for defence procurement, leading the Defence Investment Agency as the government seeks to speed up military acquisitions and reduce reliance on traditional suppliers.

Fuhr’s rise has been anything but conventional. After retiring from the military in 2009, he became one of the most outspoken critics of the F-35, arguing that its cost, delays and technical problems made it the wrong choice for Canada.

His position put him at odds with many in the fighter pilot community, where the American-made aircraft was widely viewed as the preferred successor to the CF-18.

Now, years later, Fuhr finds himself overseeing a procurement system facing a dramatically larger defence budget—and a government intent on building more equipment domestically and diversifying its international suppliers.

“We are going to become less reliant and more resilient,” Fuhr said, describing a vision that could reshape how Canada equips its armed forces.

That approach has already accelerated several major projects, including Swedish GlobalEye radar aircraft, German-Norwegian submarines and thousands of new assault rifles.

But his biggest challenge may still involve the aircraft he once opposed. Canada is reviewing its future fighter fleet, including whether to expand its F-35 purchase or add Sweden’s Gripen to create a mixed fleet.

Fuhr says he is willing to change his mind—but only when presented with credible evidence.

For a former pilot once mocked for challenging the F-35 consensus, the irony is hard to miss: the man who questioned Canada’s fighter-jet choices is now helping shape the country’s entire military procurement strategy.