Canada suspends purchase of 16 US-made Black Hawk helicopters for special forces, CBC reports

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The helicopters are manufactured by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. According to CBC's sources, the purchase had been approved by the US State Department agency responsible for foreign military sales and was expected to be submitted to Congress, but the process was halted ahead of a meeting between Canadian and US trade representatives in Washington.

Sources link the pause to trade and diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and Washington, and to a broader review of planned military purchases from the United States. The decision was made before Canada-US trade negotiations began last summer; those talks yielded no results. After his re-election, President Trump repeatedly questioned Canada's sovereignty and imposed tariffs on several Canadian industries, including steel, aluminum and autos.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's government says it wants to develop domestic defence production, cooperate with foreign companies operating in Canada, and purchase equipment directly abroad only as a last resort. Sofia Sapega, spokesperson for the parliamentary secretary for military procurement, said the government continues to consider options to meet the needs of special operations forces.

The Black Hawks were intended to replace the CH-146 Griffons, in service since the early 1990s and operated by the 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron. CBC also reports Ottawa is reviewing whether to buy the full batch of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets: Canada has committed to 16 aircraft and ordered parts for more than a dozen others, while hesitating to approve or publicly announce other contracts with US companies.