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Last month Lockheed Martin requested the RCAF fly in one of its Cyclone helicopters to a defence trade show in Ottawa so it could highlight the firm’s high-tech aerospace capabilities. The RCAF agreed and taxpayers paid $25,350 for the helicopter’s round trip.

Photo by Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images

The government is purchasing 88 new fighter jets to replace the CF-18 fleet in what it says is a fair and open competition.

At this point four aircraft are to be considered: two U.S.-built aircraft, the F-35, and the Super Hornet, and two European planes, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Gripen.

The F-35 stealth fighter is the choice of the RCAF, which recommended to the previous Conservative government that the aircraft be purchased.

The Conservatives put the purchase on hold after concerns about cost and technological issues associated with the jets.

Williams noted that there are already industry concerns that the requirements for Canada’s next fighter jet fleet are designed to favour the F-35.

Canada changed some of the industrial benefits criteria of the competition in May to allay concerns from the U.S. government that the F-35 would be penalized or couldn’t be considered because of how the program was set up.

All other aircraft that are part of the competition do not have military air demonstration teams in North America

Industry representatives were also surprised earlier this month when it was revealed by Postmedia that priority would be placed on strategic attack and foreign ground-strike capabilities — guidelines that are seen to favour the F-35.

After industry officials complained, the government made changes to the bid package.

It is unclear if those changes will be enough to convince the other companies that the competition will be fair. It will cost each aerospace firm about $15 million to prepare a bid but if the competition is seen as rigged a number of companies may decline to submit bids.

Pat Finn, the Department of National Defence’s procurement chief, said Friday the finishing touches are being put on the request for proposals on the jets. He said federal bureaucrats are still on track to release it to companies by mid-July.

• Email: dpugliese@postmedia.com | Twitter: davidpugliese