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The federal government has started taking action on a Liberal promise to dump the F-35 stealth fighter and purchase a cheaper aircraft to replace the military’s CF-18 jets.

Public Services and Procurement Canada has created a new office to oversee the purchase. Paula Folkes-Dallaire, a senior public servant from the Fisheries department, is slated to start Monday as senior director of the Future Fighter Capability project, sources told the Citizen.

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So far, three employees are on the Public Services and Procurement team, but it is unclear how large it will eventually become.

Industry representatives say they expect the federal cabinet to look at the fighter aircraft replacement in early December and provide more details on how bureaucrats are to proceed.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his government will withdraw from the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program and instead hold a competition for a less expensive aircraft to replace the military’s CF-18s.