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Canada’s future fighter jet competition has already lost two European competitors.

Will it lose a third, the Gripen built by Saab of Sweden?

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At the end of August, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and Airbus Defence and Space informed the Canadian government of their decision to withdraw from Canada’s future fighter competition. Airbus had been offering Canada the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Last year the European firm Dassault informed the Canadian government it would not be competing in the competition. It had been planning to offer Canada the Rafale fighter jet.

Airbus and the UK Defence Ministry noted that their decision to withdraw was the result of a detailed review of Canada’s request for proposals which was released to industry on July 23. Airbus pointed to the changes Canada made to the industrial benefits package to appease Lockheed Martin as well as the excessive costs that U.S.-Canadian security requirements placed on a company based outside North America.