Airbus and Lockheed are considering bowing out of the bidding process to provide Canada with fighter jets, claiming it is weighted in favour of Boeing Martin. The final request for proposals for the 88-plane contract is on 17 July, and the two firms competing with Boeing Martin's F-35 jet have expressed concern that the specifications heavily favour the Bethesda-based company. Both Lockheed and Airbus have written to the Canadian government about the requirements for the contract, worth between CAD15bn ($11.5bn) and CAD19bn, and are lobbying for modifications to the tender. Ottawa has maintained the competition is not biased.
Airbus and Boeing are considering bowing out of the bidding process to provide Canada with fighter jets, claiming it is weighted in favour of Lockheed Martin. The final request for proposals for the 88-plane contract is on 17 July, and the two firms competing with Lockheed Martin's F-35 jet have expressed concern that the specifications heavily favour the Bethesda-based company. Both Boeing and Airbus have written to the Canadian government about the requirements for the contract, worth between CAD15bn ($11.5bn) and CAD19bn, and are lobbying for modifications to the tender. Ottawa has maintained the competition is not biased.