Dassault Aviation has withdrawn from Canada’s competition to buy 88 new fighter jets, reportedly after the company and French government raised concerns over its ability to meet Canada’s interoperability and intelligence sharing requirements.
Dassault’s Rafale was expected to be a leading contender along with the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39E Gripen, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35.
Formal bids for the new combat aircraft are expected to be submitted to the Canadian government by May 2019 for a decision in early 2020, and first deliveries from 2025.
