On April 21, 2026, L3Harris Technologies and Lockheed Martin announced a framework to establish an F‑35 Air Vehicle Depot in Canada. The partnership will create a joint executive steering committee that will define depot capabilities, workforce training programs, and sustainment solutions, allowing Canada to maintain its F‑35 fleet in‑country.
The deal builds on MAS, an L3Harris company, which was selected as Canada’s strategic partner for F‑35 sustainment in November 2024. The new depot will anchor an industrial framework of roughly 30 Canadian suppliers and is expected to generate about $3.2 million per jet across the global fleet of more than 1,325 aircraft. The partnership also supports Canada’s plan to purchase 88 F‑35s and strengthens the country’s high‑skill aerospace workforce.
MAS estimates that re‑tooling the depot’s infrastructure will cost at least $200 million, and the partnership is seeking government investment to cover these capital expenditures. The investment will create high‑skill jobs and deepen Canada’s defense manufacturing base, while providing L3Harris with a long‑term, high‑margin revenue stream tied to the life‑cycle of the F‑35 fleet.
For L3Harris, the agreement expands its footprint in the growing F‑35 sustainment market and reinforces its “Trusted Disruptor” strategy. The recurring revenue from depot operations is expected to boost the company’s earnings and support its 2026 guidance of $23 billion in revenue and low‑16% margins. The partnership also positions L3Harris to win similar contracts with other F‑35‑operating nations.
"Depot‑level sustainment means Canada’s aerospace workforce will perform the same advanced maintenance currently done in only a handful of locations worldwide. Our 40‑year fighter sustainment heritage, combined with Lockheed Martin’s 5th Generation expertise, makes this the right partnership at the right time," said Jason Lambert, President of L3Harris’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance segment.
The partnership comes at a time when the global F‑35 program is expanding, with more than 20 nations committed to acquiring over 3,500 aircraft. By establishing a Canadian depot, L3Harris and Lockheed Martin are positioning themselves at the center of a high‑value, long‑term sustainment ecosystem that will support the entire F‑35 fleet for decades.
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