Leaked Canadian Scorecard Shows F-35 Dominating Gripen in Fighter Evaluation

Leaked Canadian scorecards show the F-35 crushing the Gripen on combat capability, yet Ottawa is still weighing a mixed buy.

Story Highlights

Internal rankings reported by Canadian media put the F-35 far ahead of the Gripen on capability.
Mission performance and upgradability gaps were especially large in favor of the F-35.
Saab says Gripen met or exceeded Canada’s core requirements despite the leaked scores.
Ottawa is reviewing options, including a split fleet that adds Gripens alongside F-35s.

What The Leaked Scores Show

Radio-Canada reporting described an internal Department of National Defence ranking that scored the Lockheed Martin F-35A at 57.1 out of 60 points for overall military capability, or about 95 percent, while Saab’s Gripen E scored 19.8 out of 60, or about 33 percent. Coverage based on the same leak said the F-35 led across major categories, including mission performance, upgradability, and sustainment. The result was framed by Canadian outlets as a decisive F-35 win in the 2021 fighter evaluation.

Follow-on summaries highlighted the largest gaps in mission performance and future growth. The F-35 reportedly achieved near-perfect marks for upgradability and scored far higher on mission execution against modern threats, while sustainment scores were closer but still favored the F-35. These figures align with Canada’s priority needs in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Aerospace Defense Command missions, where sensors, data fusion, and low observability weigh heavily.

Why Ottawa Hasn’t Closed The Door On Gripen

Despite the capability gap in the leaked tables, the Canadian government continues to test alternatives that speak to cost, jobs, and sovereignty. Reports say policymakers are reviewing a split-fleet idea that would reduce the F-35 order and add Saab Gripen aircraft to expand total numbers or hedge industrial risk. Such reviews are common in fighter buys, where operational power must be balanced against lifetime cost, domestic industry, and political leverage with allies.

Saab has pressed that point. The company says Gripen met or exceeded the strict Canadian requirements for capability, interoperability, and security in 2021 and argues it remains a strong fit for Canada. Public analyses sympathetic to Gripen claim lower hourly operating costs and cheaper maintenance could produce more flying hours and help pilot retention, though those figures vary by source and assumptions. These claims keep cost and sovereignty in the public debate alongside raw combat performance.

What This Means For Allied Security And Taxpayers

Canada’s choice affects more than one air wing. Interoperability with United States forces, NATO mission planning, and North American air defense all favor common platforms and shared data standards. The leaked evaluation numbers reinforce that the F-35 better matched Canada’s combat scenarios as tested, which supports deeper integration in coalition operations. But a split buy could broaden industrial benefits at home while adding training and maintenance complexity for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The US wants Canada to buy the F-35 because it is NORAD certified and uses the same communication links as American F35. The Gripen is NOT certified for NORAD.

It costs more to add "NORAD 2-EYE" to Gripens. That's why Typhoon and Rafale didnt even try to compete for the next…

— DtCarruthers (@dt_carruthers) September 13, 2026

For citizens on both sides of the aisle, the process feeds a familiar worry: big programs drift, costs rise, and decisions stretch on while threats grow. The capability data points to one answer, yet the file remains open years later. That tension signals a system where politics, procurement rules, and interest groups can outweigh clear test results. Full release of the 2021 scoring worksheets would help the public see how mission needs, cost, and industry were weighted in the final call.