The RCAF's Next Generation Fighter (CF-188 Replacement)

[Furniture]

To purchase only 16 IMO would invite nothing but trouble. I am no expert on foreign relations - would the US government ban sale of spare parts to Canada? Would the USAF be told not to train Canadian pilots?
Elbows up does have consequences.

That would kill sales to other countries, as they would start questioning if they were next.

LM will likely try to sweeten the pot, not threaten us, to get us to buy more.

 

[Rainbow1910]

The threats continue...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/norad-canada-us-f35-9.7059800

"Ambassador Hoekstra describes the current defence relationship as "awesome," but says such interventions by the U.S. military over Canada would increase if Canada does not increase its purchase of F-35s beyond the 16 currently on order. "

As much as I loathe Hoekstra generally and his typical inflammatory rhetoric specifically, he is sadly right in this scenario. If the Canadian Govt adopts the Gripen over the F-35, NORAD will be weaker and less advanced as a whole, requiring the US to step in and fill the gap with likely more F-35/next gen platforms. The Gripen is an inferior product versus the F-35, and its adoption would be a sizable integration/interoperability hurdle for NORAD compared to the F-35. Gripen is adequate currently and in the short term for NORAD uses, but it's a waste of resources in the medium and long term, or even if we do expeditionary work in the short term.

 

[Furniture]

As much as I loathe Hoekstra generally and his typical inflammatory rhetoric specifically, he is sadly right in this scenario. If the Canadian Govt adopts the Gripen over the F-35, NORAD will be weaker and less advanced as a whole, requiring the US to step in and fill the gap with likely more F-35/next gen platforms. The Gripen is an inferior product versus the F-35, and its adoption would be a sizable integration/interoperability hurdle for NORAD compared to the F-35. Gripen is adequate currently and in the short term for NORAD uses, but it's a waste of resources in the medium and long term, or even if we do expeditionary work in the short term.

I think his meaning was far less complex that interoperability. If Canada doesn't buy enough fighters, the USAF will conduct more intercepts over Canada, because we won't have enough jets available.

As for interoperability, @Good2Golf already mentioned the Rafale integrated with the USN without issues, so I suspect the "interoperability issues" with the Gripen WRT NORAD is more a marketing thing than a reality.