Bilingual “RCAF – ARC” lettering on the intakes, a Canadian roundel beside it and a low-visibility Canadian flag on the tail: the first F-35A built for Canada flew with its national identity already painted on. The jet, which will carry the designation CF-35A in Royal Canadian Air Force service, made its maiden flight on Sept. 23, 2026, from Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
The RCAF confirmed the flight test but issued no statement or press release, according to Skies Magazine. Lockheed Martin Canada marked the day with a one-line post on X: “The first CF-35A took to the skies for the first time today.”
Skies Magazine’s Sept. 23 report on the flight states that “the first CF-35A Lightning II completed its maiden flight Sept. 23 from Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas,” and that the jet carried Canadian markings and insignia. The magazine describes the CF-35A as “the largest procurement in RCAF history.”
AR-1 in the air
The aviation site The Aviationist, whose photographers covered the flight, identified the jet by its construction number. “The aircraft, construction number AR-1, will be designated as CF-35A in service with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF),” its Sept. 23 account states. The fighter flew with an F-35C as safety chase and landed after a 90-minute test flight, according to the same report, which places the takeoff and landing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.
The paint was complete for a first flight. “The aircraft has already received its full markings and insignia which are similar to the ones already used by the CF-188 Hornet,” The Aviationist reported, listing the RCAF – ARC (Royal Canadian Air Force – Aviation Royale Canadienne) lettering and roundel on the intakes, “Canada” behind the cockpit and the low-visibility flag on the tail.
First stop: Luke Air Force Base, not Canada
AR-1 is not headed north yet. Canada’s Department of National Defence, on its Future Fighter Capability Project page, states that “the first eight aircraft will be located at the F-35A Pilot Training Center in Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, to enable the training of Royal Canadian Air Force pilots,” and that “the first aircraft will arrive in Canada in 2028.” The department is preparing facilities at 4 Wing Cold Lake and 3 Wing Bagotville to receive them.
Skies reported that the RCAF has already established its first CF-35A training squadron at Luke, that maintenance technicians are expected to begin learning the aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and that initial operational capability for a CF-35A squadron is anticipated in 2029–2030. The Aviationist reported that Canada expects the first F-35 to be delivered by the end of 2026.
88 announced, 16 ordered so far
The fleet size depends on which number is cited. Lockheed Martin’s Jan. 9, 2023 release announced that the Royal Canadian Air Force would receive 88 F-35A fighters, and the Department of National Defence page still states that “Canada will purchase 88 advanced fighter aircraft.” Skies reported on Sept. 23, 2026, that “Canada has ordered 16 F-35s and begun payments on components for 14 more.” The federal government ordered a review of the purchase in March 2025; Skies reported that its results have not been made public.
Lockheed Martin presents the program in its own terms. On its F-35 Canada page, the company calls the F-35A “the best value solution for replacing the CF-18 fleet,” says more than 110 Canadian companies have contributed to the F-35 supply chain, and states that the program “will generate more than C$15.5B in industrial value for Canada through 2058.” Those are the manufacturer’s figures, not a government audit.
The verified record as of Sept. 23 is narrower and concrete: one CF-35A, AR-1, in full RCAF markings, flown for about 90 minutes over Fort Worth. Its next step, per the Department of National Defence, is the pilot training center at Luke, with the first aircraft due on Canadian soil in 2028.
Top image: Norway’s first F-35A, AM-1, on a test flight from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant; no photo of Canada’s first CF-35A is yet available under an open licence. Image Credit: Kaszynzki, Lockheed Martin — CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Combat Rated editors prior to publication.