Boeing keeps Bombardier in its sights

OTTAWA — Boeing has weighed in on the federal government’s plan to buy second-hand fighter jets from Australia, saying it respects the decision but has no intention of abandoning its trade dispute with Canadian rival Bombardier.

The U.S. aerospace giant was primed to sell 18 of its Super Hornet fighters at an estimated cost of $6 billion to temporarily augment Canada’s fleet of aging CF-18s until they can be replaced.

But the government is scrapping that plan over Boeing’s fight with Bombardier and will announce next week its plan to buy used F-18s from Australia.

Boeing, silent in recent weeks as talk of the Australian fighters heated up in Ottawa, broke its silence Friday in a carefully worded statement.

Citing media reports that the government would choose the used jets, Boeing said it “respects the Canadian government’s decision” and will continue to look for ways to work with Canada.

“Although we will not have the opportunity to grow our supply base, industrial partnerships and jobs in Canada the way we would if Canada purchased new Super Hornets,” the company said, “we will continue to look to find productive ways to work together in the future.”

But Boeing also made clear that it had no intention of dropping its dispute with Montrealbased Bombardier, which it accuses of having broken trade rules when it sold dozens of C-Series passenger planes to a U.S. airline. “Our commitment to creating a level playing field in aerospace remains,” it said.