Boeing Back in Contention for Canadian Fighter Jet Procurement

US aerospace giant Boeing Co. has been approved to participate in a bid to replace Canada’s aging F-18 fleet, despite an earlier trade dispute between the American manufacturer and Ottawa.

A senior Canadian official said on Thursday that Boeing stands an equal chance with other bidders in a race to supply Canada with 88 new fighter jets, ignoring the current dispute.

The announcement came a month after the US International Trade Commission rejected a complaint filed by Boeing against its Canadian rival Bombardier, demanding nearly 300 percent anti-dumping duties on the C Series passenger plane.

Boeing, which makes the Super Hornet, is one of five manufacturers invited to submit proposals in spring 2019 for an order of 88 advanced fighter jets, which are to be delivered in 2025, according to a Canadian government statement.

The other manufacturers are US-based Lockheed Martin (F35), France's Dassault (Rafale), the Airbus group (Eurofighter Typhoon), and Sweden's Saab (Gripen).

Canada is due to release the exact specifications for the jets next year. Officials say the deal is worth between C$15 billion ($11.80 billion) and C$19 billion.