A model F-35 sits in a place of prominence on the corner of Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny’s desk. The miniature grey aircraft is propped in the air by a plastic stand as if it is flying, and Royal Canadian Air Force markings are visible on its wings.
Displaying such a model inside National Defence Headquarters, let alone on the desk of Canada’s Air Force commander, was strictly verboten before the Trudeau government officially committed to buying the plane last month.
With the decision made, Kenny is now able to do more than display a model on his desk. He can also speak openly about the Air Force’s plan to transition from its aging CF-18s to the F-35, part of what he describes as a larger leap into a new age for the organization….