# Canada Pauses Black Hawk Acquisition

Canada has paused its planned acquisition of 16 U.S.-made UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for special operations forces, which were intended to replace the aging CH-146 Griffon fleet. The pause is tied to Ottawa’s review of U.S. military purchases amid trade and diplomatic tensions; the purchase also lacked a competitive bidding process. Canada has emphasized developing domestic defense production, leaving the helicopter requirement uncertain and the stated Arctic operational capability gap unresolved. The government is also reviewing its planned F-35 purchase, a separate program in which it has committed to 16 aircraft and ordered parts for more than a dozen others.

- Contractors should treat the Black Hawk requirement as paused, not as an active solicitation. A future competition or revised sourcing approach has not been announced.
- Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin face uncertainty around this planned sale; other suppliers may have an opening if Canada reconsiders the requirement or pursues alternatives.
- Canadian defense suppliers and prospective bidders should assess whether domestic production priorities could shape a revised procurement strategy.
- The separate F-35 review signals broader uncertainty for U.S.-origin defense procurement in Canada, but the signals do not report a final decision on that program.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 14, 2026

### Government Entities
- Government of Canada
- Department of National Defence (DND)
- Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)

### Vendors
- Sikorsky (Black Hawk helicopter manufacturer)
- Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky parent company; Black Hawk foreign military sales support)

### Sources
- [Trade tensions prompt Ottawa to pause Black Hawk helicopter acquisition for special forces](https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/news/trade-tensions-prompt-ottawa-to-pause-black-hawk-helicopter-acquisition-for-special-forces) - https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/
- [Black Hawk down: Trump's trade war pauses Canadian helicopter deal | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/black-hawks-us-military-canada-helicopter-deal-9.7378775) - CBC
- [Canada suspends purchase of 16 Black Hawks for special forces — CBC | UA.NEWS](https://ua.news/en/world/kanada-prizupinila-zakupivliu-16-black-hawk-dlia-spetspriznachentsiv-cbc) - UA.NEWS