Boeing was feeling a bit brave with our potential 18 Advanced Super Hornet order and the U.S.'s current desire to renegotiate NAFTA and other trade agreements. Little did they know that they just handed the Liberal Government a way out of the mess they created while opposing the F-35 buy during the last election. They purposefully created a perviously non-existent capability 'gap' and used the SH interim buy to be seen as keeping their election promise of not buying the F-35. In a competition, the F-35 is arguably still the front runner especially as our allies are buying and the per unit cost is falling. Even the Germans are now looking at the F-35. So Boeing your best best is to back away slowly before high tailing it. Otherwise Lougheed Martin may yet win the day.