Canada’s purchase of 88 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 fighter jets will cost far more than projected, and the country faces a potential shortage of qualified pilots to fly them, a government audit has found.

Canada’s acquisition of 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) is shaping up to be significantly more expensive than originally projected, with additional concerns raised about pilot shortages and delays in preparing the necessary infrastructure,

Canada's planned purchase of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters will cost at least 45% more than initially estimated and the project is also threatened by a pilot shortage, the country's top watchdog reported on Tuesday.