Wings held its Canadian Air Defence Week from May 26 to 30, 2025, to provide essential information about the sector and breaking news from the annual CANSEC defence show taking place in Ottawa from May 28 to 29.

CANSEC proved to be another significant show, noticeably busier than years past, with high-profile speakers sharing insight into the near future of defence for Canada, North America and the world. This included a keynote session from Canada’s Defence Minister, David McGuinty, who said the federal government will take “immediate and decisive action” to rebuild Canada’s military. The statement comes just a few weeks before representatives of NATO nations meet in The Hague where they are expected to hike the alliance’s defence spending target for members.

CANSEC also served as the backdrop for the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lieutenant General Eric Kenny, to unveil the liveries and designations for the fleets of aircraft that will be serving with the RCAF in the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. FAcT is a massive undertaking led by SkyAlyne, a CAE and KF Aerospace partnership, that will shape Canadian aviation over decades.

Canada’s Future Fighter program, currently building around the F-35, will also influence the direction of Canadian aviation. If you haven’t read it yet, check out our feature story by Billie Flynn, a former Lockheed Martin senior test pilot and RCAF combat commander, who shares critical insight on the best path forward for Canada and its F-35 program.