The Canadian Armed Forces have offered the government a contract to purchase American-made Lockheed Martin HIMARS missile systems, despite strained relations with the Donald Trump administration.

The US president’s recent statements about imposing tariffs on Canadian goods and even about possibly annexing Canada as the “51st state” have experts questioning the rationality of such a move.

Defense industry officials say the army is offering Justin Trudeau’s government the opportunity to buy HIMARS directly from the US through a Foreign Military Sale. The missile systems, which are used in the war in Ukraine, are currently being discussed as a key acquisition for the Canadian military.

However, defense analysts and Canadian defense industry officials are concerned about Canada’s reliance on US technology. The US has complete control over the software and upgrades for most weapons systems sold to Canada, including the HIMARS missile systems.

A spokesman for Canada's Ministry of Defence said the government makes decisions based on national security priorities, but added that "we are closely monitoring the US trade situation and assessing potential risks to ongoing projects."

Canada spent about $30 billion in 2023 on purchasing US military equipment, hoping to improve relations with the US administration. Despite this, Trump's criticism of Canada has not stopped.

Experts believe that the current strategy of the Canadian military leadership is short-sighted, ignoring the real threats of political and economic consequences. Canada needs to assess the risks associated with dependence on American technology and decisions of the administration, whose policies remain unpredictable and potentially dangerous to the country's national interests.