Canada to restart search for fighters, may still buy F-35

OTTAWA Dec 12 (Reuters) - Canada said on Wednesday it would restart its search for new fighter jets and could still choose Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35, which in 2010 Ottawa said it would buy before backtracking as cost estimates soared.

Government sources said the main contenders for fighter jets were the F-35s, Boeing Co's F-18 Super Hornet and the EADS Eurofighter. Officials said Ottawa was considering ways of extending the service life of the existing CF-18 fleet in the mean time.