WINNIPEG — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says opposition politicians are putting aerospace jobs and military lives in jeopardy by questioning the government's $16-billion purchase of new fighter jets.

"Their position here is playing politics with the lives of our men and women in uniform and the jobs of the people in this room," Harper told hundreds of employees Thursday at a Bristol Aerospace plant in Winnipeg.

The plant has secured a contract to manufacture composite assemblies for the tail section of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"We will not stand for it, and I'll tell you the industry across this country isn't going to stand for this kind of behaviour."

More than 3,000 F-35s are expected to be built by Lockheed Martin in a joint project by Canada, the United States and several other countries. In Canada, the jets will replace the aging CF-18s, which reach the end of their operational lifespan in 2020.

Although Canada is only intending to purchase 65 of the fighters, aerospace CEOs have said they will be able to bid on related contracts for all the planes.

But the opposition parties have said the price tag for the project has risen, and the final cost isn't guaranteed because the project was never put up for open bidding.

Liberal critic Marc Garneau wants the F-35s placed in competition with other possible replacement jets to ensure Canada gets the best deal.

Harper said a competition makes no sense, given that development of the F-35 is already underway.

"What are the Liberals and their friends in the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois seriously suggesting -- that after developing one aircraft, we'll go out and buy a second aircraft, so that we'll have two aircrafts for the price of one?"

The new single-engine fighter jets are expected to be delivered starting in 2016. In Canada, they will operate out of Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alta., and CFB Bagotville, Que.

The Liberals note the government has until 2013 to review the international jet-development deal before being subjected to penalties.