Canada's Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose (R) listens to Defence Minister Peter MacKay speak during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa December 12, 2012. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

OTTAWA - With billions of dollars at stake, the race is on in the aerospace industry to convince the feds there's more than one option to replace Canada's aging fleet of CF-18s.

Aerospace giant Boeing said Thursday it welcomed the news Ottawa had hit the reset button on the F-35 fighter jet procurement and would conduct a "full options analysis" into other planes on the market.

"We're certainly looking forward to receiving a request for information," said Mary Ann Brett, spokeswoman for the company's defence, space and security division.