OTTAWA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Canada has finalized a deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin Corp in a C$19 billion ($14.2 billion) project to replace its aging fleet of fighter aircraft, the Canadian government said on Monday.

Canada expects first F-35s to be delivered in 2026 and the fleet's full operational capability is anticipated between 2032 and 2034.

The purchase would mark the largest investment in the Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years. ($1 = 1.3404 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Steve Scherer in Ottawa)