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Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses Cansec 2026 where he announced the Global Eye selection.
OTTAWA—The Canadian government plans to acquire the Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to upgrade the country’s air warfare capability and bolster Bombardier as the aircraft supplier, Prime Minister Mark Carney said May 27.
The government is now in talks with Saab as the preferred supplier for six GlobalEye aircraft, which is based on the Toronto-built Bombardier Global 6500 business jet and the Saab Erieye Extended Range radar. Carney disclosed the news as he delivered a surprise keynote speech on the opening day of the Cansec defense trade exhibition.
The decision comes as the Canadian government continues a lengthy, year-long review of whether to continue buying only Lockheed Martin F-35As or switch to a mixed-fleet that includes the Saab F-39A Gripen. The latter is already integrated with the GlobalEye’s mission systems, but it was not immediately clear how the Swedish AEW&C acquisition could influence the pending decision on whether to buy a mixed fleet of fighters.
Speaking to reporters after his keynote address, Carney waved off a question about whether the GlobalEye acquisition could be tied to the outcome of the fighter review, saying that he is not involved in the details of the review process.
“Saab’s GoldenEye will be a key resource for the Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic,” Carney said in his keynote.
Saab CEO Micael Johansson said he welcomed the Canadian selection of the GlobalEye.
“GlobalEye offers proven capability for the Royal Canadian Air Force, sovereign ownership for Canada and comprehensive and skilled work for Canadian industry,” Johansson said.
The government announcement offered no timetable for finalizing a contract with Saab. The selection represents a huge acceleration compared to the program’s original selection timeline. As late as December, the Canadian government released plans to start defining requirements in 2032 and complete initial deliveries in 2037 or 2038.
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