What Happened
Ottawa Selects Swedish System Over US Alternatives For Future Surveillance Fleet
Canada has entered negotiations to acquire Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, selecting the Swedish system over US alternatives for a future Royal Canadian Air Force surveillance fleet. The partnership is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs in the Canadian aerospace and defense sector, with at least one-third of the projected fleet to be manufactured in Canada. The decision moves Canada away from the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail and fits into a broader push to reduce reliance on US defense suppliers. According to AeroTime, the GlobalEye decision also aligns with Canada’s 2024 defense policy, which emphasized the need for airborne early warning aircraft to detect aircraft and missiles at long range.