Ottawa Signs Tentative Deal With Swedish Firm Saab for Six Surveillance Jets

A replica of a Saab Gripen multirole fighter aircraft is shown at the Cansec annual defence industry trade show in Ottawa on May 28, 2026. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Ottawa has announced a preliminary agreement to purchase six advanced radar planes that would be manufactured in Canada through a partnership between Swedish firm Saab and Canadian aerospace company Bombardier.

The non-binding deal with Saab establishes a foundation for final negotiations in the purchase of GlobalEye detection aircraft as well as determining a manufacturing timeline, the government said in a Sept. 25 press release.

While the agreement “does not constitute a contract or commitment to procure aircraft,” it demonstrates progress in efforts to acquire the GlobalEye platform, the government said.

Ottawa did not specify a specific timeline to finalize the deal or offer information about the end cost, but said future negotiations will focus on a “Canadian configuration and development program” that aims to meet Canada’s requirements.

“Entering into this agreement is an important and tangible step forward in our ongoing efforts to equip the Royal Canadian Air Force with the modern capabilities it needs to support operations,” Defence Minister David McGuinty said in the release. “By engaging early with industry we can tap into their expertise, innovation, and experience, while supporting key pillars of the Defence Industrial Strategy.”

Ottawa is also working with Saab to ensure that aircraft for Canada are manufactured and militarized domestically. So far, NATO, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates are all current or prospective customers for the Saab GlobalEye.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in May that Canada had chosen Saab as its preferred contractor for airborne early warning and control planes. He said that the selection does not obligate Ottawa to actually purchase the platform.

Saab’s aircraft fleet specializes in threat detection and long-distance tracking of enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones. The technology delivers what  the military calls airborne early warning and control (AEWC) capability.

The Opposition Conservatives have submitted a formal letter to both the  auditor general and parliamentary budget officer, urging them to explore whether the government followed proper protocol when choosing the Saab platform.

The Conservatives party said in a statement last week that the government should confirm it did its due diligence before proceeding with Saab.

“Canadians deserve to know if politicians, Liberal staffers, and bureaucrats were putting political decisions ahead of national security, defence and operational readiness,” Conservative defence critic James Bezan said.

The development comes as Carney’s government continues its review of Canada’s planned acquisition of 88 F-35 stealth fighter jets.

The Liberal government announced in 2023 its decision to purchase 88 F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin at a cost of about US$85 million each to replace Canada’s aging CF-18 Hornet fleet. Canada is legally committed under the contract to purchasing the first 16 aircraft, but may not purchase the remaining jets, depending on the results of the review ordered by Carney last year following trade tensions with the United States.

The review was initially expected to be finalized by the end of September 2025, but the government has continued to describe it as ongoing.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.