Ottawa is trying to modernize its military, strengthen its industry and forge closer ties to Europe with its surprise airborne early warning and control pick.
Canadian industry will build one-third of the future export orders for the Saab Global Eye on a local assembly line, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on May 27.
Canada plans to acquire the Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft to upgrade the country’s air warfare capability and bolster Bombardier as the aircraft supplier.
Saab says it has received an SEK12.3 billion ($1.3 billion) contract from France to finalize Paris’ purchase of two GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft.
NATO seeks alternative airborne early warning platforms after the U.S. withdrawal from the E-7 Support Partnership collapsed the alliance’s E-7 acquisition.
Germany says it is considering acquiring Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft as part of its involvement in the NATO program to replace Boeing E-3s.
Saab and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have signed an agreement on airborne early warning (AEW) technology transfer, centered around the GlobalEye platform.
Saab has proposed a Nordic pooling and sharing initiative for the operation of Sweden’s planned future fleet of GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft.