After its Gripen-E fighter lost to the American F-35A Lightning II aircraft in Canada’s combat jet contest, Saab has now offered its GlobalEye AEW&CS aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), where it will compete against the US E-7 Wedgetail.
Saab officially designated the GlobalEye aircraft as a contender for Canada’s airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform requirement on May 28, the opening day of Canada’s Cansec Show, 2025.
GlobalEye is built on the Canadian-made Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet, which essentially means that it would not be a completely foreign platform for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
The Swedish manufacturer stated that its GlobalEye offer to Canada “combines the best of Swedish and Canadian expertise and quality to match the requirements of Canada’s acquisition program.” Additionally, the manufacturer has declared its intention to increase Global Eye manufacturing to four planes per year, if necessary.
“GlobalEye is a truly strategic asset — a multi-domain solution that delivers increased situational awareness and rapid response capability across air, maritime, and land domains,” said Saab deputy CEO Anders Carp, making a pitch to Ottawa. “With Bombardier’s world-class aircraft made right here in Canada, and Saab’s proven expertise in radar development and advanced surveillance technologies, we believe GlobalEye represents a unique opportunity to deliver unmatched capability while growing Canada’s aerospace and defense sectors.”
For its AEW&C capabilities, Canada currently relies on NATO allies, particularly the United States. It shares assets, such as the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet, which utilizes Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft.
However, the country has been on the lookout for a dedicated AEW&CS platform for some time, with plans to spend more than C$5 billion ($3.65 billion) on its acquisition.
According to reports, Canada has also been considering the E-7 Wedgetail, manufactured by US aviation manufacturer Boeing. NATO countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, are acquiring the E-7.
Earlier, the Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia (RUSI(NS)) exhorted the RCAF to acquire the E-7 Wedgetail, citing its proven capabilities, interoperability with US and NATO forces, and logistical synergies with the Boeing 737-based P-8 Poseidon, which Canada has already purchased for its surveillance needs.
Interestingly, Saab will once again face off against an American aircraft, two years after its Gripen-E fighter lost to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter.
The loss had disappointed Saab at the time, with the leadership complaining of unfair play. The Swedish manufacturer even attributed the F-35’s win over more affordable Gripen-E jets to US political influence. However, the circumstances have changed drastically since then.
The relationship between the US and Canada has soured since Donald Trump became President in January. He has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States, an offer Ottawa has declined on several occasions.
The two states have also been locked in a tariff battle. Trump initially announced a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, citing concerns over border security, fentanyl trafficking, and migration. Canada retaliated by imposing 25% counter-tariffs on $30 billion worth of US goods. It has since paused some of these tariffs, but the issue is far from resolved.
At one point, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was contemplating nixing the F-35 purchase due to uncertainties associated with buying American equipment. However, the Canadian government has not yet taken a formal decision.
Canada recently expressed interest in the US Golden Dome missile defense shield initiative, indicating its dependence on the US for air defense in the Arctic. However, US President Donald Trump recently said in a provocative post that Canada will have to pay $61 billion if it participates in the Golden Dome initiative as an independent state. He added that the participation would cost Canada “ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” adding, “They are considering the offer!”
The nature of this relationship has become very volatile and undulating. However, despite repeated attacks on its sovereignty by Trump, Ottawa remains dependent on the US for its air defense needs via the NORAD partnership. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint US-Canadian military organization responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America.
While the bilateral relationship is on a downward spiral, it may still not be easy for Saab to overpower Boeing in the Canadian AEW&CS contest.
GlobalEye Has A Shot
Saab has described the GlobalEye as a sophisticated, multi-domain AEW&C system that offers long-range object detection and identification on land, at sea, and in the air, utilizing a variety of active and passive sensors. The GlobalEye facilitates improved situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early threat detection by providing units in the Air Force, Army, and Navy access to real-time information.
The GlobalEye system integrates Saab’s Erieye Extended Range radar, installed atop the fuselage of the Bombardier Global 6000 long-range business jet. This aircraft is classified as an AEW&C by Saab, but it can also do land and sea surveillance thanks to the FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) Systems Safire electro-optical system and Leonardo Seaspray 7500E radar, which are mounted in pods underneath the fuselage.
The aircraft could be ideal for Canada, as it is built on the Canadian-made Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet, offering over 11 hours of endurance, high-altitude performance, and the ability to operate from smaller airfields, which may be particularly suitable for Canada’s northern regions.
GlobalEye provides real-time air, sea, and land surveillance across 350 nautical miles (650 km) by integrating Saab’s Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar, maritime surveillance radar, and a multi-domain Command and Control (C2) system. Additionally, the system enables ground moving target indication (GMTI) and can identify small targets, such as drones.
If Canada prioritises independence from the United States amid tensions, the GlobalEye would prove to be an ideal platform, given that it is independent from US-controlled logistics and networks.
Moreover, with this offer, Saab has emphasized economic benefits, including high-value job creation and integration of Canadian companies into its global supply chain. On the contrary, the E-7 Wedgetail does not have an industrial connection with Canada and is unlikely to bring any real or long-term economic benefits.
The E-7 will be operated by the US, the UK, and Australia—three of the Five Eyes allies, which include Canada and New Zealand. However, it is more costly to operate when assessed against the Swedish GlobalEye.
For Saab, the Global Eye has been a saving grace for its plummeting reputation after its Gripen-E failed to make a mark in the export market. The development of the GlobalEye has allowed Saab to re-enter the global AEW market, building on the success of its previous Erieye-equipped regional airliners, the Saab 340, 2000, and Embraer 145. The GlobalEye has been purchased by the United Arab Emirates and the Swedish Air Force.
At one point, Saab was trying to sell the Global Eye to NATO countries looking to replace their E-3 Sentry aircraft. In February 2023, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency requested information from Saab regarding the replacement of its current fleet of E-3 Sentry aircraft. However, NATO decided to acquire the E-7 Wedgetail in November 2023.
Despite the failures, the manufacturer remains optimistic that customers will eventually line up. Tomas Lundin, head of sales and marketing for Saab’s Airborne Early Warning and Control platforms, said in November 2023 that “there is confidence about securing more sales…We are confident because the GlobalEye exists, it is in operation, it is the latest technology available, and it is under contract, and we are building and flying it — it is not something on a PowerPoint slide,” Lundin added.
It remains to be seen whether Saab can successfully persuade Canada to give the GlobalEye a shot this time.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555(at)gmail.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
