North American appetite for European AEW&C aircraft bolstered as Canada picks GlobalEye
The Canadian government has revealed plans to acquire Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft. (Photo: Saab)
Canada’s selection of Saab’s GlobalEye to fulfil its airborne early warning requirements draws the country closer to European industry over American-made platforms, snubbing Boeing and L3Harris.
The competition and appetite for airborne early-warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in North America has increased in the past week, with Canada officially selecting Saab’s GlobalEye platform as its preferred supplier after the US U-turned earlier this month on its AEW&C selection of Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail.
On 27 May, Canada’s Defence Investment Agency confirmed it would enter discussions with Saab as its preferred AEW&C capability supplier – seeming to finalise a much sought-after programme requirement and side-lining competitors L3Harris and Boeing.
On the same day, Saab and CAE also announced the expansion of their partnership to support the Canadian AEW&C programme, signing a teaming
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Spain air focus: Mature UAV market rewards early supplier engagement]()
Spain air focus: Mature UAV market rewards early supplier engagement
Spain accounts for 5% of European military UAV spending, broadly in line with its share of the continent’s wider defence market. What sets the country apart, however, is how much of that spending has already been committed, reflecting Spain's earlier adoption of the capability.
-
![New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition]()
New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition
The US$234 million award for 16 Sikorsky UH-60Ms preserves near-term production, but funding uncertainty and an undefinitised contract leave the US Army’s long-term Black Hawk requirements unresolved.
-
![V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal]()
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
![AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics]()
AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
