Canada Chooses Swedish Spy Planes

Canada Selects Swedish Surveillance Aircraft

Canada's Royal Canadian Air Force announced Wednesday its decision to acquire a fleet of Swedish military surveillance aircraft from Saab, opting against U.S. suppliers.

This procurement aligns with Prime Minister Mark Carney's stated objective to diversify Canada's defense spending away from the United States, following an increase in military expenditure to meet NATO's 2% GDP target. The selection of the Saab GlobalEye, based on a Canadian executive jet, occurred during a defense industry trade show in Ottawa.

The acquisition is part of a broader strategy to bolster Canada's domestic defense industry. Approximately 3,000 Canadian workers are expected to be involved in the GlobalEye production, with about one-third of the aircraft fleet manufactured within Canada.

The project has an allocated budget exceeding 5 billion Canadian dollars ($3.6 billion), though the exact number of aircraft was not disclosed. This move follows Canada's review of its commitment to purchase up to 88 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S., with a potential shift to Saab's Gripen fighter jet also under consideration.

The decision has drawn a response from the U.S., with Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby expressing dissatisfaction over Canada's defense commitments and suspending the Permanent Joint Board on Defense. Despite this, Prime Minister Carney dismissed the suspension's significance, noting the group had not met since 2024 and emphasizing ongoing close defense cooperation with the U.S. Canada aims to spend 3.5% of its GDP annually on defense by 2035.