Bombardier Global 6500 Becomes Canada's Radar Plane

According to Simple Flying, Canada's Department of National Defense brokered a joint-production deal in May between Bombardier and Sweden's Saab to build the Royal Canadian Air Force's next airborne early warning and control aircraft. The GlobalEye will pair Saab's Erieye Extended Range radar with a Bombardier Global 6500 jet.

The pick came despite pressure from Washington to buy Boeing's E-7 Wedgetail, which even the US Air Force hasn't purchased for itself. Prime Minister Mark Carney has described the decision as a deliberate pivot away from American defense contractors.

Canada aims to raise the share of military spending going to domestic contractors from roughly 30% today to 70% by 2035. That target applies to future procurement across the board.

The Global 6500 is assembled in Toronto and finished in Montreal. Under the preliminary framework, future planes will be built and militarized in Canada. Bombardier Defense is negotiating to lead the modification work with Saab's guidance.

Cost is a deciding factor. The E-7's unit price has climbed past $724 million before training and sustainment. The GlobalEye is priced at $350 to $500 million per aircraft, allowing Canada to plan for six of them instead of a smaller fleet.

The GlobalEye is built for Canada's geography. It can operate from short, less-prepared runways in extreme cold, important for remote Arctic forward operating locations. The Global 6500's Rolls-Royce Pearl engines cut fuel use by 13% compared with legacy jets in its class and provide up to 12 hours of unrefueled flight, covering about 6,600 nautical miles. Its radar tracks targets out to 350 nautical miles.

The E-7 has had a troubled history: Australia's fleet faced integration delays, software glitches, and cost overruns. Boeing's 737 production line is backlogged, and the company's defense division has lost billions on fixed-price contracts. Going with the GlobalEye avoids those industrial bottlenecks.

The choice comes down to efficiency, reliability, and supply chain security.

The project is expected to support around 3,000 jobs in Quebec and Ontario. Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits policy guarantees that at least one-third of GlobalEye production over the next 15 years, including potential foreign orders, will be Canadian-built.

Bombardier CEO Éric Martel is pushing for a larger share of the manufacturing workflow and has entered advanced negotiations with Saab to localize assembly. Bombardier is scouting domestic sites for a dedicated military modification facility.

The decision may also shape Canada's fighter fleet. The Carney administration is considering a joint production deal with Saab for JAS-39 Gripen E jets, which would rely on a domestic assembly line similar to the GlobalEye. Speculation points to a mixed fleet of F-35As and Gripens, possibly totaling over 100 aircraft.

On the international stage, the GlobalEye is gaining traction. NATO selected it in July 2026 to replace its Boeing E-3 Sentry fleet, with up to 10 aircraft pooled among 11 nations. France plans to buy two, and the United Arab Emirates has flown five for over six years.

Integration with NORAD networks isn't proven yet, but the platform is designed to defend the northern approaches against modern threats like cruise missiles and drone swarms. The deal signals a broader shift in Canadian defense procurement: prioritize domestic industry and cost efficiency over reliance on US systems.

• Boeing
• Bombardier
• GlobalEye
• Mark Carney
• Royal Canadian Air Force
• Saab