Canada to buy Swedish surveillance plane over US models

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday that his government would not purchase early warning radar planes from the United States, opting instead for a European model.

Canada will purchase Swedish Saab's GlobalEye, which is based on the Canadian-manufactured Bombardier Global 6500 jet.

"With a suite of advanced sensors and mission systems, Saab's GlobalEye will be a key resource for the Canadian ‌Armed Forces to detect and ⁠deter ⁠threats across the Arctic," Carney told a defense conference in Ottawa.

The decision comes after Carney linked Canada to a major European Union defense fund last year, and as the Canadian prime minister has made a point of diversifying his country's military spending away from the United States.

Carney has also previously vowed to spend no more than 70 cents of every dollar of Canadian military capital spending to the United States.

The prime minister had pledged earlier this year that Canada would take full responsibility for protecting its vast Arctic territory, after decades of relying on a partnership with the US to monitor over 4.4 million square km (1.7 million square miles) of Canadian land and sea.

 "Saab's GlobalEye will be a key resource for the Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic," Carney said.

What is Saab's GlobalEye?

The Saab GlobalEye plane is equipped with a powerful radar. It provides situational awareness of aircraft and missile movements over hundreds of kilometers.

The plane can also detect hostile activity in the air or from ships and can direct fighter jets to their targets. Carney did not elaborate on the size of the fleet or the cost of a potential contract.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Saab said it planned to invest in research and development work in Canada as part of any deal.

Tensions between the US and Canada have been high since US President Donald Trump launched a trade war against the US' northern neighbor and even suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state, which caused widespread outrage in Canada, just as Carney was seeking the post of prime minister and succeeded in getting elected to it.

Since then, the Canadian government has also opted ot review the planned purchase of US F-35 fighter jets to explore other options.

Canada unveils its first defence industrial plan

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Edited by: Sean Sinico

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