OTTAWA : Sweden’s defence manufacturer Saab has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Canadian government offering a combined fleet of 72 Gripen multirole fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, a package the company says could support up to 12,600 Canadian jobs. The offer, reported by CBC News on January 14, 2026, comes as Ottawa reassesses the scale and structure of its future combat aircraft fleet amid rising defence spending and growing scrutiny of industrial benefits.
The proposal enters a policy environment in which Canada is reviewing its 2022 commitment to purchase 88 F-35 Lightning II aircraft. While the first 16 F-35s are expected to begin arriving this year, the remainder of the order is under review, with no final decision yet on whether the full fleet will be maintained, reduced or complemented by another platform.
A Combined Operational Concept
Saab has framed its offer around the operational pairing of the Gripen fighter with the GlobalEye surveillance aircraft. The company argues that the two platforms are designed to work together, combining frontline interception and strike capability with long-range airborne surveillance and command-and-control.
The Gripen E is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter capable of speeds approaching Mach 2. It is equipped with the Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array radar, an infrared search and track system, and networked avionics that allow sensor and targeting data to be shared across units in near real time. Saab says this architecture enhances situational awareness and coordination, particularly when operating alongside airborne surveillance platforms and allied forces.
Designed for dispersed operations, the Gripen can operate from shorter or austere runways and emphasizes rapid turnaround through a streamlined logistics concept. With up to ten external hardpoints, it can carry a wide range of NATO-standard weapons, enabling air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship missions across Canada’s vast geographic areas.
Filling a Surveillance Gap
Central to Saab’s proposal is the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control platform, which the company describes as a capability Canada currently lacks. Built on the Bombardier Global 6500, the GlobalEye integrates the Erieye ER radar mounted along the fuselage, providing long-range detection of airborne and surface targets at distances of roughly 450 kilometres or more when operating at altitude.
With an endurance of around eleven hours, the aircraft is designed to provide persistent surveillance over large areas. In addition to its primary early warning radar, the GlobalEye carries a Seaspray 7500E maritime surveillance radar and a multi-sensor suite capable of simultaneously monitoring air, sea and land domains. Saab has highlighted the platform’s relevance for Canada’s northern and maritime approaches, where ground-based radar coverage is limited by terrain and the curvature of the Earth.
Industrial Impact and Domestic Production
Saab has placed strong emphasis on the industrial dimension of its offer, stating that the projected 12,600 jobs depend on the acquisition of both the Gripen and GlobalEye fleets. The company has clarified that earlier public references to approximately 10,000 jobs did not specify the number of aircraft required to reach that figure.
Under the proposal, Gripen aircraft for Canada would be assembled, integrated, tested and sustained domestically, with production and support facilities planned in Ontario and Quebec. Saab has identified Canadian partners including IMP Aerospace, GE Aviation, CAE, and Peraton as part of a nationwide supplier network.
GlobalEye aircraft would be produced in partnership with Bombardier, anchoring a significant portion of the program within Canada’s aerospace sector. Saab has argued that domestic production would give Canada greater control over sustainment, upgrades, and supply chains, potentially reducing long-term dependence on foreign suppliers.
Competing Visions for Canada’s Air Force
The Saab proposal is being weighed against Canada’s existing F-35 plan. Lockheed Martin has said that maintaining the full 88-aircraft F-35 order would generate about $15 billion in industrial work for Canada over the life of the program. Discussions between Lockheed Martin and the Canadian government are continuing as officials assess the credibility and durability of industrial commitments from both sides.
Defence planners have also raised practical concerns about operating a mixed fighter fleet, including the costs and complexity of training, sustainment, and integration. Questions remain over how a Gripen fleet would integrate with NORAD systems if Canada were to operate fewer F-35s, given the latter’s role in allied stealth and sensor networks.
Political and Public Context
The reassessment is taking place as Canadian defence spending is projected to increase by roughly $82 billion over the next five years. In Ottawa, the appointment of Christiane Fox as deputy minister at the Department of National Defence has been interpreted as a sign of heightened scrutiny over procurement decisions and their economic impact.
Public opinion has added another layer to the debate. An Ekos survey cited in recent discussions found 43 percent national support for acquiring a Gripen fleet, with 29 percent favouring a mixed Gripen–F-35 force and 13 percent backing an all-F-35 option. Support for Gripen-only peaked in British Columbia, while Quebec showed the strongest backing for a mixed fleet, underscoring regional and partisan divisions over the issue.
Decision Still Open
Although Canada formally selected the F-35 in 2023 after a competition that evaluated capability, cost, and economic benefits, Saab’s latest proposal highlights how shifting fiscal pressures, industrial priorities, and strategic considerations continue to influence the debate. As Ottawa weighs operational requirements against domestic economic returns, the decision over what aircraft Canada flies — and where they are built — remains unresolved.
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