Canada’s Next-Gen Spy Planes Won’t Be Coming From The USA

Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced in May 2026 that the nation’s next-gen spy planes will no longer come from the United States. Instead of purchasing aircraft from Boeing, the nation has decided to buy radar planes from Swedish company Saab (yes, the Saab that used to make cars).

As reported by outlets such as WRAL News, Carney stated that the nation had entered negotiations with Saab to purchase its Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft, the GlobalEye, which is based on the Canadian-made Bombardier Global 6500. In the May 24 announcement, Carney said that “Saab’s GlobalEye will be a key resource for the Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic.”

GlobalEye is essentially a flying radar system, capable of detecting threats in the air, on land, and at sea. It can fly for more than 12 hours and has a radar range of over 400 miles. Its Erieye ER radar can detect small targets, even in very cluttered conditions, while its Ground Moving Target Indication can identify moving objects over large distances. Programs like the Automatic Identification System can then, in turn, identify those spotted objects. 

Canada has purchased spy planes from the U.S. before, acquiring a fleet of Boeing aircraft in 2023 to replace its then-aging fleet. It even considered Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail this time around. The nation’s decision to go with Saab and Bombardier is part of an attempt to reduce dependence on the United States. In March 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada intended to take on the responsibility of protecting its Arctic territory on its own, moving away from the decades-long partnership with the U.S. it had previously relied on.

This move comes amid the backdrop of increased tensions between the United States and Canada, not least due to President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports and his decision to revoke Carney’s invitation to join the Peace Council. Canada’s decision to purchase the GlobalEye is expected to help create jobs in Canada, as the aircraft is based on a Canadian Bombardier plane and uses the same supply chain. Saab’s reconnaissance aircraft have been used by other nations, too, with Sweden having sent Saab ASC 890 planes to Ukraine in 2024.