PoliticsCanada has entered into negotiations with Saab to buy its GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday.Carney says plane will be key resource for Canadian Armed Forces in the ArcticMurray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: May 27, 2026 8:50 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.A GlobalEye aircraft, manufactured by Saab Technologies, on static design during the fifth day of Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates November 21, 2019. Picture taken November 21, 2019. (Christopher Pike/Reuters)Canada has entered into negotiations with Saab to buy its GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday. He revealed the plan at the opening of the annual arms trade show CANSEC in Ottawa. "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 the audience of defence contractors and military officials."It builds Canadian strategic autonomy, creates Canadian jobs and reinforces Canada’s position as a global leader."The system is built on a Bombardier 6500 executive jet with Saab radar and sensors. The jet is manufactured at the company’s plant in Toronto. Canada to pick between Swedish and U.S. radar planes to protect its skiesSaab wants Canada to buy 72 Gripens and 6 GlobalEyes to fulfil promise of 12,600 jobsThe air force had planned to acquire up to six early warning aircraft for both domestic and overseas operations. Concern about surveillance in the Arctic has made the purchase more urgent. The aircraft can track objects — land, sea or air — at a distance of up to 650 kilometres. WATCH | Canada negotiating to purchase GlobalEye planes:Canada negotiating to purchase Saab's GlobalEye radar planes, Carney says2 hours ago|Duration 1:53Speaking at the annual arms trade show CANSEC in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada is entering negotiations with Saab to buy its GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft. Carney said the Swedish radar planes 'will be a key resource for Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic.'Saab had bundled its surveillance aircraft proposal in with its pitch to sell Gripen-E fighter jets to Canada and promised to transfer technology so both aircraft could be fully manufactured locally. Carney did not say anything about whether Canada will proceed with the Gripen and limit its purchase of American-made F-35 jets. That issue has been under review for more than year. The GlobalEye was in competition against the U.S.-manufactured Boeing E-7 Wedgetail and the L3Harris Aeris X. NATO is looking seriously at the GlobalEye as a contender to replace its aging fleet of Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft. ABOUT THE AUTHORMurray Brewster is senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press. Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.Follow Murray Brewster on Twitter