Saab and Canada's Defence Investment Agency (DIA) have signed a non-binding letter of intent regarding the country's planned acquisition of GlobalEye. Canada intends to acquire six aircraft along with associated systems, training and support.
The letter of intent establishes the scope and basis for continued negotiations on a Canadian configuration of the system, according to the Canadian Defence Investment Agency. The agreement is not a contract or a commitment to carry out the acquisition, but follows several months of work between Saab, DIA and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The negotiations are to cover, among other things, system configuration, development work, industrial participation and timeline. Canada also wants to establish domestic capacity for future system integration and maintenance of GlobalEye, based on the Canadian-built Bombardier Global 6500 on which the system is based.
"An airborne early warning and control system will significantly strengthen Canada's ability to detect, track and respond to threats against our territory and our approaches," says Lieutenant General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, in the DIA press release.
According to the Canadian agency, GlobalEye will, among other things, be able to detect and track aircraft, missiles and drones at long range. Canada also points to the system's significance for the modernisation of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), continental defence, and operations in the Arctic and other remote areas.
Saab states that the discussions will also cover capability development and the implementation of the programme.
The letter of intent follows Canada's announcement in May, when Saab was named preferred supplier for the country's future airborne early warning and control capability. Nordic Defence Sector reported at the time that Saab had offered to build, maintain and upgrade the future fleet together with Canadian industrial partners.
GlobalEye is based on the Bombardier Global 6500 and combines Saab's Erieye Extended Range radar with multiple sensors and a command and control system for surveillance in the air, at sea and on the ground.