Bombardier Defense, a Canadian aircraft manufacturer, has successfully delivered the sixth Global 6000 aircraft to Saab, the Swedish defence supplier.
Saab will transform this aircraft into their Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWAC) solution, GlobalEye, further enhancing the Swedish Air Force’s capabilities. This collaboration showcases integrating Canadian and Swedish innovation, leveraging Bombardier’s advanced aircraft platform and Saab’s radar and communication systems.
Saab’s GlobalEye program is centred around the AWAC solution, designed to provide real-time situational awareness to military and civil authorities across all domains. With the ability to perform several missions, such as search-and-rescue, border surveillance, and military operations, the first GlobalEye AWAC aircraft was rolled out in 2018.
The UAE delivered its third GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft from Saab in 2021, and the Swedish-based defence supplier also provided Sweden with two of the aircraft, with the delivery of the aircraft expected to take place in 2027.
This airborne surveillance solution utilizes Bombardier’s flexible and customizable Global 6000 aircraft, recognized for its speed, range, and endurance, making it the preferred choice for governments worldwide.
Jean-Christopher Gallagher, Executive Vice-President Aircraft Sales and Bombardier Defense expressed pride in the company’s reputation as a go-to platform for esteemed defence contractors like Saab, “Our jets are internationally recognized as modern, go-to platforms by some of the world’s largest defence contractors, such as Saab.”
The Global aircraft family represents the right-sized solution for multi-mission, surveillance and VIP transport. Time and time again, it has met customers’ expectations for their most demanding mission needs. The Bombardier team is proud to associate its aircraft with strong partners to create next-generation defence solutions worldwide.”
Beyond their successful collaboration with Saab, Bombardier Defense has recently announced a partnership with General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada to deliver the next-generation Multi-Mission and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft. However, Bombardier Defense faces stiff competition from Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon, who look to leverage their current presence in Canada.
This platform is poised to meet the requirements set by the Government of Canada for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) program, promising a solution to the nation’s defence needs.
With the impressive transformation of the Global 6000 aircraft into the GlobalEye program, the joint efforts of Bombardier Defense and Saab are setting new standards for defence solutions across the world.
Saab reported a strong Q1 2023 with a total order intake of Skr17bn ($16.4bn), marking a 110% increase from Q1 2022.
