Canada Accelerates Procurement of Six New AEW&C Aircraft to Counter Missile and Air Threats

The Carney government wants to acquire half a dozen new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft at a cost of more than $5 billion. The planes, packed with radar and detection equipment, will fly at altitudes of more than 10 kilometres searching for enemy missiles, aircraft and drones.

Once crews detect a threat, the aircraft can relay information to other Canadian Armed Forces systems and allies to coordinate a response.

The primary military threat facing Canada is hypersonic or cruise missiles arriving from the north, the sea or space launched by Russia or China, according to the Canadian Armed Forces. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, these threats have become increasingly sophisticated and lethal.

In an ideal world, the Canadian military wants this equipment to be as compatible as possible with its future F-35 fighters and other fifth-generation capabilities.

The Canadian government has undertaken a rigorous analysis of AEW&C options and is moving the procurement forward much faster than usual. The process is being carried out under the direction of the departments of National Defence and Industry as well as the new Defence Investment Agency.

The main options for the AEW&C contract are the Swedish GlobalEye made by Saab, the Aeris X by L3Harris, and the E-7 Wedgetail by Boeing. The Liberal Party of Canada is committed to acquiring Canadian-made Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.

The GlobalEye and the Aeris X install their radar and detection systems on Global 6500 jets manufactured in Toronto by Bombardier. L3Harris is promising to carry out the integration of the radar and detection systems on Canadian soil at its existing facilities in Mirabel, north of Montreal. The platform for the E-7 Wedgetail is a Boeing 737 manufactured in the United States.

The Aeris X uses a radar system manufactured by Elta Systems based in Israel. Canada suspended military export permits to Israel in 2024. Cbc reported that this could affect future transfers of technology and equipment between the two countries.

L3Harris claims its main radar on the Aeris X offers 360-degree coverage. The GlobalEye’s main radar is located on top of the fuselage. Saab said the GlobalEye still offers 360-degree sensor coverage.

L3Harris claims the Aeris X flies higher and covers a larger area than the GlobalEye. L3Harris claims the Aeris X maintains its radar coverage during sharp banking turns. L3Harris claims the Aeris X offers better interoperability with other Royal Canadian Air Force fleets and American aircraft regarding communications and data transmission.

The first Aeris X units are still in the production stage. L3Harris sold the Aeris X aircraft to South Korea in 2025. Saab has already sold GlobalEyes to Sweden, France and the United Arab Emirates. Saab has partnership agreements with CAE, a Montreal-based company specialized in flight training, and Cohere, a Toronto firm specialized in artificial intelligence.

Sierra Fullerton, spokesperson for Saab Canada, said if Canada moves forward with purchasing GlobalEye, Saab will share the intellectual property and knowledge transfer to Canada to allow for domestic build, maintenance and upgrades to the platform.

The E-7 has been modified in four different nations: US, Australia, Korea, and Türkiye and is being modified in the United Kingdom now. Cynthia Waldmeier, Boeing spokesperson, wrote that Boeing will work with our Canada customer to determine the best solution for delivering the capability and meeting RCAF’s requirements.

The government said it will provide an update in the coming months. "Canada is working to modernize the way it provides equipment to the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, ensuring they receive what they need to protect our sovereignty faster and more effectively," said Blanchard.