Canada Opens Negotiations With Saab for Six Surveillance Aircraft, Bypassing Competitive Process

Prime Minister Mark Carney's government opened contract negotiations with Saab for six Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft at the end of May, Cbc reported. The announcement came at a major defence industry trade show in Ottawa. L3Harris Canada had pitched its Aeris X aircraft, which uses a Bombardier 6500 business jet airframe.

Saab's GlobalEye uses both the Bombardier 6000 and 6500 airframes. L3Harris Canada vice-president Rich Foster said the company was surprised by the decision to negotiate solely with Saab. Foster, who spent 35 years in the military and retired a decade ago as deputy commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, said L3Harris had anticipated an RFI and a competition.

The government decision bypassed the normal request-for-information step of the procurement process. Foster stated the Aeris X would have no issues integrating with NORAD and NATO defence grids due to U.S. technology access.

He added that the aircraft provides full 360-degree radar coverage without blanking issues and that L3Harris has access to fifth-generation and sixth-generation components for stealth capabilities. L3Harris has not yet seen the Royal Canadian Air Force's full list of requirements. Foster said L3Harris can deliver the aircraft in 2032 and potentially earlier depending on requirements.

L3Harris MAS is partnered with Lockheed Martin to establish a heavy maintenance and sustainment facility for Canada's F-35s in Mirabel, Quebec. An independent study by L3Harris found the Aeris X sale would create 1,100 jobs at the Mirabel facility for 22 years.

Wendy Gilmour, a Canadian and former assistant secretary general for defence investment at NATO, stated the government chose Saab because the GlobalEye is already in service with other partner nations.