If Canada picks the Gripen fighter, these local firms would help Saab deliver the jets

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A Saab Gripen fighter jet at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CANSEC) trade show in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on May 27, 2026. (David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

VICTORIA, British Columbia — Saab will collaborate with several of Canada’s top aerospace firms to build the Gripen fighter jet in Canada if the aircraft is selected by the Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government.

Saab confirmed Oct. 27 that it has formed alliances with several firms to build, deliver and support the Gripen E advanced multi-role fighter, should the Canadian government purchase the plane.

Canada had already committed to buying 88 Lockheed Martin F-35s but that is under review after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to economically cripple the country and suggested it could be annexed to be the 51 st state. At this point Canada has paid for 16 F-35s.

Two of the aircraft were transferred to Canada on Oct. 9 and Oct. 22, said Department of National Defence spokeswoman Andrée-Anne Poulin.

Canadian Prime Minister Carney will decide whether the rest of the F-35s will be purchased but he has not indicated when he would announce his decision.

In the meantime, the Canadian government is examining whether it should purchase the Gripen E, either as an alternative to the F-35 or to complement the U.S. fighter jets. Saab has responded by forming a teaming arrangement with Canadian firms CAE of Montreal, Quebec; IMP of Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Magellan Aerospace of Mississauga, Ontario.

“Together with CAE, IMP and Magellan Aerospace we are prepared to establish a strong Canadian industrial ecosystem around Gripen that delivers operational effect, national sovereignty and lasting industrial and technological benefits,” Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, said in a statement Oct. 27.

Saab noted it has signed a teaming agreement with IMP to establish a new final assembly line, for the Gripen fighter in Canada, if Canada decides to acquire the aircraft. IMP will also be responsible for electrical assembly production and in-service support for Canada’s Gripens.

Saab has also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with Magellan Aerospace to provide local manufacturing of advanced aerostructures, composite structures and structural assemblies in Canada — again, if Canada decides to acquire the aircraft.

Saab has previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CAE to deliver advanced fighter pilot and technician training, mission systems engineering and support/sustainment capabilities in Canada.

Saab has already made significant inroads into the Canadian market.

Carney announced May 27 that Canada will purchase six GlobalEye early warning and control aircraft from Saab as part of deal to not only boost Canadian military capabilities but energize domestic defense production.

Carney said the proposed GlobalEye purchase is estimated to cost more than $5 billion CAN ($3.6 billion).

GlobalEye is based on a Bombardier 6500 executive jet, an aircraft that is manufactured in Toronto. Carney said that at least one-third of the projected GlobalEye aircraft orders for various allies will be built in Canada. That is expected to be 40 aircraft over the next 15 years.

On Sept. 25 the Canadian government announced it had worked out an agreement with Saab that will provide the framework for upcoming negotiations on the purchase of the six GlobalEyes.

In announcing the agreement, Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, said Canada will be focusing on pursuing a partnership that supports “Canadian jobs, innovation, and long-term economic growth while ensuring we acquire capabilities from trusted partners when they are needed.”

David Pugliese is the Canada correspondent for Defense News.

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2026年5月27日，一架萨博“鹰狮”战斗机在加拿大安大略省渥太华举行的加拿大国防与安全工业协会（CANSEC）贸易展上展出。（David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images）

加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省维多利亚市——如果总理马克·卡尼的政府选择“鹰狮”战斗机，萨博公司将与加拿大几家顶尖的航空航天公司合作，在加拿大建造该型战斗机。

萨博公司于 10 月 27 日证实，如果加拿大政府购买鹰狮 E 先进多用途战斗机，该公司已与多家公司结成联盟，负责建造、交付和支持该型飞机。

加拿大此前已承诺购买88架洛克希德·马丁公司生产的F-35战斗机，但由于美国总统唐纳德·特朗普威胁要重创加拿大经济，并暗示可能将其吞并成为美国的第51个州，该计划目前正处于重新评估阶段。截至目前，加拿大已支付了16架F-35的款项。

加拿大国防部发言人安德烈-安妮·普兰表示，其中两架飞机分别于 10 月 9 日和 10 月 22 日移交给加拿大。

加拿大总理卡尼将决定是否购买剩余的F-35战机，但他尚未表明何时宣布决定。

与此同时，加拿大政府正在研究是否应该购买“鹰狮”E战斗机，以替代F-35或作为美国战斗机的补充。萨博公司已做出回应，与加拿大魁北克省蒙特利尔的CAE公司、新斯科舍省哈利法克斯的IMP公司以及安大略省密西沙加的麦哲伦航空航天公司达成合作协议。

萨博公司总裁兼首席执行官米凯尔·约翰逊在 10 月 27 日的一份声明中表示：“我们与 CAE、IMP 和麦哲伦航空航天公司一起，准备围绕鹰狮战斗机建立一个强大的加拿大工业生态系统，从而带来作战效果、国家主权以及持久的工业和技术效益。”

萨博公司指出，如果加拿大决定采购“鹰狮”战斗机，该公司已与IMP公司签署合作协议，将在加拿大建立一条新的“鹰狮”战斗机总装线。IMP公司还将负责加拿大“鹰狮”战斗机的电气组件生产和在役支持。

萨博还与麦哲伦航空航天公司签署了一份新的谅解备忘录，将在加拿大本地生产先进的航空结构、复合材料结构和结构组件——前提是加拿大决定采购该飞机。

萨博此前已与 CAE 签署谅解备忘录，在加拿大提供先进的战斗机飞行员和技术人员培训、任务系统工程和支持/保障能力。

萨博汽车已经成功打入加拿大市场。

卡尼于 5 月 27 日宣布，加拿大将从萨博公司购买六架 GlobalEye 预警和控制飞机，作为一项交易的一部分，这不仅是为了提高加拿大的军事能力，也是为了促进国内国防生产。

卡尼表示，拟议的 GlobalEye 收购案预计将耗资超过 50 亿加元（36 亿美元）。

GlobalEye系统基于庞巴迪6500公务机，该机型在多伦多生产。卡尼表示，预计为各盟友订购的GlobalEye飞机中，至少有三分之一将在加拿大生产。预计未来15年内，这批飞机将达到40架。

9 月 25 日，加拿大政府宣布已与 Saab 达成协议，该协议将为即将进行的购买 6 架 GlobalEyes 飞机的谈判提供框架。

加拿大国防采购国务大臣斯蒂芬·富尔在宣布该协议时表示，加拿大将致力于寻求一种能够支持“加拿大就业、创新和长期经济增长，同时确保我们在需要时从值得信赖的合作伙伴那里获得能力”的伙伴关系。

David Pugliese 是《国防新闻》的加拿大通讯员。