"Canada Looks Beyond Boeing" Topic

Interesting procurement decision from Canada.

Ottawa has chosen Saab's GlobalEye early warning aircraft over Boeing's E-7 Wedgetail. On the surface it is about capability, cost and delivery schedules — and Boeing's recent troubles probably did not help.

But politically it also sends a signal: Canada wants to reduce automatic dependence on US defence suppliers while still remaining firmly within NATO and NORAD structures.

An added wrinkle is that the GlobalEye is based on Bombardier's Global 6500 jet, so there is a strong Canadian industrial angle as well.

This feels less like an anti-American move and more like a "middle power" hedging strategy — diversify suppliers, preserve interoperability, but keep a bit more strategic autonomy. Carney seems to have made a wise decision.

Carney seems to have made a wise decision.

Sure, if you feel deliberately antagonizing your largest trade and security partner by running off to that partner's single greatest enemy to kiss their ring and declare you are joining their "NEW. WORLD. ORDER," is wise…

Saab is … Swedish, right?
Ummm…
"Single greatest enemy"???
Really?

Sure, if you feel deliberately antagonizing your largest trade and security partner…

I think that has already been accomplished, by said "largest trade partner".

I think we may be drifting into hyperbole here.

Sweden is hardly America's "single greatest enemy" — it is a long-standing Western partner, now a NATO member and Saab equipment is used by a number of US allies.

Countries buy defence equipment from a variety of suppliers all the time. Australia operates American aircraft, European helicopters and Israeli systems; Britain buys US missiles; the US itself uses foreign-designed equipment in some roles. And the Saab aircraft actually seems the best product.

Canada is still firmly tied into NORAD and NATO structures. This looks more like procurement diversification than some geopolitical realignment. I don't think Carney is the sort of capricious leader who lashes out and tries to punish others because he's miffed. Who would do that?

And, frankly, recent swings in US policy and rhetoric have probably encouraged a number of allies to hedge their bets a little rather than rely too completely on any single supplier.
Carney seems to have made a wise decision.

🤣😂

Who cares. And I buy my Maple Syrup from the U.S.

Hopefully they get meatballs with every purchase. Oh wait, that's IKEA.😉

Well here is their meatball recipe if SAAB doesn't give them to you.

"The Official IKEA Meatball Recipe
For the Meatballs: [1]
* \(500\text{g}\) ground beef
* \(250\text{g}\) ground pork
* \(1\) finely chopped onion
* \(1\) crushed/minced clove of garlic
* \(100\text{g}\) breadcrumbs
* \(1\) egg
* \(5\) tablespoons whole milk
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper [1, 2]
For the Cream Sauce: [1]
* A dash of cooking oil
* \(40\text{g}\) butter
* \(40\text{g}\) plain flour
* \(150\text{ml}\) vegetable stock
* \(150\text{ml}\) beef stock
* \(150\text{ml}\) thick double cream (or heavy cream)
* \(2\) teaspoons soy sauce
* \(1\) teaspoon Dijon mustard [1, 2, 3, 4]

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
1. Mix the meat: Combine the beef and pork mince thoroughly. Add the chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, and egg, and mix well. [1]
2. Add milk and season: Pour in the milk and season generously with salt and pepper. [1]
3. Form the balls: Shape the mixture into small, round meatballs. Place them on a covered plate and store them in the fridge for \(2\) hours (this helps them hold their shape while cooking). [1]
4. Brown them: Heat a little oil in a pan on medium heat. Gently add the meatballs and brown them evenly on all sides. [1]
5. Bake: Once browned, transfer the meatballs to an ovenproof dish, cover it, and bake in a hot oven at \(180^{\circ }\text{C}\) (\(160^{\circ }\text{C}\) fan) for about \(30\) minutes. [1]
6. Make the sauce: In a frying pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Let it cook for about \(1 – 2\) minutes. Slowly whisk in the vegetable stock, beef stock, heavy cream, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Bring it to a simmer and let the sauce thicken. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
7. Serve: Toss the cooked meatballs into the gravy, simmer for a few minutes to coat thoroughly, and serve with mashed potatoes and sweet lingonberry jam. [1, 2, 3]"

The Swedes make some decent kit, but more importantly they make it on time. Wedgetail is running behind schedule.

Yes, Swedish excellence compared to Boeing's poor recent record.

"Boeing's reputation has plummeted in recent years due to a cultural shift prioritizing corporate profits over engineering excellence, leading to catastrophic design flaws (such as the 737 MAX flight-control software) and severe manufacturing defects (including unbolted door plugs and faulty wiring) that heavily compromised passenger safety and trust."

Really, Canada's decision, on every criteria, is a no-brainer.

Carney seems to have made a wise decision.

They just made some deal with Germany as well. Aren't tariffs grand!

ABBA has some pretty hot dames.

Tariffs (that the Supreme Court have declared illegal) have real world consequences and responses are inevitable. And wait until the orders for some F-35s get cancelled by Canada and converted over to Swedish fighters. Trade wars tend to lead to real wars, and it doesnt make sense to be dependant for your security on an aggressive power.

Sure, if you feel deliberately antagonizing your largest trade and security partner by running off to that partner's single greatest enemy to kiss their ring and declare you are joining their "NEW. WORLD. ORDER," is wise…

I believe SBminisguy is referencing China. This from the CBC:

link

Dave

It's not just the tariffs. Buying American military equipment comes with an American veto on their use.

Imagine an American invasion of Canada when the Americans forbid the Canadians to use any American sourced arms for their own defense !!

I thought it was the US who just came back from China ?

For me, it was concerning that Carney courted Xi and kissed the proverbial ring. I did not approve when Carney described Xi as a "great leader" and that it was an "honor" to be Xi's friend. It's rather alarming that Carney described his meeting with the Chinese as "extremely positive and productive" and touted "fantastic trade deals".

I'm sure it's seems rosy if one reads only certain media…. But
…not everyone up north is happy with Carney.

Subject: Separatist movement seems to be booming after court blocked Stay Free Alberta petition


link

Subject: Alberta Fact Check: Prime Minister Carney has managed to unite sovereigntists in Quebec


link

Saab is … Swedish, right?
Ummm…
"Single greatest enemy"???
Really?

CHINA, dude, CHINA! Geesh, at least answer my own comments rather than making up your own meaning of my words.

Here's Carney when he ran off to China, bowed to Xi, kissed his ass, praised his leadership, highlighted new CCP-Canada trade, energy, finance and *security* ties, and then said in partnership with China, Canada is well positioned for the New. World. Order.

YouTube link

Carney took a spat with the US and turned it into a near separation, and continues to try and drive the US away and ties Canada to the EU and China. BOTH entities are on an ultimate path to failure. The EU will collapse under its own contradictions at some point, China, hopefully will go down relatively peacefully.

I mean, does Carney know he's hitching Canada's wagon to falling stars? The EU has a 1.1% growth rate, China is only 2.6%, and the worst Trump growth rate with the effects of the Iran war is around 3.6% -- TRIPLE that of the EU, and 50% higher than China.

Prince Albert,

How different is that from what Trump has said about Putin, Xi or Kim? He has called them all his friends and great leaders. He has praised them all. Partly it is diplomacy. It is what you say. Partly…it is something else.

But has he ever refused to use term "radical Islam"?

"During their respective presidencies, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden explicitly rejected using the phrase "radical Islam" or "radical Islamic terrorism."

I think I'd rather refer to the other 3 as friends for negotiation purposes, then not to acknowledge reality and the evil of those who want to kill our people (and have since 79) and advocate our destruction as the "Great Satan" of the world.

The EU will collapse under its own contradictions at some point…

The only "historians" I've ever seen use that turn of phrase were Marxist. Are you confessing a hidden secret? 😱

My apologies Grattan, all of the quotes in my comment were made by Trump. Not Carney. How foolish of me.

Please don't defend Carney.

As a peasant in Canuckistan, I can assure everyone that this decision is pure spite against the US, to stick a finger in their eye.

All the electronics are Swedish, so we will never be able to get any parts or service done once their takeover is complete and they adopt something other than swedish as their new official language.

The aircraft itself is made in Kwebek so it is nothing but a gratf and laundering scheme. Someone tell me if it has the range to get to either europe or the arctic and then loiter for eight to ten hours or if it can refuel in air?
No you say???

On the other hand it makes a great platform to mass electronically surveiille all the peasants in case they get agitated against their government again.

I am gritting my teeth desperately to hold back how I really feel about this stupid decision. Buying US was an absolute NO-BRAINER.

,,,and by the way the chicomm foreign minister/colonial office is currently in Canuckistan to dictate to us what all of our new policies will be.

It is down to divine intervention at this point.

Troopwo

Since China deals in provinces too.

Possibly Canuckidong Province? 😉

Thinking of new provincial and town names might be a good idea.

Last December the RCAF announced that it was acquiring six Global 6500 aircraft to replace its four CC-144 Challenger. The project includes integrating an air-to-air refueling into the 6500.

Skies Mag

The GlobalEye is based on the same airframe, so I would expect it would get the same capability. Plus there's the logistical advantage of the same airframe for both.

Further discussion on the need for AAR..

True North Strategic Review

This "spite against the US" angle doesn't really fit the facts.

Canada isn't dumping the US — it's still buying F-35s, still embedded in NORAD, and still tied into US/NATO systems across almost every domain. What's happening is diversification, not a pivot.

On the Swedish side: Saab isn't a closed "all-Swedish electronics" ecosystem. Their aircraft and systems are multinational in supply chain and NATO-compatible. They also explicitly offer in-country maintenance and industrial workshare, which is a big part of why Canada is interested.

The idea that this is "just Quebec assembly graft" is also off — domestic assembly and offsets are standard on virtually every major Canadian defence procurement, including US kit like the F-35.

On capability: Gripen-class fighters are air-to-air refuellable and have sufficient range for Arctic interception when supported by tankers. No modern fighter is doing 8–10 hour patrols over the North unrefuelled anyway — that's a tanker and basing issue.

Not everything in defence procurement is political signalling — most of it is just capability and logistics.

So the reality is much more boring than ideology: Canada is hedging suppliers, trying to protect industrial work, and maintaining interoperability while reducing single-source dependence. Simplistic "us versus them" makes for a good TMP post but is removed from the facts.

Then there was this at the beginning of May – Canada to purchase Himars:

CBC News

Article notes Canadian Army interested in 26 systems.

The Watch

You'd think Bombardier would always be first choice for Canada if it has a suitable product.

And I guess losing a usa supply chain if you can probably looks quite sensible right now – just from a practical stand point, things seem to "deliberately change quite often in the weave and the game of 5-D economic chess" that is so often spoken of (by the regime, not its critics).

Airbus may manufacture military helicopters in Canada if selected for massive defense contracts

link

Armand