Canada Weighs Saab Gripen and GlobalEye Deals as F‑35 Offsets Face Backlash – November 18, 2025
OTTAWA — November 18, 2025 Canada’s long‑running fighter jet saga took a dramatic turn today as the federal government signalled fresh interest in Sweden’s Saab Gripen fighter and a Canadian‑built GlobalEye surveillance aircraft — even as the country remains contractually tied to 16 U.S.‑made F‑35s. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said Ottawa is “interested” in the Gripen and openly criticized the limited industrial benefits Canada has received so far from its F‑35 deal with Lockheed Martin. At the same time, Saab has stepped up its pitch by offering to build its GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft entirely in