Kathrine Frich
American officials are losing patience with their northern neighbor.
Shopping for heavy machinery usually means going back to the same trusted supplier.
But sometimes a long-standing business relationship goes sour, forcing a buyer to look across the ocean for a better deal.
Looking beyond America
That exact scenario is playing out right now between two major North American allies. Canada has officially decided to stop buying some of its most critical military hardware from the United States.
The country will instead purchase a new fleet of early warning aircraft from the Swedish manufacturer Saab. According to Reuters, Ottawa rejected a competing bid from the American aerospace giant Boeing.
Boeing has struggled with severe delays and ballooning costs on its E-7 Wedgetail jet. That gave Canadian leaders a perfect excuse to break away from their traditional reliance on Washington.
A global product
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the major shift on Wednesday during a defense conference in Ottawa. He confirmed his government will buy the Saab GlobalEye.
“This decision builds Canada’s strategic autonomy, creates Canadian jobs and strengthens Canada’s position as a global leader,” Carney said.
He noted that military forces in France, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates already fly the aircraft.
Saab promised to invest in local research and development to sweeten the deal. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson celebrated the announcement on social media.
Tensions run high
Kristerson noted that the aircraft already relies on a Canadian supply chain. “This decision ties our countries closer together,” the Swedish leader wrote.
While military officials previously mentioned needing six planes, Carney did not reveal the final contract price.
This aircraft purchase is just one piece of a growing transatlantic dispute. Washington recently slapped tariffs on key Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to rethink other massive weapons contracts.
A delayed fighter jet
Canada currently has a deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed-Martin. But Carney recently asked his military team to explore canceling that order, putting Saab’s Gripen jets back in the race.
American officials are losing patience with their northern neighbor. Washington completely suspended its regular defense talks with Canada last week.
An unnamed Pentagon official told Reuters that the delayed F-35 decision proves Ottawa cares more about politics than actual defense strategy.
Sources: Reuters, Digi24
