CAE announced today the signing of a worldwide cooperation agreement that positions CAE as Saab’s preferred supplier for select training and simulation requirements related to its GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft and other platforms. This partnership also includes an agreement specific to Canada to jointly pursue Canada’s AEW&C program.
“The agreement between Saab and CAE sets the stage for global AEW&C training franchise anchored in Canada,” said Matt Bromberg, President and CEO, CAE. “As Canada’s trusted defence partner, CAE’s advanced training and simulation expertise is vital to the mission and operational readiness of defence forces in Canada and around the world. Today’s announcement reflects years of trust and joint success with Saab and responds to an evolving geopolitical landscape that demands stronger, integrated partnerships.”
Saab’s President and CEO, Micael Johansson, said the agreement underscores the long-term vision for expanding the capacity of AEW capability. “This partnership strengthens our commitment to GlobalEye customers and reinforces our strategy to deliver world-leading airborne early warning capabilities with best-in-class training. CAE is a trusted partner with unmatched expertise of training solutions, and together we will increase the operational readiness for Airborne Early Warning platform users around the world.”
Under the global cooperation agreement, CAE will offer simulation-based training solutions in support of Saab’s international GlobalEye campaigns, as well as other AEW&C programs for the Saab platforms. The collaboration will leverage CAE’s expertise in advanced integrated training systems, encompassing the development and delivery of flight training devices and integrated mission platforms, as well as a modern training ecosystem that combines digital content and a mission and training environment to replicate real-world operational complexity. CAE will also draw on its expertise in its global training centre network to provide pilot and maintenance training services, ensuring operational excellence across AEW&C platforms.
In addition, this agreement includes a cooperation focused on Canada’s AEW&C program. This agreement will combine Saab’s leadership in airborne surveillance with CAE’s proven training and simulation capabilities to deliver a comprehensive solution tailored to Canada’s requirements. These activities could generate significant economic growth and create high-value jobs across Canada, strengthening the country’s defence sector, building on local expertise, driving the development of new intellectual property in surveillance platforms and expanding Canada’s innovation footprint in this critical domain.
This agreement unites two defence industry leaders to advance GlobalEye AEW&C capabilities worldwide and in Canada. Saab’s GlobalEye platform integrates a suite of active and passive sensors for multi-domain surveillance, while CAE ensures training systems evolve alongside platform capabilities to meet current and future operational requirements.
Canada and Sweden share a strong relationship as northern nations and NATO allies, collaborating through the Arctic Council and benefitting from expanding trade and investment through agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Noah Note: Our second agreement of the week! CAE and Saab have maintained a healthy relationship stretching back to FFCP. CAE was one of the primary partners as part of Saab's bid, and as we reported a few weeks ago, they were one of the companies Saab was working close with.
Expect them to also be part of the Gripen conversation. Either way, this is a good move. No matter if we order or not the potential femand for Globaleye is there. France has commited, Denmark and Germany reportedly have interest, and NATO, now without E7 presents a renewed opportunity to jump on.
So without without us there in the mix there is more than enough of a need. Also unreported by the rest of the mediasphere, but Saab has heavy interest in producing Globaleye here with or without a Canadian order, not just if we order.
They said similar about Gripen, yes, but I have my doubts with that statement. Globaleye however does have limits right now, both in Erieye production and conversions. There is a very low production rate for Globaleye.
So there's no better place to set up a second line, in the event that all of these come to fruition, than the place where the actual aircraft are manufactured. There is a healthy amount of industrial capacity set up and available around the Greater Montreal Area to support such an endeavour, and it would represent the easiest alternative given the limits in Swedish production.
Trying to build a Globaleye supply chain here makes sense, and CAE is already well positioned to support that. I see this as a natural extension of the continuing relationship the teo companies have. Not everything is tied into us ordering, and thats the avenue with the best chance of success. Thats the area we should be trying to leverage our capabilities to exploit. Theyre rare, but the opportunities are there.