Bombardier CEO expects to decide by early 2027 on Canadian site to militarize private jets

Bombardier CEO Eric Martel says the company expects to decide by late 2026 or early 2027 on a Canadian site to prepare private jets for “special mission” work, in partnership with Saab. Speaking in Montreal, Martel said the Canadian operation would resemble what Bombardier does in Wichita, Kansas, where U.S. workers convert empty aircraft by installing wiring, radars and other equipment. The move follows Canada’s plan to buy an early-warning fleet from Saab to reduce reliance on U.S. defense firms. Earlier this month, NATO announced a roughly $4.5 billion plan to buy up to 10 Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft using Bombardier Global jets.