Canada Could Keep Gripen Engine Work at Home

In yet another signal that Canada could be preparing for a mixed fighter fleet, a new memorandum of understanding has pledged to support the Saab Gripen E’s engine in-country. On Wednesday, GE Aerospace and Magellan Aerospace Corporation announced that they would provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities for the Gripen E’s F414-GE-39E powerplant should the type be selected by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Under the agreement, GE Aerospace would provide training and license Magellan to support the F414 from its Mississauga plant. Magellan v-p of business development, marketing, and contracts Haydn Martin said the deal “reflects our shared intent to build enduring sovereign aerospace capabilities in Canada.” GE said the in-country capability would support the “build, partner, buy” framework at the center of Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy, released in February.

Canada picked the Lockheed Martin F-35A in 2022 and signed a CA$19 billion contract for 88 airplanes in January 2023, but the makeup of the country’s future fleet remains under review. Prime minister Mark Carney ordered that review in March 2025, a day after taking office. Funding for the first 16 F-35s is contractually committed, and those airplanes are due to begin arriving next year.