Bombardier Eyes Canadian Defense Modification Site

Bombardier is searching for a location in Canada to perform various modifications to its portfolio of special-mission Global 6500s. This provisional second site builds on elevated demand for its defense offerings amid a “strong and sustained…growing pipeline of opportunities,” according to the company. 

During Bombardier’s recent second-quarter 2026 earnings call, CEO Éric Martel confirmed the company has a “strong desire” to replicate the defense-specific conversion work currently undertaken at its Wichita facility. “We’re looking at establishing ourselves somewhere in Canada,” he explained, adding that a Bombardier team is already visiting potential sites.

While this “mirror operation” would encompass modification work across a variety of special-mission airframes, discussions are ongoing with Sweden’s Saab, producer of the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. “It makes a lot of sense. We build the plane; we know the plane more than anyone else to make structural modifications, provision, and potentially even installation of some of that equipment,” Martel said. “We are very active on this right now.”

GlobalEye’s main structural modifications and mission systems installations are currently carried out at Saab’s facilities in Linköping, Sweden.

Notably, Canada and NATO’s recent downselection of the type—alongside an additional Middle Eastern order—could represent up to 18 total GlobalEye units, demand that Martel said is a “significant validation” of the platform’s unique capabilities. While subsequent firm contracts “will translate, probably not even this year, but probably later next year or maybe even the year after, into real backlog,” Martel affirmed that Bombardier is nevertheless committed “to set [itself] up for a higher volume over the long term.”

With the makeup of Canada’s future fighter fleet still undecided, Martel also suggested that Bombardier could leverage further in-country manufacturing synergies with Saab on the production of its Gripen jets. However, while Bombardier would be available to help if required, “for us, doing assembly is not of great interest,” he explained. Nevertheless, “if there is part of that [major structural assembly] and we’re the only one capable of doing it in the country…we could definitely support them,” he concluded.