Ottawa advances talks with Saab over possible GlobalEye purchase

The Liberal government has taken another step forward in talks with the Swedish defence company Saab as it considers acquiring its advanced radar planes for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Ottawa says it agreed on a non-binding term sheet with Saab that will support more detailed negotiations on a fleet of GlobalEye aircraft.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced at a defence expo this spring that Canada had selected Saab as a preferred supplier for airborne early warning and control planes, though that does not commit Ottawa to purchasing the platform.

NATO eyes up to 10 Saab surveillance jets built largely in Canada

The federal Conservatives have written to the auditor general and parliamentary budget officer calling on them to investigate whether the government followed all the proper processes in selecting the platform.

Carney’s government still has not made a decision on its planned acquisition of 88 F-35 stealth fighter jets.

That review, which was launched in response to diplomatic and trade tensions with the Trump administration, was supposed to have concluded a year ago.