Defence`s Feeds

While not a formal purchase contract, the term sheet agreement establishes the framework for negotiation after Canada identified Saab as the preferred supplier for its future AEW&C system.

Canada and Saab have entered negotiations for the acquisition of the GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system, with the company signing a “non-binding term sheet agreement” with the Canadian Defence Investment Agency. The development comes four months after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in May announced Saab as the preferred supplier for the country’s future AEW&C system.

Saab announced on Sept. 25, 2026, that the agreement lays the “scope and foundation for detailed negotiations” toward the GlobalEye’s acquisition. The company clarified that the framework agreement is “not a formal purchase contract or commitment to procure” the GlobalEye.

Nevertheless, it lays the path for the current discussions towards the possible contract. “[The agreement] reflects the progress made through close collaboration between Saab, the DIA and the RCAF and provides the framework for upcoming negotiations,” said the company in its statement.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Saab have said that Ottawa estimates the need to acquire six GlobalEye aircraft. The company added that the aircraft would have customized systems reflecting Canada’s operational needs. 

Ottawa advances talks with Saab over possible GlobalEye purchase https://t.co/jJmG3XF5wZ

— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) September 25, 2026

The agreement

Saab said the agreement “marks an important milestone” following Canada’s May 27, 2026, announcement identifying the company “as the preferred supplier for the nation’s future AEW&C capability.”

Saab’s president and CEO Micael Johansson said in the release: “The term-sheet agreement reflects the strong collaboration between Saab and Canada and establishes a clear framework for the next phase of our engagement. With a well-defined scope in place, we are well positioned to continue discussions and demonstrate how Saab’s proven and highly capable AEW&C solution can meet Canada’s requirements.”

As mentioned earlier, the proposed program so far outlines six GlobalEye aircraft for the RCAF, including associated systems, training and support. “The discussions will focus on a system configuration reflecting Canada’s operational requirements, as well as industrial participation, capability development and programme execution,” explained Saab.

Was a pleasure to meet with senior leadership from @Saab to discuss how our province’s advanced manufacturing expertise can contribute to the next generation of defence and aerospace opportunities.

We received an update on their Global Eye platform and the role the Ontario-made… pic.twitter.com/FDIRDKqgek

— Victor Fedeli (@VictorFedeli) September 25, 2026

The statement further added that “Saab is committed to supporting Canada’s defence and security objectives, strengthening interoperability with allies and delivering proven capabilities that meet evolving operational requirements.”

The company described the GlobalEye as an advanced AEW&C system offering an “array of active and passive sensors for long-range detection and identification of incoming threats across the domains.” Saab further said that, “by providing real-time information to military commanders, GlobalEye enhances situational awareness and enables the early detection of potential threats.”

The Netherlands, France and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have also selected GlobalEye, reflecting the platform’s growing popularity. Additionally, Saab announced in July an order for the system by an unidentified West Asian country.

Saab has received an order for two GlobalEye aircraft from a country in the Middle East region.

The order value is SEK 10.1 billion, and deliveries will take place in 2030. https://t.co/8eFBaV9iuo

— Saab (@Saab) July 27, 2026

Canada’s GlobalEye Connection to European Defense Industry

Both Saab and Canada are leveraging their pre-existing mutual dependence in the GlobalEye system. Canada is the country of origin of the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet on which GlobalEye is based.Saab integrates the aircraft with its Erieye radar and other mission systems to create the GlobalEye AEW&C platform.

As per the May announcement, Saab said it was looking to establish substantial Canadian industrial participation in GlobalEye production, with Canadian companies involved in building, maintaining and upgrading the aircraft.

The development also comes as Canada appears to be deepening its defense-industrial ties with Europe. Recently, the country has inked a $564 million Joint Strike Missile (JSM) deal with Norway’s Kongsberg, and is actively considering Saab’s Gripen – with a substantial localized industrial workshare element.

This comes as ties with the U.S. remain tense and questions remain abound over the future of Canada’s F-35A Lightning II fleet. “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,” CTVNews said, while reporting about the new agreement with Saab.

The five Permanent Members of the Security Council have provided assurances that the negotiating acquis and the basis for a settlement to the Cyprus problem will remain unchanged, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, said on Friday, 25 September 2026.

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Serving as ASEAN Chair, the Philippines delivered the block's joint statement at the 50th Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 and China (G77), held on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro presented both the regional and national statements under the theme, "The Global South and the Future of Multilateralism."

US President Donald Trump said on September 26 that he was "rejecting" Iran's seven-day plan to reopen the key Strait of Hormuz as unacceptable.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran has lost faith in negotiating with the United States after earlier rounds of talks were disrupted by military strikes and sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The Iraqi government said on September 26 that it was in talks with Washington to secure an exemption from US sanctions on Iranian airlines that have grounded Tehran's civilian fleet in several countries where they operate.

The United States Department of War has quietly added dozens to the tally of troops wounded amid the unprovoked war on Iran, the database shows.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US President Donald Trump to enact sanctions against Russia amid its deadly attacks across Ukraine, which have become increasingly frequent as cold weather starts to set in.

Thirteen people were killed and at least 35 others injured following a blast at a security checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan, near the border between Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister warned on Saturday that escalating threats across the Middle East risked international peace, energy security and global trade, calling for stronger international cooperation to protect Gulf States and vital shipping routes.

In his speech at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented on the state of global affairs, including the changing world order, the Middle East, Cuba, and the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, accused Western countries of destabilising the world through "force and double standards" in his address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, vowing that Moscow's "special military operation" in Ukraine would be "carried through to the end."

China's Vice President, Han Zheng, urged the world to defend the postwar international order on Saturday, telling the UN General Assembly that geopolitical conflicts, widening development gaps and mounting global challenges make multilateralism more urgent than ever.

For the first time, newly released imagery shows Castelion’s Blackbeard low-cost hypersonic weapon carried by a U.S. Navy Super Hornet during a test flight.

Newly released imagery provides the clearest look yet at Castelion’s Blackbeard hypersonic strike weapon mounted on a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

The footage, released by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), shows two Blackbeard weapons installed under the wing of a Super Hornet, offering detailed views of the missile and its integration on the Navy’s carrier-based strike fighter.

Coming soon to a theater near you…BLACKBEARD!@USPACOM @CENTCOM @PAEAviation pic.twitter.com/KgBtIqdf8I

— NAVAIR (@NAVAIRNews) September 25, 2026

While this is not the first time Blackbeard has been seen on the aircraft, the new material offers a much better view of the weapon and its installation than the image that surfaced during the Tailhook Association symposium in August 2026. That earlier photograph, displayed as part of a Navy presentation, showed two Blackbeard test articles mounted beneath the right wing of a Super Hornet and represented the first public confirmation that physical integration work on the fighter was already underway. 

The newly released imagery, showing the missile flying on the Super Hornet, comes as Blackbeard is moving at unusually high speed through the acquisition process.

Blackbeard

Blackbeard is an air-launched hypersonic strike weapon developed by California-based Castelion and intended to provide U.S. naval aviation with a relatively inexpensive, long-range weapon capable of attacking both maritime and land targets.

The U.S. Navy describes Blackbeard as a “responsive, long-range, high-speed strike option” for carrier-based aircraft, meant to improve their ability to operate against sophisticated air defenses while increasing the number of long-range weapons that can be fielded.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the initial air-launched platform for the weapon. The Navy has not publicly detailed exactly when or where the latest imagery was recorded.

In April 2026, Castelion received a 105 million USD Navy contract covering further integration of Blackbeard on the F/A-18, including hardware and software integration, flight testing, system-safety work and airworthiness certification for carrier operations. At the time, the company said the objective was to transition the weapon to Early Operational Capability in 2027.

A low-cost hypersonic weapon

One of the most significant characteristics of Blackbeard is not simply its speed, but the philosophy behind the program.

Castelion has designed the weapon from the outset around large-scale production and comparatively low unit cost, in contrast with the traditionally small inventories and extremely high prices associated with U.S. hypersonic weapon programs.

The company describes Blackbeard as its first low-cost, mass-producible hypersonic strike missile and says the design makes extensive use of vertically integrated propulsion and guidance technologies as well as commercial manufacturing techniques.

Detailed performance figures remain classified; the weapon is described as hypersonic, meaning it is designed to reach speeds above Mach 5.

Rapid transition into production

Blackbeard has moved from development into procurement quite quickly. 

In February 2026, the Navy awarded Castelion 49.9 million USD to advance the missile from the prototype stage toward an integrated Early Operational Capability, with that work scheduled to run through November 2027. That was followed by the $105 million F/A-18 integration contract in April.

In June 2026, the Navy placed a 23.4 million USD firm-fixed-price order for 50 Blackbeard Early Operational Capability pre-production prototypes, together with 50 shipping and storage containers. Castelion said the order marked the transition from development and flight testing toward operationally relevant production.

On Aug. 25, another 89.997 million USD award was announced to support the 50 EOC weapons and the transition of Blackbeard toward a formal Navy Program of Record. Interestingly, this work also includes Defense Exportability Features aimed at facilitating potential future sales to U.S. allies and partners.

More recently, on Sept. 14, 2026, Castelion announced a U.S. Navy production delivery order worth up to 200 million USD to manufacture, assemble, test and deliver an initial batch of production Blackbeard weapons. The Navy officially announced the award the following day. Castelion said work under the award will be performed at Project Ranger, the company’s 1,000-acre manufacturing campus in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and at its facility in Torrance, California.

According to U.S. government contracting information subsequently reported by USNI News, an initial 43.65 million USD order covers 444 Blackbeard All-Up Rounds, an unusually large quantity for a weapon in the hypersonic category.

Blackbeard is being procured by the U.S. Navy as part of the Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program, an effort aimed at fielding a comparatively low-cost, long-range strike weapon that can be produced and deployed in much larger numbers than traditional hypersonic systems. The program reflects the Navy’s broader push toward “affordable mass,” with an emphasis on increasing magazine depth and giving carrier-based aircraft a greater number of high-speed standoff weapons for use against both maritime and land targets. 

In fact, among the most important lessons learned from the recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, is the need to keep an eye on the stocks of munitions which can be quickly depleted during sustained operations. As a consequence, it is important to maintain sufficiently deep inventories and to have the industrial capacity to replace expended weapons at speed. Blackbeard appears to have been conceived with exactly these requirements in mind.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

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