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Bombardier Defense and Swedish defence and aerospace company Saab have further deepened their long-standing partnership, with Saab placing a firm order for two Global 6500 aircraft, to be adapted for special mission roles.
The Global 6500 jets, produced by Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier, are part of a growing fleet of modified high-performance business aircraft being utilised by militaries and governments worldwide for surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles.
Eric Martel, president and CEO of Bombardier, welcomed the deal, highlighting the Global 6500’s expanding role in defence applications, saying, “Through Bombardier Defense, the Global 6500 aircraft is the go-to strategic asset for governments around the world looking to modernise and strengthen their defence capabilities.”
While the exact mission configuration and customer details remain confidential, Saab’s acquisition aligns with ongoing efforts by Western defence firms to offer sovereign, multi-mission platforms that can be rapidly deployed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime patrol, search and rescue, and head of state transport.
Martel added, “Bombardier Global aircraft are ideally suited for the most demanding missions, with proven flexibility, reliability, power generation, range and ability to operate at high altitudes.”
The Global 6500 aircraft boasts impressive performance specifications. With a top cruising speed of Mach 0.90 and a maximum range of 6,600 nautical miles (12,223 kilometres), it is capable of reaching more locations, faster and at higher altitudes than older legacy sensor platforms.
Its steep approach certification and advanced wing design also allow it to operate from airports with shorter runways or difficult approaches – a capability prized by defence and humanitarian operators alike.
With a fleet of more than 500 special mission aircraft across its Challenger and Global series, Bombardier Defense has logged over 3 million operational hours supporting governments, militaries and international agencies. Its experience includes not only airframe delivery but also bespoke mission systems integration, including communications intelligence, electronic warfare, and airborne early warning and control platforms.
For Saab, the acquisition builds on its previous work integrating advanced sensor and mission systems onto airborne platforms. The company’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, which is based on the earlier Global 6000 jet, has already been adopted by several countries, including Sweden and the United Arab Emirates. The new Global 6500 order may signal additional upgrades or variants within that family.
Bombardier offers a range of tailored options, from full turnkey solutions involving design, testing and certification through to engineering support and mission-specific modifications in partnership with defence primes like Saab.
This announcement comes at a time of renewed focus on airborne ISR and strategic mobility among allied nations, particularly in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, as the global security environment becomes increasingly contested.
