After repeatedly vowing to reduce Canada\u2019s military spending with the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that the Royal Canadian Air Force will buy a fleet of Swedish military surveillance aircraft.<\/p>\n
Last year, Mr. Carney declared Canada too dependent on the United States for its defense and expanded military spending to a level not seen in decades. That ended Canada\u2019s persistent failure<\/a> to meet NATO\u2019s minimum military spending target of 2 percent of gross domestic product.<\/p>\n He has said several times since becoming prime minister that less of that money will go to U.S. defense companies than in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cThe days of our military sending 70 cents of every dollar to the United States are over,\u201d Mr. Carney told Liberal Party supporters in Montreal last month.<\/p>\n The Saab GlobalEye, which is based on a Canadian executive jet, was selected over two American surveillance planes including one from Boeing. The purchase comes as Canada is currently reviewing whether to continue buying up to 88 F35 fighter jets<\/a> from the United States or to shift to the Gripen fighter jet, also from Saab. During a news conference after the announcement, Mr. Carney said the purchases are unrelated.<\/p>\n Canada has bought an initial round of 16 F35s. But Canada\u2019s industry minister, M\u00e9lanie Joly, has called for more manufacturing at home. Saab is promising to eventually build its fighter jet in Canada and raised the possibility that could include production for other countries.<\/p>\n On Wednesday at a defense industry trade show in Ottawa, Mr. Carney said that about 3,000 Canadian workers will be involved in the GlobalEye production and that about one third of the aircraft fleet will be manufactured in Canada. The airplane is a highly modified version of the Global 6500 executive jet made by Bombardier which is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an example of Canada\u2019s defense and industrial strategy in action,\u201d Mr. Carney said in his speech. \u201cIt builds Canadian strategic economy, creates Canadian jobs and reinforces Canada\u2019s position as a global leader.\u201d<\/p>\n