OTTAWA — GE Aerospace and Magellan say they’ve signed an agreement on maintenance for the engines of Saab’s Gripen E jets — on the condition that Ottawa ultimately decides to buy the fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force. Magellan is also a key partner in the F-35 Lightning II supply chain in Canada, which makes horizontal tail assemblies in Winnipeg. This is the second such agreement between two private firms on the prospect of a Gripen order in as many weeks, after Saab declared it is ready to work with the Canadian company CAE on a domestic training, flight simulation and support program. The Swedish jet maker — which was the main rival to the F-35 in Ottawa’s future fighter procurement program — has said its jets could be built in Canada, with some exported to Ukraine, if the federal government chooses to buy them. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has been reviewing whether to proceed with its contract to buy a full fleet of 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin for more than a year now. The review was ordered after U.S. President Donald Trump launched his trade war with Canada, and the governing Liberals have not said when they intend to make a final decision on the planes. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2026. The Canadian Press
