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The Government of Canada selected Bombardier to provide six Global 6500 aircraft to support the Royal Canadian Air Force's multi-role air transport missions, Bombardier announced on Friday.
The order is valued at approximately $400 million. The aircraft will be used for worldwide utility flights, including aeromedical evacuations, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and national security operations.
The Global 6500 aircraft are assembled at Bombardier's Global Aircraft Assembly Centre near Toronto, with interior completion work at a facility near Montreal.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has operated Bombardier Challenger aircraft since 1983 and is expected to benefit from the Global 6500's increased range and multi-mission capability.
"The Global 6500 aircraft is a world-class, made-in-Canada product with the versatility to perform multiple missions," said Bombardier President and CEO Éric Martel. "More than 12,000 Canadians who work at Bombardier can take great pride in knowing this aircraft will serve their country."
The agreement was celebrated at Bombardier's Toronto-area assembly facility with federal officials, including Stephen Fuhr, Canada's secretary of state for defense procurement. Fuhr said the purchase represents a shift in how Canada equips its military.
"By streamlining processes and cutting red tape, the Defence Investment Agency is accelerating the delivery of the versatile capabilities the Royal Canadian Air Force needs," he said. "Canada has a world-class aerospace industry, and this investment will harness that strength to create good-paying jobs, drive innovation, and bolster our security."?
Bombardier said the Global 6500 program draws on more than 60 Canadian suppliers and leverages the country's aerospace supply chain.
A PwC report commissioned by the company found that Global 6500 manufacturing activities in 2022 supported $518.3 million in gross domestic product, nearly 3,750 full-time equivalent jobs, and $309.1 million in labor income in Canada.
The Global 6500 is part of Bombardier's large-cabin business jet family, alongside the Global 5500 and Global 8000, which recently entered service. The aircraft platform is used globally for defense and government missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, airborne early warning, border patrol, medevac, and head-of-state transport.
Bombardier said the selection underscores Canada's strategic and sovereign aerospace capabilities and reflects the company's long-standing relationship with government and military customers worldwide.
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