• Areas of expertise targeted include R&D, systems integration, workforce and supply chain development, industrialization and in-service lifecycle management
  • Collaboration reflects Bombardier’s ambition to support next-generation defence industrial capabilities

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UK-based BAE Systems to explore opportunities to develop complementary industrial and technology capabilities that may support future combat air programs.

Under the MOU, Bombardier and BAE Systems will identify areas of collaboration across key technological and industrial capabilities. These include R&D, systems integration, workforce and supply chain development, industrialization and in-service lifecycle management. Both companies will now work to build a framework that incorporates practical areas of cooperation and assess future opportunities aligned with future capability requirements, government priorities and industrial objectives.

This collaboration also exemplifies how Bombardier’s experience coordinating complex aircraft programs and specialized supplier ecosystems makes the company a point of choice for future development and industrial requirements in aerospace and defence.

“Bombardier has a proud history of designing, building and supporting world-class aircraft while advancing aerospace technology. We are well positioned to bring together and develop the talent and expertise needed for programs that can carry a generational impact on the worldwide defence industry,” said Stephen McCullough, Bombardier’s Executive Vice President of Engineering, Product Development and Bombardier Defense. “This MOU with BAE Systems provides a clear framework to explore how these capabilities can support next-generation defence programs, while strengthening industrial capacity, high-value jobs and long-term aerospace leadership.”

“BAE Systems brings decades of combat air experience spanning aircraft design, systems integration, manufacturing and support. This agreement marks an important step in our ambition to strengthen international partnerships that support the future of combat air,” said Simon Barnes, Group Managing Director, BAE Systems Air. “We’re excited by the opportunity to collaborate with Bombardier to help deliver the strategic aims of Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.”

This MOU between Bombardier and BAE Systems marks an important step in exploring how Bombardier’s aerospace expertise, advanced manufacturing capabilities and defence integration experience could contribute to the development of next-generation air combat capabilities. This MOU also supports broader efforts to strengthen the defence industrial base through highly skilled engineering, manufacturing, and systems integration capabilities. Canada announced its observer status in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), alongside partner nations Japan, Italy and the UK, in July 2026.

Bombardier’s growing defence business is centered on flexibility. The company’s aircraft are in service with governments and militaries around the world, supporting a range of specialized missions where reliability, performance and adaptability are essential. Bombardier’s proven engineering talent and global manufacturing footprint are poised to take a step forward through new collaborations such as through this MOU.