Montreal-based Marconi Technologies has become the first Canadian firm to secure a military contract under the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence procurement pact. Announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 summit, the $10 million deal will see Marconi partner with Poland’s Enamor International to supply Canadian-made tactical radios to the Polish military between now and 2030. The 150-billion euro SAFE program offers Canada, a non-EU state, a preferential pathway to low-interest defence financing as Europe actively works to diminish its historic military reliance on the United States.
According to CBC, Canadian companies can partner with European peers to bid on joint projects and access favourable financing.