GE Aerospace's defense engine division, headquartered in Evendale, signed a strategic agreement on July 22, with Canadian firm Magellan Aerospace to establish maintenance and repair capabilities for a military jet engine that could power Canada's next fighter fleet.

Paul Ferraro, vice president and general manager of defense engines and services at GE Aerospace, signed the memorandum of understanding at the Farnborough International Airshow in England alongside Haydn Martin, vice president of business development at Magellan Aerospace.

The deal centers on the F414-GE-39E engine, which powers the Saab Gripen E fighter jet. If Canada selects the Gripen E for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Magellan would become the country's domestic hub for maintaining and overhauling the F414 fleet at its facility in Mississauga, Ontario. GE Aerospace would provide training and license Magellan as a center of excellence for the engine work.

Canada had not announced a final decision on its next fighter jet as of July 2026, according to aviation trade publication AIN Online. Saab has been named Canada's preferred supplier for a separate airborne early warning aircraft and has pitched a package deal covering both platforms.

"Today's MOU signing builds on a six-decade relationship between GE Aerospace and Magellan that spans both military and commercial engines and will ensure the Royal Canadian Air Force has access to engine sustainment services in country," Ferraro said in the company's press release.

The F414 engine family has logged more than 5 million flight hours, with more than 1,600 engines delivered to eight nations, according to GE Aerospace.

The agreement reflects Evendale's position as headquarters of GE Aerospace's defense engine division. In March 2026, the company announced a $1 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing for the year, including $115 million in Cincinnati to modernize infrastructure, expand test cell capacity, and grow advanced 3D metal printing capabilities. More than $275 million of that total was earmarked for defense engine production sites, and the company planned to hire 5,000 U.S. workers in 2026.

Whether the Magellan deal moves forward depends entirely on Ottawa's fighter selection. No timeline for that decision has been publicly announced.