Bombardier advanced in Monday trading after the company said it delivered the ninth aircraft in the U.S. Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node fleet, a key milestone for the long running program built on the company’s Global business jet platform.
The delivery was celebrated earlier this month at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, according to a company statement.
The aircraft joins the Air Force’s E-11A fleet, which uses the BACN payload to act as a high altitude communications gateway that helps link ground forces and aircraft that cannot normally talk to each other.
Bombardier said the Global family’s range, speed, and reliability make it a fit for special mission work and noted the BACN fleet has supported critical communications for nearly two decades.
Bombardier’s Class B shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange rose about 5% intraday on the delivery crossed, according to MT Newswires. The stock trades under ticker BBD.B in Toronto and BDRBF over the counter in the United States.
Jean Christophe Gallagher, Bombardier’s executive vice president of aircraft sales and Bombardier Defense, framed the program as a strategic anchor.
In a press release, he said, We are honored to see our reliable, high performing Global aircraft serve the United States Air Force in critical missions worldwide through the BACN program, adding that the company looks forward to supporting the service’s operational needs.
The BACN program has expanded in phases, with Bombardier delivering multiple Global series airframes that are outfitted with specialized communications equipment for the E-11A role.
The latest handover sustains momentum after last year’s eighth aircraft joined the fleet, reinforcing Bombardier’s push to deepen its defense revenue alongside its core business jet franchise.
The company positions Bombardier Defense, based in Wichita with operations across North America, as a partner to governments and militaries seeking to adapt business jet platforms for surveillance, command and control, and other special missions.
It highlights recurring demand for missionized Globals at a time when the civil aircraft cycle remains healthy but sensitive to capital market conditions.
Program deliveries like BACN can help smooth cash flows and utilization at completion and support facilities, which tend to carry higher margins than green aircraft sales.
While the company’s balance sheet moves draw attention, operational updates like BACN can be just as important for sentiment because they signal execution against commitments to major customers.
If the stock’s pop holds, it will reflect expectations that defense related deliveries can remain a steady contributor even as broader markets debate interest rates, corporate spending, and the pace of private aviation demand.
The ninth aircraft milestone underscores that Bombardier continues to execute on one of its most visible government programs.
