Saab is offering a sovereign data center deployment to the Canadian military as part of a deal with its fighter jets.

As reported by CBC News, the Swedish firm is hoping that the offering of a data center that will keep data out of US companies' hands will tempt the Canadian government to adopt its Gripen-E fighter jets, and reduce the country's reliance on the US-manufactured F-35s, which store data at a Lockheed Martin data center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Saab has described the data center as a "unique advantage" and would purpose-build the facility to host "all work on the fighter mission system."

"Gripen data will also be housed here, securely within Canadian borders," Saab spokesperson Sierra Fullerton said. "With the fighter mission system, communications, and technical data all hosted in Canada, Gripen exceeds all industrial, security, and controlled goods requirements. With Gripen, the Royal Canadian Air Force will have full, independent control over aircraft, software, and sensitive data."

The sovereign data center would be established in Montreal. Details about the potential facility have not been shared.

The data center would be manned by Canadian's with security clearance, and due to its location in Canada and lack of ownership by an American body, would not be subject to the US Cloud Act, which enables the US government to demand access to data.

Lockheed Martin has denied that their fighter jets risk data sovereignty, however, Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of the F-35 program, said: "As part of our government contracts, we deliver all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to operate and sustain their aircraft independently and according to their sovereign requirements and operational needs."

In 2018, the US' Pentagon awarded a $26 million contract to Lockheed Martin to see the company sequester each country's data and build firewalls to prevent the transfer of potentially sensitive information gathered by the jet, including mechanical or mission-related data.

Saab is also offering, alongside the data center, 72 Gripen E/F fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEWAC) aircraft, all of which would be built in Canada.

Saab is a Swedish defense and security company founded in 1937. It offers various aerospace and defense products, as well as command and control solutions.