NATO selects Saab's GlobalEye as new AWACS, begins procurement negotiations

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has announced the start of formal negotiations with Saab regarding the potential acquisition of up to ten GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) systems.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the announcement during the NATO summit held in Ankara, Türkiye.

Joint Procurement Agreement

According to NATO's 7 July release, 11 member nations have agreed to jointly procure the GlobalEye system as the new airborne warning and control system (AWACS):

• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Germany
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Romania
• Sweden

Strategic Rationale

The decision to pursue acquisition talks follows NATO's identification of the need to upgrade its existing AEW&C capability. This effort forms part of a broader strategy to enhance the Alliance's overall surveillance and situational awareness. The GlobalEye AEW&C systems are intended to replace part of the Alliance's ageing Boeing E-3 fleet.

Saab's Position

Saab stated that it has not yet signed an agreement or received a purchase order related to NATO's announcement.

Micael Johansson, Saab President and CEO, said:

"We are honoured and proud to support NATO in its next-generation AEW&C capability. We are confident that GlobalEye is the right choice for the Alliance, delivering proven capability, adaptability and long-term operational advantage.

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"Today's announcement clearly positions GlobalEye as the world-leading solution for advanced airborne early warning and control. We look forward to the next steps in the negotiations."

System Capabilities

GlobalEye integrates Saab's Erieye Extended Range radar with a collection of sensors and a multi-domain Command and Control (C2) system, mounted on the Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft platform.

Key features include:

• Multi-domain surveillance: Air, land, and sea coverage from a single platform
• Extended endurance: Capable of remaining airborne for more than 11 hours
• Long-range detection: Tracks a variety of targets, including drones, low-observable and stealth threats, as well as ballistic and hypersonic missiles
• Operational resilience: Effective in environments featuring electronic jamming and heavy clutter

Next Steps

Saab's next step will be to continue discussions with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) with the aim of finalising a contract.

The arrangement is expected by Saab to impact employment and industry in Sweden, with job opportunities anticipated in areas such as development, production, integration, and ongoing support.

Pål Jonson, Swedish Defence Minister, said:

"GlobalEye provides precisely the kind of advanced situational awareness that modern defences need to combat everything from drones, missiles and other types of threats. It is gratifying that more and more people are seeing the value of this state-of-the-art platform."