NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced at the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, that the Alliance will open formal negotiations with Saab over the potential acquisition of up to ten GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) systems. No contract has been signed and no order has been placed at this stage, but the announcement confirms GlobalEye as NATO’s selected solution for its future AEW&C capability, replacing its existing aging fleet as part of a wider modernization of the Alliance’s surveillance and situational awareness capabilities.
Saab President and CEO Micael Johansson called the announcement an honor, expressing confidence that GlobalEye is the right choice for the Alliance and pointing to its proven capability, adaptability, and long-term operational value. He said the decision positions GlobalEye as the leading solution for advanced airborne early warning and control, and that Saab is looking forward to the next stage of negotiations.
GlobalEye is built to let NATO monitor vast stretches of land, sea, and air, giving the Alliance a stronger ability to detect and respond to a broad range of threats. The system pairs Saab’s Erieye Extended Range radar with an advanced sensor suite and a multi-domain Command and Control system, mounted on a Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft. It’s designed for long-range detection at high update rates, capable of picking out low-observable and stealthy threats, drones, and ballistic and hypersonic missiles, even in cluttered environments or under electronic jamming.
Saab will now move into formal negotiations with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) as it works toward securing a contract.
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