Alliance to begin negotiations for up to 10 AEW&C aircraft to replace ageing surveillance fleet
NATO has selected Saab’s GlobalEye as its future Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) platform, with Secretary General Mark Rutte announcing at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye, that the Alliance will begin formal negotiations with Saab for the acquisition of up to 10 aircraft.
While the announcement confirms GlobalEye as NATO’s preferred solution, Saab said no contract has yet been signed, and no formal order has been placed. The company will now enter negotiations with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to finalise the procurement.
The acquisition forms part of NATO’s broader programme to modernise its airborne surveillance capabilities by replacing its existing AEW&C fleet with a next-generation platform offering enhanced situational awareness across multiple operational domains.
Micael Johansson, president and CEO of Saab, welcomed the decision, describing it as a significant milestone for both the company and the Alliance.
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“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. 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,” Johansson said.
GlobalEye integrates Saab’s Erieye Extended Range radar with an advanced suite of sensors and a multi-domain command-and-control (C2) system mounted on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet platform. The system is designed to provide long-range surveillance across air, land and maritime environments while delivering high update rates and comprehensive situational awareness.
The platform is capable of detecting low-observable and stealth aircraft, drones, ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats, even in complex operational environments affected by electronic warfare, signal jamming and heavy ground clutter.
The planned acquisition reflects NATO’s continued investment in advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities as the Alliance strengthens its collective defence posture in response to evolving security challenges. Once negotiations are completed and a contract is signed, the GlobalEye fleet will play a central role in enhancing NATO’s ability to monitor, detect and respond to emerging threats across its areas of operation.
