Eleven NATO member states have announced the joint procurement of Saab GlobalEye aircraft as NATO’s new AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System).
As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, the announcement ceremony took place in the presence of Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday in Ankara at the Defense Industry Forum, which is being held on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Currently, NATO uses an airborne early warning system based on the American Boeing E-3 aircraft.
The coalition includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and Sweden.
"This decision marks an important step in modernizing NATO’s airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities by replacing part of the Alliance’s aging Boeing E-3 fleet. The GlobalEye system will provide advanced multi-domain surveillance in the air, on land, and at sea from a single platform. It will ensure enhanced detection and tracking of complex threats, including drone swarms, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. The aircraft will strengthen NATO’s situational awareness and support for operations," NATO headquarters said.
The Alliance emphasized that this project is an example of close transatlantic industrial cooperation, in which European and Canadian industries play a leading role, and important contributions are made by American companies.
Saab President Micael Johansson assured that if a contract is signed with NATO, deliveries of the GlobalEye aircraft system could begin as soon as 2030, with an estimated initial capability of up to 10 aircraft. "Pricing has not been finalized because there is no contract yet. Depending on the configuration, as well as the customized infrastructure, the cost of the aircraft is approximately 400 million to 450 million euros," he detailed.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that today’s announcement regarding the GlobalEye is "a great day for NATO, a great day for Saab, but also a great day for Sweden." "As Prime Minister, I am immensely proud of our strong Swedish defense-industrial base with engineering skills that have developed over many decades," he said.
According to Kristersson, Sweden is "one of the few countries in the world that can design and produce a wide range of advanced defense equipment – fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, submarines, artillery systems, and combat vehicles." "Thanks to the GlobalEye system, NATO receives a new world-class airborne early warning and control system. This is an excellent example of international cooperation between NATO allies in creating a state-of-the-art product," the Swedish Prime Minister said.
