Saab Unveils First GlobalEye AWACS Aircraft for Swedish Air Force

The Swedish company Saab has unveiled the first GlobalEye long-range airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft built for the Swedish Air Force.

The company announced this on its website.

This marks the start of the testing and verification phase for the technical systems. The aircraft will make its first flight in the near future, after which the process of its final handover to the customer will begin.

The Swedish GlobalEye contract

Currently, the Swedish Air Force is awaiting delivery of a total of three such platforms. The Swedish government signed a contract to purchase the first two AEW&C aircraft in 2022, and the agreement also included an option for additional aircraft, which the country exercised in 2024 by ordering a third unit.

The new aircraft are intended to completely replace the Swedish Air Force’s obsolete Saab 340 AEW&C early warning and control systems, which have been in service for several decades. These aircraft were acquired, among others, by Ukraine.

Development history and tactical and technical characteristics of the GlobalEye

Development of the GlobalEye system began in the 2010s based on the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft.

The main component of the aircraft’s reconnaissance equipment is the Erieye ER (Extended Range) active phased array radar, which operates in the S-band. The system’s antenna is housed in a distinctive longitudinal pod above the fuselage.

By utilizing gallium nitride (GaN) technology, the developers were able to increase the target detection range by 70% compared to previous versions of the Erieye system. The radar is capable of detecting airborne objects with a small radar cross-section—including cruise missiles and aircraft—at distances exceeding 550 kilometers.

In addition to the main radar, the aircraft is equipped with a Leonardo Seaspray multi-mode under-fuselage radar for maritime and ground surveillance, an optoelectronic and infrared station, as well as electronic intelligence and self-defense systems.

The aircraft cockpit and operator workstations are integrated into a shared network that allows real-time situational data to be transmitted to ground control centers, ships, and other combat aircraft.

The Bombardier Global 6000 platform provides an endurance of over 11 hours without refueling, and its operational flight altitude reaches 10,000–11,000 meters.

In addition to Sweden, the United Arab Emirates is a major operator and customer of GlobalEye systems on the international market.