NATO chooses Saab's Swedish GlobalEye system to replace its AWACS fleet

NATO announced on Tuesday its intention to acquire around ten GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from the Swedish group Saab to replace its aging fleet of AWACS aircraft, in a program estimated at around $4,5 billion.

This decision, unveiled at the Alliance summit in Ankara, marks the choice of the Swedish system over the E-7 Wedgetail offered by the American manufacturer Boeing.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte explained that replacing the AWACS, which have been in service since the Cold War and are recognizable by their imposing rotating radar, will allow the Alliance to better respond to modern threats, including drone swarms.

"This will allow us to maintain the strength and credibility of NATO's surveillance and early warning capabilities for decades to come," said Mark Rutte.

While the American president Donald Trump While continuing to urge European allies to increase their military spending and purchase more American equipment, the NATO Secretary General stressed the transatlantic nature of the program.

According to him, the GlobalEye system, installed on Bombardier Global 6500 business jets, is developed through cooperation between European, Canadian and American industries.

The GlobalEye was competing with Boeing's E-7 Wedgetail, a command and surveillance aircraft based on the Boeing 737, designed to coordinate air operations.

NATO indicated that GlobalEye had already demonstrated its effectiveness in operations, without providing further details on the criteria that motivated its choice.

The Alliance is now opening formal negotiations with Saab to finalize the contract.

Saab's chief executive, Micael Johansson, estimated the value of the program at around $4,5 billion and indicated that the first deliveries could begin as early as 2030 if an agreement is reached in the coming months.