The 3-year contract period runs until 2026
Saab has signed a $190-million agreement with the UAE Ministry of Defence for in-service support for the Swedish defence and security company’s GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft.
The three-year contract runs until 2026 and includes maintenance, logistics support, and training services.
In a media statement, CarlJohan Bergholm, head of Saab’s business area surveillance, noted: “This agreement solidifies Saab’s role in ensuring that GlobalEye remains mission ready. We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with the UAE Air Force and Air Defence and providing long-term local support.”
The GlobalEye is an advanced multi-domain AEW&C solution with active and passive sensors that provide long-range detection and identification of objects in the air, at sea and over land.
According to Saab, by providing real-time information to air forces, armies, and navies units, the AEW&C aircraft enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats.
Based on the Global 6000/6500 aircraft family from Canada’s Bombardier, GlobalEye combines Saab’s Erieye Extended Range radar with an advanced suite of sensors and a multi-domain Command and Control (C2) system.
The UAE became the first operator of the GlobalEye in April 2020.
2018 launch
Saab officially unveiled the first GlobalEye aircraft to the media at its Linköping site in Sweden on February 23, 2018.
Speaking at the media unveiling in 2018, Anders Carp, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s business area surveillance, said: “Saab’s breadth and depth of expertise combine all of the necessary knowledge and technology required to design, develop, and produce the most advanced AEW&C systems.
“Our collective capabilities deliver unrivalled solutions such as GlobalEye. This milestone shows that the GlobalEye programme and Saab are delivering on our commitments,” Carp added.
In late 2023, NATO chose Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail as its next Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to succeed the alliance’s ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACSs.
The E-7 Wedgetail won over several other AWACS/ AEW&C aircraft offerings for NATO, including the GlobalEye.
Featured image: Saab’s GlobalEye provides long-range detection and identification of objects in the air, at sea and over land. Image: Saab
