Saab has accepted the seventh business jet from Bombardier Defense to be configured as a GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft.
The plane will become the Swedish Air Force’s second GlobalEye as part of a $711-million contract signed in July 2022.
Sweden received the first business jet for this effort in July 2023.
The GlobalEye Aircraft
Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C platform is based on Bombardier’s Global 6000/6500 products specialized for high-profile transport, aeromedical evacuation, and other non-military deployment.
GlobalEye incorporates active and passive sensors and a multi-domain command and control system for enhanced situational awareness.
Capabilities integrated into the aircraft include the Erieye long-range radar with a range of 550 kilometers (342 miles) and an anti-jamming function against adversaries.
The aircraft also has an active electronically scanned array or AESA radar to cover larger targets in multiple directions.
Saab retained other legacy features of the Global business jet to sustain improved AEW&C applications, including the aircraft’s avionics, operational endurance, cabin space, and maintenance interval.
Projects in Other Countries
Alongside the Swedish Air Force, Saab is engaged in GlobalEye projects with other military partners.
The company signed a $58-million contract in July to provide Poland with two GlobalEye platforms. Negotiations for the order commenced in May.
Meanwhile, the UAE Air Force has three GlobalEyes, with two more scheduled for delivery by 2025. The fourth UAE plane achieved its first flight in Linköping in April.
In February, the company pitched the GlobalEye to NATO for a future initiative to replace the alliance’s E-3 Sentry AEW&C fleet.
Saab also offered the GlobalEye to Greece to replace the Hellenic Air Force’s aging Erieye AEW&C fleet.
“More and more countries are preparing for the future by choosing modern, more efficient business jets as strategic assets for their military fleet,” Bombardier Defense Executive Vice President Jean-Christophe Gallagher stated.
“With the rapid progression of technologies, there is a growing realization that business jets, such as our Global aircraft, can seamlessly integrate the equipment and capabilities that were traditionally carried by commercial aircraft.”
