Sweden and the Netherlands to pool Saab GlobalEye fleets under new letter of intent

The Netherlands has signed a letter of intent with Sweden laying the groundwork for a joint operating arrangement around the Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, with The Hague planning to field one aircraft of its own from 2031.

Announced by the Dutch defence ministry on 10 September, the pooling concept would see the Dutch aircraft operate alongside three GlobalEye platforms on order for the Swedish air force. Royal Netherlands Air Force crews are expected to fly aboard Swedish aircraft as early as 2028, ahead of the Netherlands taking delivery of its own example. Sweden’s first GlobalEye — based on a heavily modified Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet airframe — is slated for delivery next year.

According to the ministry, the arrangement ensures crews from both nations have access to the pooled fleet, and the two countries will also collaborate on further developing the system. The move also gives the Netherlands, in its words, greater ability to determine independently where and when the aircraft is deployed.

A broader NATO context

The bilateral pooling sits within a wider multinational effort. At the NATO summit in early July, a planned joint procurement of up to 10 GlobalEye systems was announced on behalf of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania and Sweden — part of a broader push by those allies to replace NATO’s ageing Boeing E-3 AWACS fleet. AWACS, or airborne warning and control system, refers to radar-equipped aircraft that provide wide-area surveillance of airspace.

Saab’s Erieye ER radar, the core sensor on the GlobalEye, is described by the Dutch ministry as capable of monitoring large areas simultaneously and detecting difficult-to-spot objects such as drones and cruise missiles, with additional sensors able to collect other forms of intelligence.

Growing order book — but no Dutch contract yet

Saab has been careful to note that no contract is in place for the Dutch aircraft. The company says it “stands prepared and awaits the next steps of the procurement process”, adding that no order has yet been received from the Netherlands. Chief executive Micael Johansson said the GlobalEye would allow the Netherlands to “detect threats earlier” and strengthen both national and collective defence.

The GlobalEye’s customer base already includes launch customer the United Arab Emirates with five aircraft, France with two, and Sweden with three. An undisclosed Middle East customer recently signed for two more in a deal reported at around $1 billion, and Canada earlier this year selected the type as its preferred candidate for a future AEW&C capability. Saab’s surveillance platform is also a notable program for Bombardier (BBD.B), which supplies the Global 6000/6500 business-jet airframes that underpin the system.

Source: original release

What to watch

• Progress of the Dutch procurement process toward a firm contract with Saab
• Delivery of Sweden’s first GlobalEye, expected next year
• Details of the bilateral pooling and joint development arrangements with Sweden
• Advancement of the multinational NATO procurement of up to 10 GlobalEye systems
• Canada’s formalisation of its AEW&C requirement, for which GlobalEye is the named preferred candidate