Second Saab GlobalEye completes maiden flight

The second GlobalEye aircraft took off for the first time at 11.00 am on 3 January from Saab’s airfield in Linköping. GlobalEye, which is based on a modified Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft with a suite of advanced sensors including the Erieye ER airborne radar, undertook a test flight collecting flight-test data. The flight duration was 2 hours 54 minutes. In November 2015, Saab signed a development and production contract with the UAE to supply the GlobalEye aircraft, which is a Swing Role Surveillance System (SRSS) incorporating a new version of the Saab Erieye radar system.

“Today’s successful first flight is another major step for GlobalEye. We received the initial contract in late 2015, completed the maiden flight with the first aircraft in March 2018 and now we have the second aircraft in the air just over nine months later. This is the kind of efficiency that signifies Saab”, says Anders Carp, Head of Saab’s business area Surveillance.

Based on a modified Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft and equipped with a suite of advanced sensors including the Erieye ER airborne radar, GlobalEye is designed to perform activities including SAR, border surveillance and military operations. GlobalEye brings extended detection range, endurance and the ability to perform multiple roles, including tasks such as search and rescue, border surveillance and military operations. With highly increased detection range and over 11 hours of operational endurance, GlobalEye AEW&C is perfectly suited to fulfil the most demanding operational requirements. Particularly since it has the ability to detect low-observable air targets in heavy clutter and jamming conditions and also can detect and track maritime targets out to the elevated horizon and small jet-ski or RIB sized vessels at very long distances.