Saab and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defence have signed a contract and Saab has received an order regarding in-service support for the GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) solution. The order value is approximately USD 190 million with a three-year contract period that runs until 2026. The contract includes maintenance and logistics support, as well as training services. Currently operates 3 GlobalEye aircraft with an additional 2 on order scheduled for delivery in 2025 at a total cost of 23 billion SEK. In November 2023, SAAB announced the maiden flight of the fifth and final GlobalEye for the UAE air force.
“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,” says Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s business area Surveillance.
GlobalEye is a multi-role airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) platform from Swedish defence and security company Saab. The aircraft consists of a suite of sensors using Saab’s Erieye ER (Extended Range) radar and mission system, installed in the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 long-range business jet. GlobalEye is an advanced multi-domain AEW&C solution with an array of active and passive sensors that provide long-range detection and identification of objects in the air, at sea and over land. By providing real-time information to units in air forces, armies and navies, GlobalEye enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats.
The primary sensor of the GlobalEye is its Erieye ER airborne early warning (AEW) radar; weighing approximately 1 tonne, it is mounted atop the twinjet’s fuselage. Saab has cited up to 450 km (216 nm) range for the AEW radar system when flown at an operating altitude of 30,000 ft; and 550 km at 35,000 ft in comparison with earlier versions of the Erieye radar, Saab claims it has achieved a 70% increase in detection range, achieved via the use of new technology, such as gallium nitride transmit/receive modules. The GlobalEye is equipped with various additional sensors.
