Sweden to acquire additional GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft, accelerate entr…

With two GlobalEyes now under contract, Sweden is to acquire an additional aircraft and accelerate the type's entry into service. (Saab)

Sweden is to add to its order of two Saab S 106 GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, at the same time as fast-tracking the type's entry into service.

The Swedish government made the disclosures as part of a wider announcement of military aid to Ukraine published on 29 May. In the announcement, the government said that its commitment to donate one of the Swedish Air Force's (SwAF's) two Saab ASC 890 AEW&C airframes would be backfilled by an increased and accelerated order of the GlobalEye.

“The donation [of a Saab ASC 890 AEW&C aircraft] will entail a temporary decrease of Sweden's defence capability, which will be addressed by procuring additional S 106 GlobalEye aircraft and advancing previous orders for two new GlobalEye aircraft,” the government announcement on the military aid package to Ukraine said.

The Swedish government contracted Saab in June 2022 to deliver two GlobalEye aircraft, with the option for two more. In response to a request for further information on the latest announcement, the SwAF told Janes that the government intends to acquire one additional GlobalEye in addition to the two now contracted, but that a final political decision has not yet been taken. The spokesperson added that the two aircraft now being built will be delivered to the air force “sooner than the original delivery date” of 2027.

In SwAF service, the GlobalEye will be based at Ärna (also known as Uppsala) Air Base.