France selects Saab’s GlobalEye for early warning requirement

France has selected Saab’s GlobalEye for its AEW&C requirement. (Saab)

PARIS AIR SHOW — France formally announced that it plans on ordering two Saab GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft today here at Le Bourget, with a contract set to be finalized in a matter of months.

The Swedish manufacturer and the French DGA defense procurement agency signed a joint “declaration of intent,” pact which includes an option for an additional two aircraft, according to a Saab statement.

“A final notification process to complete the procurement will now follow,” it continued.

Micael Johansson, Saab CEO, welcomed the move, saying in the statement that GlobalEye “will enhance the French Armed Forces’ situational awareness and threat detection across the air, land and sea domains.”

In a post on X, Pal Jonson, Sweden’s defense minister said that the new collaboration with France “will benefit our countries & deepen interoperability.

The soon-to-be signed sale will enable Paris to replace retiring Boeing E3-F Sentry spy planes and marks Saab’s second GlobalEye export, behind the United Arab Emirates, which operates five of the planes. While recapitalization of the aging E-3F fleet was planned ahead of a 2030 retirement, the French announcement arrived out of the blue, given Paris had largely refrained from sharing their plans on replacing the jets.

GlobalEye is a multidomain platform based off converted Bombardier Global 6500 business jets, and distinguished by Saab’s Erieye surveillance radar.

“By providing real-time information to air forces, armies and navies, GlobalEye enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats,” noted Saab.

The new procurement builds off a 2024 bilateral strategic innovation partnership between France and Sweden that included a commitment to “develop their cooperation in the field of air surveillance and air defence in order to face future aerial threats,” [PDF].