Overview
- The Netherlands and Sweden signed a letter of intent on Thursday, September 10, 2026, signaling Dutch intent to acquire one Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft while formal purchase contracts remain to be negotiated.
- Saab and Dutch officials say no procurement contract has been signed and Saab has not yet received an order, though the Dutch ministry expects national delivery in 2031.
- Under the plan Dutch crews will gain access to a joint pool with Sweden’s three GlobalEye jets from 2028 so they can train on and potentially operate the platform before the Dutch aircraft arrives.
- GlobalEye is an airborne early warning and control system built on a Bombardier Global business-jet airframe that uses Saab’s Erieye ER radar plus other sensors to detect aircraft, drones, ships, ground targets and cruise missiles at long range.
- This national purchase is separate from a NATO-led effort by a group of allies to jointly procure up to ten GlobalEye aircraft to replace ageing E-3A AWACS, and it would let the Netherlands decide deployments more independently while contributing to alliance surveillance capacity.