France Seals SEK 12.3 Billion Deal with Saab for GlobalEye AEW&C Aircraft, Deliveries from 2029

France : France has signed a major defence procurement contract with Saab for the acquisition of two GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, marking a significant upgrade to the country’s long-range surveillance and command-and-control capabilities. The agreement was concluded with France’s defence procurement authority, the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), and is valued at approximately SEK 12.3 billion.

According to Saab, the contract covers not only the aircraft themselves but also ground-based support equipment, comprehensive training programmes, and long-term logistical and technical support. Deliveries of the two GlobalEye platforms are scheduled to take place between 2029 and 2032. The agreement further includes an option for the DGA to procure two additional aircraft, potentially doubling France’s GlobalEye fleet in the next decade.

Commenting on the development, Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, said the order highlights the strength of the strategic partnership between France and Sweden. He stated that France’s selection of GlobalEye represents an investment in a highly advanced AEW&C capability and reinforces national sovereignty while contributing to broader European security. With this decision, both France and Sweden will operate the same airborne early warning platform.

The GlobalEye system is designed as a multi-domain surveillance and command solution, capable of detecting and tracking threats across air, sea, and land environments. The platform integrates a combination of active and passive sensors, enabling long-range detection, identification, and tracking of a wide spectrum of targets, including aircraft, surface vessels, and low-observable threats.

A defining feature of GlobalEye is its ability to fuse data from multiple sensors into a single, real-time operational picture. This information can be shared with air force, army, and naval units, significantly improving situational awareness and enabling earlier warning of potential threats. Such capabilities are increasingly critical as modern battlefields become more complex and contested, with faster decision-making and cross-domain coordination playing a decisive role.

For France, the acquisition aligns with its broader defence modernisation efforts and its emphasis on strategic autonomy, high-end capabilities, and interoperability with European and allied forces. The GlobalEye aircraft are expected to complement existing airborne surveillance assets while offering extended range, endurance, and multi-domain coverage.

The contract also strengthens Saab’s footprint in the European defence market, underlining growing demand for advanced airborne early warning solutions amid a changing security environment. As deliveries begin in 2029 and continue through 2032, the GlobalEye programme is set to become a central pillar of France’s future air surveillance and battle-management architecture, while further deepening defence cooperation between Paris and Stockholm.